quote:

https://www.counterpunch.org/2016/05/27/barbarous-deforestation-in-western-ukraine/

Forests in the Ukrainian Carpathians are on the verge of extinction as the country faces an ecological disaster of unprecedented proportions, environmentalists say. Illegal loggers are illegally trafficking abroad entire trains of fir trees, earning millions of dollars. According to local residents, deforestation has dramatically intensified over the past two years.

The scale of the disaster can be seen in shocking photos of bird’s eye views of cleared mountain slopes which have been were published on the Internet. One of these photos is the southern slope of the Popadia Mountain at the junction of the Zakarpattia and Ivano-Frankivsk regions of the country, where logging is strictly prohibited by law.

Before the Maidan revolution of 2013, trees were growing quite densely. Now, less than three years later, a huge bare spots have formed. The green Carpathian Mountains are gradually turning into a desert. According to the deputy Yuri Gnepa of the Zakarpattia Regional Council, in the Mizhgirya district of Zakarpattia region, 40,000 cubic meters of wood were being cut down earlier. Now it is about 100,000.

In the opinion of some experts, the native mountains could become even more thinned out because authorities want to allow the free export abroad of cut timber. The government of President Petro Poroshenko has proposed that the Verkhovna Rada cancel the ten-year moratorium on the export of unprocessed timber (roundwood) that was approved in 2015. This has caused mixed reaction among experts.

“The timber export moratorium was aimed to protect forests from destruction and to support the domestic wood processing industry, which is breathing its last,” says Igor Sheludko, an expert on forestry.

“Instead of timber going to Ukrainian enterprises and feeding our workers and the economy, logs are being sold massively to our neighbors in western Europe. But this is unprofitable. One cubic meter of raw material costs 80-90 dollars, whereas treated lumber has a value ten times higher. We have to develop our own production. Ukraine is becoming a raw materials appendage.

“The EU countries did not like our moratorium on timber exports because they buy that timber from us for a song and then make furniture to sell back to us at high prices.”\

European governments even provide subsidies to companies to export timber from Ukraine. But the same governments cherish their own forests. In Poland, Slovakia and Romania, trees are not cut on an industrial scale. Moreover, Romanians equate illegal felling to threats to national security.

Forest workers, say locals, are self-financed and are paid very poor prices for their wood. They cut down fine-quality wood and sell it to intermediaries, who then ship the wood to the West and make tens of thousands of dollars per week.

“The trees which protected the river banks from erosion by swollen rivers are no longer there. Now only stumps remain. Nothing now slows the rapid river currents,” explains Wojtowicz.

“At the same time, rivers and wells in villages are drying up because the trees perform a water regulation function. Their roots hold back lots of moisture. For example, a large spruce tree can hold up to three tons of water. When it is cut, the moisture evaporates. The mountain dwellers are forced to walk for kilometers to find springs.

Majorian posted:

Be patient.

Amethyst posted:

why would you post this. what on earth gave you the idea that anyone on earth would want to read "hey wheres my putin"? no one gives a gently caress about this idiot post! delete your account

Starsfan posted:

I know what will spice up this thread, I'm going to get Al-Saqr going

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1588107211837956096

speculation from Russian telegram channels that Russia's desertion of Kherson is imminent!

Breakfast All Day posted:

thanks for reading

Xaris posted:

Amethyst posted:

why would you post this. what on earth gave you the idea that anyone on earth would want to read "hey wheres my putin"? no one gives a gently caress about this idiot post! delete your account

Starsfan posted:

I know what will spice up this thread, I'm going to get Al-Saqr going

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1588107211837956096

speculation from Russian telegram channels that Russia's desertion of Kherson is imminent!

Mr Hootington posted:

Nukes. They are on everyone's Christmas wishlist.

Al-Saqr posted:

going? brother i literally today just got my first warhammer box in twenty years I’m completely gone to hunt bigger fish to fry. I feel like I’m the cherry on top right now.

The Oldest Man posted:

It's not a war, it's a murder

It's not a war, it's a moida

Majorian posted:

https://twitter.com/KyivPost/status/1588297119957254144

*Dave laugh* Ah heh heh heh! Hey Paul can I get some of that Zelensky music?!

Paul: Haaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Not So Fast posted:

what army did you get, guessing orks of course

Starsfan posted:

his shirt says "I'm Ukrainian" in english? is that to help the average viewer understand who he is?

PhilippAchtel posted:

Slightly off topic, but vaguely related, if you haven't listened to Season 3 of Blowback about the Korean War go do it right now

Starsfan posted:

I know what will spice up this thread, I'm going to get Al-Saqr going

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1588107211837956096

speculation from Russian telegram channels that Russia's desertion of Kherson is imminent!

Al-Saqr posted:

going? brother i literally today just got my first warhammer box in twenty years I’m completely gone to hunt bigger fish to fry. I feel like I’m the cherry on top right now.

PhilippAchtel posted:

Slightly off topic, but vaguely related, if you haven't listened to Season 3 of Blowback about the Korean War go do it right now

evilmiera posted:

Better be T'au or Sisters of Battle. Or squats.

HashtagGirlboss posted:

Welcome back thread. You’re not wrong about that QCS thread. It goes places. I’m not sure how much longer spaces that look at the war in a nuanced skeptical way are going to last on any English language platform, that’s hardly SA specific. There’s a certain dogged moral certainty that has overtaken pretty much everyone. It’s almost been remarkable to watch it develop in real time

I really don’t think it helps at all that most of the higher profile voices in opposition to US involvement have been MAGA types

The CPC letter and the push to deplatform BJG are other examples. It’s wild out there

HashtagGirlboss posted:

The CPC letter and the push to deplatform BJG are other examples. It’s wild out there

Al-Saqr posted:

nah it’s the Kill Team starter set, I’m absolutely gonna get the squat kill team if it comes out though, sadly the sisters aren’t interesting in this game yet.

regular 40k is too much of a money and time sink to be payable with normal people

evilmiera posted:

Better be T'au or Sisters of Battle. Or squats.

Azathoth posted:

Listen to all of Blowback, but yeah Season 3 is loving incredible.

HashtagGirlboss posted:

Welcome back thread. You’re not wrong about that QCS thread. It goes places. I’m not sure how much longer spaces that look at the war in a nuanced skeptical way are going to last on any English language platform, that’s hardly SA specific. There’s a certain dogged moral certainty that has overtaken pretty much everyone. It’s almost been remarkable to watch it develop in real time

I really don’t think it helps at all that most of the higher profile voices in opposition to US involvement have been MAGA types

The CPC letter and the push to deplatform BJG are other examples. It’s wild out there

Majorian posted:

https://twitter.com/KyivPost/status/1588297119957254144

*Dave laugh* Ah heh heh heh! Hey Paul can I get some of that Zelensky music?!

Paul: Haaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

HashtagGirlboss posted:

Welcome back thread. You’re not wrong about that QCS thread. It goes places. I’m not sure how much longer spaces that look at the war in a nuanced skeptical way are going to last on any English language platform, that’s hardly SA specific. There’s a certain dogged moral certainty that has overtaken pretty much everyone. It’s almost been remarkable to watch it develop in real time

I really don’t think it helps at all that most of the higher profile voices in opposition to US involvement have been MAGA types

The CPC letter and the push to deplatform BJG are other examples. It’s wild out there

Azathoth posted:

Listen to all of Blowback, but yeah Season 3 is loving incredible.