On March 27th hotel “Karelia” hosted an information
seminar of a “Clean Ladoga” project, where experts presented the results of the
first in 10 years comprehensive research of Ladoga Lake’s water resources and
recommendations on the preservation of Ladoga’s biodiversity.
The researches put great emphasis on revelation of
human impact level on Ladoga and its tributary rivers. According to Sergey
Komulainen, a senior researcher in the Institute of biology of KarRC RAS, the
analysis showed that agricultural facilities (croplands and stock breeding
complexes) as well as inefficient or even out-of-service waste treatment
facilities located in coastal areas have the most negative impact on the lake.
Petr Lozovik from the Institute of Water Problems of the North has also
underlined high level of influence exerted by actively developing trout farms.
Thus, the conducted researches identified the whole
new complex of problems that should be resolved as soon as possible. This is
why the group of Russian and Finnish experts prepared an extended list of
recommendations on easing-off the human impact. This list includes a number of
top-priority tasks such as
·
establishment
of a forest protective belt in a water conservation zone and transfer of
agricultural facilities from this zone;
·
regulation
of further development of trout farms;
·
construction
of water treatment facilities for untreated sewage water as well as upgrade of
existing facilities and their efficiency.
Moreover the researches will help to select the most
toxic waste water treatment plants, develop feasibility studies and design
estimate documentation for at least 4 communal objects and propose them for
investments to private and state investors. Local communities will be actively
involved as well: the project experts will hold a series of training seminars
for both treatment facilities’ employees who will work with new equipment and
entrepreneurs and representatives of local administrations responsible for the
practical implementation of measures aimed at Ladoga’s pollution reduction.
The importance
of solution of problems revealed by the project is noted not only by scientific
community but the representatives of government and local authorities. The
officials from the Ministry for land use and environmental protection, as well
as from the Ministry for construction, housing and utility services and energy
expressed readiness to support project partners’ initiatives and told about the
work that is being implemented today.
Particular attention was paid to legislation. Polina
Goldenberg, State inspector on control in the sphere of water objects use and
protection, land use and environmental protection of Federal Service for
Supervision in the Sphere of Natural Resource Use, presented the amendments to
the Water Code and the Code of
Administrative Offences came into force November 1, 2013. They are designed to
fight unscrupulous entrepreneurs who untill recently benefited from paying the
fine for violation of environmental legislation more than from elimination of
disastrous consequences of their business activity.
One 2-year project is obviously unable to solve all identified problems
that have been cumulating for decades. This is why the partners’ alliance has
decided to continue this work in future, including the projects that will be
implemented in the framework of European Partnership Instrument. But all the
future project will definitely have a common goal: make the Ladoga shore a
comfortable place to live for local people, an attractive place for tourists to
come, and interesting for controlled fishery.
Ellen
Cherniakevich
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