ANCIENT FORESTS

In our project "Ancient Forests," we refer to ancient forests as large natural forest ecosystems, predominantly old-growth, which have developed over thousands of years into complex biogeocenoses of wild nature. Our interactive map shows intact forest landscapes: these are large natural landscapes, including forests and natural non-forest areas, forming cohesive ecosystems of the Ancient Forests.

In scientific terms, there are concepts of old-growth and primary forests, as well as intact forest landscapes. These are different but interconnected categories. We believe that the concept of ancient forest better shapes public perception and correctly defines our position: it is precisely these ancient forest ecosystems that need urgent federal protection on a national scale.

The scientific value of such ecosystems lies in their natural structure, continuity of ecological processes, and complex interconnections among thousands of species of living organisms. Here, there are trees of various ages, deadwood at different stages of decomposition, natural soil communities, fungal networks, diverse microorganisms, and complex food chains. All this is formed as a result of the long-term natural development of the forest. Such ecosystems provide habitats for many specialized species, participate in regulating the water regime, carbon accumulation, and maintaining the resilience of natural processes.

The integrity of ancient forest masses is of particular value. Large intact areas allow for the preservation of the natural dynamics of forests, including natural fires, windthrows, tree generation renewal, and vegetation recovery. Here, sustainable populations of large wild animals can exist, which require vast spaces for movement, reproduction, and foraging. The destruction and fragmentation of such areas disrupt ecological connections that have formed over centuries and millennia.

It is important to understand: the age of an individual tree and the age of a forest ecosystem are different scientific characteristics. Even where the ancient stand was renewed after natural fires, the forest ecosystem itself could have maintained its natural continuity for millennia. Therefore, evaluating the value of the Ancient Forests solely by the age of trees or the area of forest cover is scientifically incorrect.

This is why we advocate for the preservation of large cohesive natural masses of the Ancient Forests. A destroyed ancient forest ecosystem cannot be fully restored by simply planting trees. A new forest can be grown, but restoring the complex natural interconnections characteristic of old-growth ecosystems may take centuries, and some lost components and processes may be irrecoverable.

Our task is to show the real state of these areas, the scale of their destruction, and the scientifically justified need for urgent state protection.

According to estimates by an international group of researchers, the area of Russia's intact forest landscapes decreased from 274,4 million hectares in 2000 to 221,2 million hectares in 2025. Over 25 years, we lost 53,2 million hectares, or almost 19,4% of all intact forest landscapes preserved at the beginning of the century! This is 532 thousand square kilometers — an area larger than Spain. Russia ranks first in the world in terms of the absolute area of lost intact forest landscapes.

It is important to understand: losing the status of an intact territory does not mean that all the forest in this area has been cut down. The construction of roads, industrial development, logging, or large-scale disturbances of the natural cover are enough for a vast forest area to lose its integrity. According to the World Resources Institute, from 2001 to 2025, the loss of tree cover directly within Russia's intact forest landscapes amounted to about 25 million hectares. The main causes of destruction remain forest fires, industrial logging, and infrastructure development.

Meanwhile, the total area of Russia's forests may increase due to the natural overgrowth of territories and the restoration of tree vegetation. However, young forests cannot quickly replace the complex ancient ecosystems that have formed over centuries and millennia. This is why we separately study the condition of large intact forest landscapes, not just the total forest cover area.

It is especially important to preserve Russia's existing protected area system. Thanks to reserves, national parks, and other specially protected natural areas, many valuable forest areas are under state protection from industrial development.

The construction of roads is one of the main factors in the destruction of Russia's largely undisturbed forest ecosystems. Roads literally cut ancient forest areas into separate sections, disrupt natural wildlife migration paths, and provide access for industrial logging, mineral extraction, and further development of previously hard-to-reach areas.

In a scientific study from 2026 published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, scientists analyzed 20 480 satellite images of Siberia from 2000–2023. During this time, the length of the road network in the studied region increased by 1,6 times, and the number of fragments of largely undisturbed forests grew from 383 to 1 645 — by 4,3 times! The average area of the remaining forest fragments decreased from 4 460 to 1 038 km², almost by 77%. The study covered an area of 5,81 million km² of Central and Eastern Siberia.

