INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
When lawyer Olga Slastunina chose Troitsk as her new home back in 2006, the presence of the vast Troitsky Forest on her doorstep was one of
of 60,000 inhabitants that became a part of Moscow in 2012
But in recent years, just taking a stroll in the forest has become increasingly fraught."I remember that day vividly
We went out and said 'No' to loggers, and suddenly a group of people dressed entirely in black, with balaclavas covering their faces, ran
toward us like a dark avalanche," Slastunina told The Moscow Times
"They started beating us."Slastunina joined the Save Troitsky Forest initiative in 2010 when authorities unveiled plans to clear a sizeable
to protect the forest from clearing that violates multiple environmental laws and harms dozens of threatened species.While construction in
the forest could have started as early as 2011, a determined public and legal opposition managed to delay it for over a decade.However, in
January 2022, heavy machinery under the protection of Russia's National Guard (Rosgvardia) entered the forest and started clearing trees to
make way for a "giant school," which is expected to enroll some 2,100 students and feature a swimming pool and planetarium.It was then that
initiativeSlastunina recalled that residents visited the forest every day, obstructing the felling of centuries-old pines, spruces and
clearing the forest at night, but this did not help them go unnoticed by the locals."The entire forest was swarmed with migrant workers, and
developments in city forests and parks, including in protected natural areas, have sparked grassroots resistance across greater Moscow in
recent years.Mayor Sergei Sobyanin is known for his efforts in transforming the Russian capital into a world-class urban paradise
of all funds allocated to social support programs, healthcare, education, culture and sports.Troitsky Forest.Photo courtesy of the Save
Troitsky Forest initiativeAlong with other improvements, such as upgraded public transportation and renovated streets, the development of
parks have been created or improved in the capital in recent years, Sobyanin said at the Moscow Urban Forum in August."The urban environment
Therefore, our primary goal is to transform this chaos into well-organized comfort," Sobyanin said.However, this blagoustroystvo comes at a
cost to the environment, said Dmitry Morozov, coordinator of the Forest Coalition of Moscow, an association of over 30 grassroots
Muscovites, those who oppose this vision of convenient urban greenery may face beatings, harsh police detentions and potential criminal
charges.Troitsky Forest.Photo courtesy of the Save Troitsky Forest initiativeThe violence in Troitsky Forest flared up again in January 2023
This time, Slastunina was taken into police custody and spent the night in a cold, dark cell
Many activists were then slapped with fines of up to 150,000 rubles ($1,500).Despite the events in Troitsky Forest, demonstrating some of
the most brutal examples of treatment toward local activists, there are other areas of concern, biologist and forestry expert Alexey
road['s construction] has some justification, but in fact, it is not used for anything other than riding stand-up scooters
Perhaps this is not the main purpose of the natural area
strictly prohibited by law, the decision to pursue them should involve a diverse group of professionals in nature conservation, tourism,
education, and urban planning, rather than a select few bureaucrats who are prone to make mistakes.Today, a residential complex called Fairy
the rehabilitation of the national park.""We have many parks and specially protected natural areas in Moscow that we carefully restore,
preserving a comfortable habitat for animals and providing great recreational opportunities for Moscow residents," Sobyanin said in
locations were cleared this year for the installation of air defense systems, including near the UNESCO-listed Church of the Ascension site
take an honest look at it, one should calculate how much greenery there is per person in each part of the city
industry because capital investments are often low, while the profit margins are enormous
Sobyanin or his team.Yaroshenko noted that, in the eyes of officials, urban development in Moscow often means building as much as possible
But on the other hand, construction reduces it because of fewer green spaces
But activists have no intention of abandoning their fight to protect the forest, even as local residents grow increasingly
demoralized."Unfortunately, this entire machine has been successful in its efforts to intimidate
But we continue [the resistance] unequivocally," Slastunina said.
