The introduction of photo documentation of logged timber failed to break the scheme of concealing illegal logging.
NGL Media journalists came to these conclusions after conducting their own investigation.
They reminded that the idea of photo-recording of logged timber was first tested for 7 months at the forestry enterprises of the State Forestry Agency, and since June it has become mandatory for all forest users. These include, in particular, municipal forests, as well as forests of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, and the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine.
To legally transport timber, foresters must enter detailed information about the cargo into a special system and attach photos of the vehicle loaded with timber from four angles.
In the course of their investigation, NGL.media journalists analyzed more than 57,000 consignment notes and more than 72,000 photos of trucks loaded with wood. They claim that Ukrainian foresters have found a way to circumvent the system.
How should photo fixation work
- Wood is stacked in the forest.
- A plastic tag with a bar code and a unique set of numbers is stamped on the grouped logs with a special hammer. It can be checked online . The tag contains encrypted information about the variety, type of wood, its volume and the forest user. It was assumed that once a tag was fixed, it could not be used a second time. But in practice this is not the case.
- To create a consignment note, without which it is illegal to transport wood, an employee of the forest farm goes to the place with a special telephone (PPC) and a pocket printer. These devices are issued by the State Forestry Agency to all users of the electronic wood accounting system.
- The specialist enters the car data and tags, takes a photo and prints the TTN. It is important that images cannot be downloaded from the phone's library – each of them must be taken immediately after loading the truck before creating the invoice. The system allows you to retake an unsuccessful photo and only after the forester takes all 4 photos and confirms their correctness, the information is sent to the EOD.
"That is, the possibility of accidentally uploading problematic photos is excluded," the investigators emphasized.
What tricks foresters resort to
Having analyzed more than 57 thousand TTN, investigators found out that "the system has a large scope for abuse." They gave examples of how this can be done:
- take a photo of an image from another screen;
- close the camera with your finger;
- take pictures of extraneous objects;
- do not specially nail the tag, but simply take a picture of it on the knee.
"At the same time, the system does not block the creation of a waybill, and users receive a document that legalizes the transportation of wood," says NGL Media.
They gave several examples from different forestry.
Image from TTN Koropsk specialized forestry enterprise "Agrolishosp". 1 and 2 photos with the screen closed, 3-8 photos with highlights, which indicate that the cameraman was not shooting a real car, but its photo from the computer screen. Source: ngl.media.
Image from TTN of utility company "Galsillis": non-informative photos (1-4, 6), taken from the screen (5) and closed camera (7, 8). Source: ngl.media.
When journalists asked the forest farms for an explanation, they heard the following:
- "we don't have time to go to each loading, so we make invoices in advance in the office";
- a limited number of PDAs, "that's why we have to punch out invoices in the morning to places where we don't have the opportunity to go personally";
- did not have the opportunity to return the defective PDA for repair for a week;
- lack of internet connection in logging areas.
What does the State Forestry Agency think about this?
The journalists said that there is currently no punishment for photo fraud. Moreover, officials of the State Forestry Agency directly state that they do not control all users. For example, Ruslan Krykun, head of the Forest Resources Use and Technical Policy Department at the State Forestry Agency, said in a phone conversation with NGL.media that they only control those companies that are subordinate to them. According to him, others should be checked by law enforcement agencies and society.
The timber accounting system is administered by the State Enterprise “Forestry Information and Analytical Center” (FIC), which is subordinated to the State Forestry Agency.
Artur Kosmach, the deputy director general of this structure, claims that they “have no such obligation to check every photo.” He also said that the instruction on the State Forestry Agency's website on what should be depicted in the photo is not a regulatory document, so it is not necessary to follow it.
Recently, EcoPolitic wrote that, according to MP Yulia Ovchynnykova, foresters are sabotaging the recording of illegal logging in the Carpathians.
