Knowledge Base

Here you can find Pavel Pashkov’s answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Why am I against planting forests in "rows" and critical of modern reforestation?Can the shooting of bears provoke new encounters between animals and humans?How should we protect nature to achieve real change?What threat has emerged for the reserves?They want to allow bears to be killed all winter during hibernationWhat do we propose to solve the problem?Interactive map of the Territories of Full Ecological Tranquility (TFET)How is the area of Russia's intact forest landscapes changing?Why bears and how is the register organized?Why do we need our online Earth observation station?How do ancient forests affect the climate?The increase in quotas for bear hunting coincided with the expansion of the sports hunting industryWhat is the 'Green Page' and why is it needed?How many bears are there in Russia overall?What are Public Initiatives and how do they help protect nature?What are ancient forests?What is the Concept of Territories of Full Ecological Tranquility (TFET) and how does it differ from the existing global protected area system?How do roads affect the integrity of the taiga?How can an ordinary person help wildlife?What do we need to do to have a global impact on environmental issues?Is it true that forests in Russia are only increasing?Why do bears approach humans, and is it related to pine nuts?Is it necessary to write to government authorities if the responses are just formalities?What do studies say about fires and roads?

Is it true that forests in Russia are only increasing?

This is true, but it distorts the real facts and is used to justify the destruction of genuine ancient forests. According to satellite monitoring data, the total forest area in Russia is indeed increasing. In a scientific study from 2026, Russian scientists found that from 2001–2024, the forested area of the country grew from 744,84 to 794,61 million hectares. The increase was 49,77 million hectares, or 6,7%. However, it is important to understand which forests are increasing! Scientists note the overgrowth of abandoned agricultural lands, the recovery of young tree vegetation after disturbances, and the spread of trees and shrubs into tundra areas due to climate changes. All this increases the total forested area but does not mean the restoration of genuine ancient ecosystems of the Ancient Forests. During the same period, from 2000 to 2025, the area of intact forest territories in Russia decreased by 53,2 million hectares, or 19,4%. According to Global Forest Watch, from 2001–2025, there was a total loss of tree cover across Russia of about 92 million hectares, including the effects of fires and logging. Of this, about 25 million hectares of losses occurred in intact forest landscapes. There are also international confirmations. In Eastern Canada, scientists studied 130 thousand km² of forest landscapes and found that over 35 years, the total forested area increased by 6,5%, while the area of old forests decreased by 39%. At the same time, the habitat conditions for many forest birds worsened. Therefore, the increase in the total forest area in Russia cannot be used as evidence of the well-being of the Ancient Forests. Young trees on abandoned fields do not replace the complex ancient biogeocenoses with their soils, natural food chains, old-growth trees, and thousands of ecological connections. We are witnessing two simultaneous processes: an increase in the total area of tree vegetation and the large-scale destruction of the remaining intact forest ecosystems. It is the second issue that we investigate in the 'Ancient Forests' project, as the preservation of these territories is crucial for the future of Russia's wildlife.
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