In the studied part of Siberia, scientists estimated the growth of the road network from 172 521 km in 2000 to 275 288 km in 2023, an increase of 102 767 km.

Manukovsky and Kurdyukov in the collection of the Voronezh State Forestry University for 2025 provide an estimate of about 1,9 million km of logging roads in Russia by the end of 2023–2024, including dirt and seasonal roads. The source of the figure and the calculation method are not specified in the article.

According to Roslesinforg, by the end of 2022, 97,8 thousand km of logging roads were used permanently for timber removal. These are official data on roads for timber removal, and these roads cut forest areas into parts.

It is especially dangerous that roads become an additional factor in the spread of forest fires. Russian scientists in a study of the Priangarye region for 2002–2020 found that almost half of the registered fires occurred within two kilometers of settlements, roads, and logging areas. During these years, about 4,1 million hectares of the studied area were affected by fires, and logging disturbances affected another 600 thousand hectares. The proximity of fires to roads and logging indicates strong anthropogenic impact.

The consequences are destructive for the entire Russian Taiga. When a large ecosystem is cut by roads, the contiguous habitats of bears and other animals are reduced, human disturbance increases, and forests become more accessible for further development. Isolation of natural areas can disrupt the exchange of individuals between populations and reduce ecosystem resilience.

This is why we believe it is urgently necessary to protect the remaining large, largely undisturbed forest areas of Russia from further industrial infrastructure development. Each new road deep in the ancient forest can become the beginning of large-scale destruction of an entire natural ecosystem.

Scientists from Russia and other countries confirm the dangerous link between road construction, industrial logging, and forest fires. Roads provide human access to ancient forests, increasing the risk of fires in previously hard-to-reach areas.

In Priangarye, Russian researchers found that during the years 2002–2020, about 75% of forest fires occurred within 20 kilometers of roads, and 27% within two kilometers. During this period, 4,1 million hectares of the studied area were affected by fire!

In the USA, scientists discovered that the density of fire occurrences near roads was 4,6 times higher than in wild areas without roads. In the Brazilian Amazon, up to 73% of the most intense fires were recorded within five kilometers of the road network.

So yes, scientific data shows that roads and logging create additional fire risks. Moreover, roads cut through and isolate wildlife, fragmenting living biogeocenoses.

This is why we oppose further industrial development of the remaining intact forests of the Ancient Forests. Every new road opens access to the depths of the ancient ecosystem, increasing the threat of its destruction.

Ancient forests play a crucial role in regulating the climate, maintaining humidity, and distributing precipitation. Russian scientists Anastasia Makarieva and Victor Gorshkov proposed the scientific model of the 'biotic pump,' which suggests that large natural forest areas can even influence the transport of atmospheric moisture from oceans into the interior of continents.

How does this work? Trees absorb water from the soil and evaporate it through their leaves and needles. The moist air rises, cools, water vapor condenses, clouds form, and precipitation occurs. According to the scientists' model, intense condensation contributes to the formation of atmospheric pressure differences, which enhance the inflow of moist air from the ocean to the land. Thus, vast forest areas can sustain a steady supply of moisture deep into the continents.

In a study from 2007, scientists showed that over large forest areas of the Amazon, equatorial Africa, and the Yenisei basin, abundant precipitation is maintained thousands of kilometers from the ocean. In the studied treeless areas, the amount of precipitation significantly decreased within just a few hundred kilometers.

If ancient forests are destroyed, evaporation, water balance, and the redistribution of atmospheric moisture are disrupted. This can increase the aridity of areas and alter the regional climate. This is why preserving the intact expanses of the Ancient Forests is important far beyond the forests themselves. We are talking about natural systems on which the climate and water regime of vast areas depend.

Hundreds of Russian scientists and experts are speaking out against the weakening of Russia's reserve system! In April 2026, 120 scientists and public figures appealed to the President of the country, and on 14 October, another 106 specialists sent an appeal to all 450 State Duma deputies. Among the signatories are RAS academicians, leading biologists, ecologists, and distinguished scientists.

