The Podgorica unit of the Forestry Administration distributed notices in the area of Kučki korita that in order to cut down trees in the state forests, it is necessary to submit a request and receive an affirmative answer. This applies to the cutting of trees for firewood, but also technical wood.
Locals, nature lovers from the area, pointed out that this is the first time that such a notice has been issued publicly in the area, so they hope that they will finally put an end to illegal logging in the Kučki riverbeds.
"This is the first time in recent years that something like that has happened. In previous periods, we have warned several times that our forests have been ravaged, that illegal logging has reached alarming proportions," said one of the locals to "Vijesta".
As stated in the notification of the Forestry Administration, "locals interested in felling in state forests are obliged to submit an application for approval of wood assortments for their own needs".
In addition, it is necessary, as stated, to submit the property certificate of the applicant.
The request is submitted to the Forestry Administration - regional unit in Podgorica or Lugar, and after that the authorities will determine the real possibilities and inform the applicants through Lugar.
According to the locals, the notification gives them hope that the authorities will really deal with it, that is, regulate the cutting of wood.
"In this area, it will take a long time to restore the forest that has been cut down. Reforestation will also need to be done, in order to prevent further deterioration of the forest and soil erosion", say the locals.
Illegal felling of trees on the Kučki riverbeds, as "Vijesti" wrote at the end of last year, has reached alarming proportions, and forest thieves have unblocked old and broken new roads to the old beech forest in that area.
At the time, several locals and mountaineers complained to "Vijesti" that the consequences of uncontrolled logging were visible to the naked eye, and that forest thieves did not hesitate to cut trees along the road.
"Above the road to Radeća, the forest was 'massacred', as is the case above Korit on the road leading to Zatrijebačka Košuta. All the roads that were broken earlier due to illegal logging, and which were blocked by filled gravel and large rocks, are passable again this year. They brought heavy machinery and removed obstacles," one of the locals told "Vijesta".
As he explained, some residents of Kučki Korita are involved in illegal logging, but for the last two years, they have also been coming from Podgorica to mark the forest and prepare wood.
"It's all state forest. They mark it with a sign and then cut it. The forest was so destroyed that they also cut young trees this year."
As he pointed out, a few years ago, following the reaction of a couple of locals who reported illegal logging, it was stopped.
"However, it is cut mercilessly, to ban it, it will take a lot to recover the forest. And the best way to see how much it has taken off is by comparing it with photos from before," said one of the locals.
Macadam roads were broken towards Radeca, Crno rupa, Aruša rupa.
“The black hole is a huge meadow in the middle of the forest. There they pull out the trees, cut them and load them onto trucks. Many are against it, but out of fear, they must not confront the forest thieves. And the authorities do not react."
The Forestry Administration replied to "Vijesta" that according to their records, and based on the report of the regional unit Podgorica, on the territory of which Kučka korita is located, there were eight illegal logging operations in that area last year.
"And 33,11 cubic meters of gross volume, or 28,11 m3 net." In 2019, there were seven illegal fellings in the Kučki Korita region, and that was 45,03 m3 gross, i.e. 38,27 cubic meters of net volume," said Zehra Demić, Head of Cultivation and Protection in the Forestry Administration.
She announced that there was illegal logging in the area in 2018 as well, that is, they recorded five cases, and that 11,99 cubic meters of gross volume, or 10,20 net, were cut.
"In 2017, four illegal logging operations were recorded in the Kučki Korita region, namely 6,28 cubic meters of gross volume, i.e. 5,34 net. Criminal reports for illegal activities have been processed by the competent authorities".
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