New hope for Russia's rare plant reserve

[mark smyth]

August - Rare Russia Crop Collection At Risk
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/environment/Rare-Russia-Crop-Collection-At-Risk--101376099.html

Oct
http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2010/10/06//3031218.htm

[maggiepie]

Good grief, this is just unbelievable.
Vandalism!!
I wonder what has happened since October.
To think 12 scientists starved to death rather than eat the unique collection of seeds and plants. 

[mark smyth]

Maybe one of our Russian forumists can tell us more about the story ?

[Lesley Cox]

Perhaps this is one of those occasions when an international petition is warranted? Gardeners and botanists and scientists around the world would add their names and concerns, surely. Mr Medvedev would then be left in no doubt that the collection was tremendously important.

[Martin Baxendale]

From the sounds of it, Messrs Medvedev and Putin are only concerned with holding onto power and lining their own pockets in their post-communist gangster state. Putin and Berlusconi best friends?! Nuff said!

[Olga Bondareva]

Maybe one of our Russian forumists can tell us more about the story?

Nothing more besides the same stories happens every were in my country. I cried when Russia get 2012 Olimpic Games. I knew it is a catastrophe for Sochi area nature. And that's true. New roads take that place where galanthuses, erythroniums, scillas and other rarities grows. Many new buildings appears in the lands of National Caucasus reserve. And nobody cares. Because of money.
Do you remember my Galanthus platyphyllus/valentinae? Many people skiing right now over them.

Good grief, this is just unbelievable.
Vandalism!!

Yes. It is vandalism. But very believable. 

Lesley, any petition is powerless when money shine... 

[Lesley Cox]

That is very sad Olga. I sometimes think that being a small country has some advantages in that the WHOLE country can get behind a cause or deal with an issue, rather than having many iinternal or regional governments all doing different things and having different rules. Our green lobby is quite strong and as a result, the whole country is aware and people are ready to act, protest and usually carry the day, when bad things may happen to our (relatively) pristine environment.

[cohan]

very sorry to hear
lesley, one problem with large countries is that there is a feeling that nature is endless, and it will always be there, so there is no need to worry about it....

[olegKon]

As the problem caused a voceiferous outcry both abroad and in Russia and can spoil the reputation of the ruling elite I hope everything will be OK with the station. At least the Russian parliament is now developing a new bill on plant genetic base and amendments to the law on land ownership which will help to save the station. If that so far sad story is of interest to forumist I can keep you in touch with its current development.
Martin, cannot agree more. Not everything is that straightforward but generally - yes. The post-communist Russia is not that far about gangsters, I would describe the state as new-authoritarian since 2003 at least.  

[Lesley Cox]

Yes please Oleg, do keep us in touch with developments. As Olga says, money is all important, except perhaps, when international reputations and respect are at stake. Let's hope the pressure stays on the Russian leaders and politicians.

[Paul T]

Oleg,

Many of us may be on the other side of the world (in some cases quite literally), but we would definitely like to be kept up to date with what is happening.  So many of us collect our treasures from countries so far from us, and it is awful to hear about them disappearing, but if we don't hear about them then there is never any chance of anyone being able to do anything about it.  Thanks very much for taking the time to post for us.

[Maggi Young]

Oleg,

Many of us may be on the other side of the world (in some cases quite literally), but we would definitely like to be kept up to date with what is happening.  So many of us collect our treasures from countries so far from us, and it is awful to hear about them disappearing, but if we don't hear about them then there is never any chance of anyone being able to do anything about it.  Thanks very much for taking the time to post for us.

 I agree

[Natalia]

Trouble of this collection that it has no official document on the existence. It gives the chance to officials to declare - that has no document - does not exist. Instead of exists - the earth is not occupied.
And as a result the tidbit of very expensive land goes for the building cottages..
According to all available information, accessible to us, to its destiny should return in the end of November. As new messages are not present - good we do not wait for anything.

[olegKon]

the latest news about the station can be read in English: www.vir.nw.ru

[Rogan]

Sometimes the news can be positive - even in this country:

"An extensive study of the taxonomy and ecology of the threatened succulent plant Frithia humilis was undertaken in 2000. Since it is a summer rainfall genus and close at hand, it was easy to study. In 2008 the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) together with a large mining company approached Priscilla Burgoyne to assist in the translocation of this endangered succulent plant from an area to be mined for coal due to her knowledge of this plant. The Frithia plants were discovered by conservation authorities after a mining license had already been granted. Current legislation dictates that as a license had already been issued, the mine was under no obligation to undertake any action. However, the mine considered it a priority to assist in any way possible."

www.nacsa.org.za and www.nacssa.co.za