The main threat is draft law No. 1096223-8, which the State Duma passed in the first reading on 18 March 2026. It provides mechanisms for changing the boundaries of specially protected natural areas, excluding lands from them, and placing economic facilities. Scientists warn that this poses a threat of industrial development of reserves, deforestation of ancient forests, and destruction of the last refuges of wildlife. The law has not yet been finally adopted.

However, the pressure has been ongoing for many years! The protective regimes of reserves are changing, opportunities for building tourist infrastructure are expanding, there are projects for gold mining near the Sikhote-Alin Reserve, and disputes over the development of Lago-Naki and the protection of Baikal continue. In 2026, a large-scale reorganization of the management of federal reserve territories was also proposed.

Russian scientists directly warn: further weakening of environmental legislation threatens the integrity of the entire reserve system of the country. We believe that today it is necessary to strengthen existing reserves, expand areas of strict protection, and preserve the remaining large natural ecosystems of the Ancient Forests.

In October, 106 figures in science and nature conservation appealed to deputies with proposals to revise the document. They pointed out the danger of excluding protected areas and placing objects that could damage natural complexes. The discussion is about the risks identified by specialists, not that such changes have already occurred in all reserves.

Preserving the boundaries and protection regime is important for the integrity of ancient forests and animal habitats.

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.

In our project 'Ancient Forests,' we are creating an independent register of official quotas for the hunting of brown and Himalayan bears in Russia. The bear is a large territorial predator that requires extensive natural spaces, a stable food base, and safe places for breeding and wintering. Its life is closely linked to the condition of large forest ecosystems, which are currently being destroyed by fires, industrial logging, road construction, and the economic development of the wilderness.

At the same time, in various regions of Russia, bears are increasingly approaching populated areas, leading to tragic conflicts with humans. Against this backdrop, the permitted volumes of animal harvesting have significantly increased. According to the official decrees collected by us from the regions, the number of bears allowed to be hunted has risen from 24 405 in the 2019/2020 season to 52 074 in the 2026/2027 season. This is an increase of more than two times over seven years!

We collect decrees from regional authorities, record the approved quotas by hunting seasons, and consolidate the information into a single database.

Why specifically the bear? Large predators require vast natural spaces, so changes in their distribution, behavior, and population status can indicate serious ecosystem disruptions. However, additional research is needed to establish the causes.

This is why we will compare the quota register with an interactive map of intact forests, the scale of fires, logging, road construction, and recorded conflicts with humans. Our goal is to scientifically investigate the possible connection between the destruction of ancient forest ecosystems of the Ancient Forests, changes in bear behavior, and the increase in permitted hunting scales.

The exact number of brown bears in Russia is unknown! In 2026, the Ministry of Natural Resources reported 307,9 thousand animals, claiming that since 1990, their numbers have increased by 2,37 times. However, scientific studies indicate serious issues with the reliability of such estimates.

Consider the discrepancies. In 2017, the Ministry reported 245,1 thousand bears, while the Prosecutor General's Office cited a completely different figure for the same year — 143 thousand! The difference is 102 thousand animals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated the Russian population at about 100 thousand individuals. In 2021, the official figure reached 300 147 bears, whereas expert Sergey Pazhetnov in 2022 estimated the number at about 120–130 thousand.

Why such discrepancies? As early as 1994, researcher Igor Chestin pointed out the lack of a unified accounting methodology. In 2012, an international group of scientists showed that bear movements due to changes in food sources could lead to population estimate errors of more than 200%. In scientific works from 2020–2023, experts again noted the unreliability of certain methods and the need to use official figures cautiously.

In 2021, expert Mikhail Krechmar spoke of a possible estimation error of no less than 20–25%. With a population of 300 thousand, this is about 75 thousand animals! In 2022, researcher Sergey Puchkovsky also suggested that federal figures might be inflated.

In September 2026, a representative of the Rosokhotrybolovsoyuz, A. A. Sitsko, openly admitted that no one knows the exact number of bears and that existing figures are subjective estimates. At the same time, the association proposed removing the brown bear from the list of animals whose hunting is regulated by quotas and extending the hunting season until 28 February.

It turns out that official and expert estimates for different years vary from about 100 to 308 thousand bears. Comparing them directly is scientifically incorrect: accounting methods differ, and a unified comparable monitoring system is absent.

This is why we consider it unacceptable to justify increased hunting solely based on the growth of official figures. A comprehensive scientific monitoring with verifiable methodologies, error assessment, and study of regional populations is necessary. Today, the growth of published estimates is confirmed, but how much the brown bear population in Russia has actually changed is not scientifically established.

One reason bears approach humans is the destruction of their natural habitat and food scarcity. Forest fires, logging, road construction, and industrial development destroy the animals' food sources. The loss of cedar and oak forests is particularly dangerous, as they provide bears with high-calorie nuts and acorns before hibernation.

In 2025, Russian scientists from the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences found that cedar-broadleaf forests had not recovered even 60–70 years after selective logging! Research on 127 sample plots showed that other tree species still dominate the areas of ancient cedar forests, large trees are almost absent, and the proportion of Korean pine has sharply decreased. The recovery of such ecosystems can take centuries.

The problem is exacerbated by poor harvest years and industrial pine nut collection. When bears lack natural food, they are forced to expand their search for food. They may approach roads, dumps, and settlements where they find food waste. However, bears approaching humans does not necessarily indicate an increase in their population.

This is why we launched a separate Public Initiative demanding a complete federal ban on logging cedars and oaks in Russia's natural ecosystems. Our goal is to preserve the remaining food forests and protect the intact natural territories essential for the sustainable existence of bears and many other wild animals.

We are categorically opposed to allowing winter hunting of bears during their hibernation! Such proposals have been repeatedly made in Russia, despite objections from scientists, bear specialists, and the conservation community.

In 2020, the Ministry of Natural Resources extended the autumn hunting season for brown bears until 31 December. However, in much of Russia, bears already go into hibernation in October-November. In May 2024, the ministry proposed extending the hunting season for brown and Himalayan bears until the end of February, effectively covering the entire hibernation period!

Such hunting is especially dangerous for females with offspring. Bear cubs are born in winter, directly in the dens. When driving the animal out, it is impossible to reliably determine in advance whether a female with newborn cubs is inside. Killing the mother during this period practically means the death of the entire offspring. For Himalayan bears, the destruction of hollow trees, where they make their winter shelters, poses an additional threat.

In 2024, specialists and the public opposed the project. It received about 9,6 thousand negative evaluations and more than 700 comments on the federal portal of regulatory acts. After public discussion, the development of the project was stopped.

But in September 2026, the Russian Hunting and Fishing Union again proposed extending the hunting season until 28 February and removing the brown bear from the list of animals whose hunting is regulated by quotas. Meanwhile, a representative of the association, A. A. Sitsko, directly admitted that no one knows the exact number of bears in Russia, and existing figures are subjective estimates!

This creates an extremely dangerous situation: the reliable number of animals is not established, a unified scientifically based accounting system is absent, yet there is a proposal to expand hunting opportunities, including during the winter rest period.

We consider such proposals unacceptable. Bears need the preservation of their natural habitat and scientifically based protection. Allowing additional hunting of animals during winter hibernation with existing uncertainty about their numbers is a decision we will consistently oppose.

According to our independent register, the scale of permitted bear hunting in Russia has approximately doubled over the past seven years! In the 2019/2020 season, around 25,9 animals were allowed to be hunted, while for the 2026/2027 season, quotas have been set for 52 074 bears. This represents an increase of approximately 101%. Notably, since 2022, the permitted hunting volumes have increased each season, reaching new highs.

Simultaneously, commercial hunting enterprises are actively developing in Russia. According to Roslesinforg, almost 36 million hectares of forests have been leased for private hunting enterprises. This is about one-third of the forests available for such leasing. There are about 1 300 private lessees operating in the country, and paid hunting tourism is developing. The bear is one of the most expensive trophy hunting targets.

In Russia, there are about 5 million registered hunting license holders. In recent years, legislation has consistently expanded the opportunities for the hunting industry, with the development of paid services and changes in the rules and timing of animal hunting. State policy aims to increase the investment attractiveness of the hunting industry, as stated openly.

We believe it is necessary to investigate the economic interest of the hunting industry in increasing the permitted volumes of bear hunting. The more the paid hunting market develops, the more important independent oversight of the justification for regional quotas becomes.

Especially considering that the accurate population of brown bears in Russia has not yet been established! Official and expert estimates differ by hundreds of thousands of animals, and there is no unified standardized accounting system. Under such circumstances, the increase in hunting scales raises serious questions about the scientific justification of the decisions made.

This is why we are creating a unified quota register, so that society can see the real scale of permitted bear hunting in Russia. We will compare these data with the state of ancient forests, the scale of fires, logging, and the destruction of the natural habitat of animals.

We propose conducting a large federal review of the bear situation in Russia, especially in regions where quotas for hunting are increasing, bears are more frequently approaching humans, and forests are simultaneously being destroyed. It is necessary to determine what is happening with the animals' food base, how fires, logging, road construction, industrial harvesting of pine nuts, and the development of the wilderness are affecting them.

Each instance of a bear approaching humans should be recorded on a common map. We need to check what has happened to the surrounding forests in recent years, whether there have been fires, logging, and if there are nearby dumps and other food sources. This will help us understand why animals are leaving their usual habitats.

Separately, we demand an independent scientific census of bears across Russia. This should use camera traps, genetic studies, field observations, and other modern methods. All results must be open to the public. Until the animal population is reliably verified, we propose prohibiting further increases in hunting quotas in problematic regions.

It is also necessary to verify how justified the regions are in increasing the permitted bear harvest and what role commercial hunting enterprises play in this. Each quota increase must be supported by scientific data that can be independently verified.

We advocate for a complete ban on hunting bears during winter hibernation and the destruction of dens. We demand the protection of pine forests and oak groves, the preservation of remaining large natural areas, and the restoration of the animals' food base. In the most valuable forest areas, industrial development and sport hunting should be completely banned.

To protect people, special services should be created to professionally respond to the appearance of bears near settlements. It is necessary to remove dumps, control food waste, and eliminate causes that attract animals to humans. Dangerous cases should be addressed separately.

We believe that the state must first understand why bears are approaching humans and what is happening to their natural habitat. If animals are losing forests, food territories, and safe places to live, further increases in hunting will not solve the problem.

Our goal is to achieve the protection of bears and the preservation of the large ancient ecosystems of the Ancient Forests.

Scientific research shows that mass shooting of bears can disrupt the natural distribution of animals across territories and create additional problems, including increasing the likelihood of their appearance near humans.

In 2017, scientists from Sweden published a study on brown bears for the years 2008–2015. They found that killing an adult male disrupts the spatial organization of the population for at least two years! Other males begin to enter the vacated territory, competition intensifies, and the risk of killing unrelated cubs increases. The higher the intensity of hunting, the more significant the changes in the behavior of the surviving animals.

In another study from 2016, scientists discovered that female bears with cubs might deliberately stay closer to human habitation to protect their offspring from aggressive males. Researchers called this phenomenon the "human shield." They studied 19 cases of cub survival and 11 cases of entire litter deaths. Females that successfully preserved their offspring more often chose areas closer to humans, which adult males usually avoid.

This creates a dangerous chain: hunters kill adult males, surviving bears begin to redistribute territories, competition intensifies, and females with offspring may approach humans seeking safety.

According to our register, the permitted quotas for bear hunting in Russia have approximately doubled over seven years. Therefore, we believe it is necessary to study how such an increase in hunting pressure affects the behavior of surviving animals and the frequency of conflicts with humans.

Swedish studies confirmed the disruption of the population's spatial organization after shooting, increased risk of cub mortality, and the use of human presence by females to protect offspring. How these processes affect bear encounters with populated areas in Russia needs to be verified by separate studies.

We oppose further expansion of shooting without studying these consequences. Killing adult bears can trigger a chain of disruptions that persist for years and affect other animals. This danger must be considered when making decisions about population management.