Meager Penalties for Rampant Timber Smuggling in Iran’s Mazandaran
by Zamaneh Environment — 15April2024
Timber smugglers in Iran’s Mazandaran province have escalated their activities, not only causing environmental destruction but also engaging in acts of vengeance against environmental protection forces. These activities peaked around the Eid al-Fitr holiday on April 10, when timber smugglers cut down dozens of trees and blocked several forest roads as a show of strength and retaliation. This dramatic scene was not isolated; it reflects a growing trend of defiance that poses significant challenges to local authorities and environmental protection agencies.
Engaging in Eco-Terrorism
Officials describe the situation as a form of eco-terrorism, where smugglers, instead of stealing timber for profit, increasingly leave cut trees in roads to directly challenge the authorities. According to Ali Alavi, Director-General of Natural Resources and Watershed Management in Mazandaran, the intention behind these actions is more to inflict harm as retribution than to profit from illegal timber sales. The tactics have evolved from mere illegal logging to acts of sabotage, indicating a disturbing shift in the smugglers’ approach. He told local newspaper, “Payam-e ma”,
“At dawn on April 10, several offenders, likely accomplices of the timber smugglers recently arrested by the natural resource protection unit of the province, cut down a total of 70 forest trees in four areas of Behshahr County as an act of revenge and demonstration of power.”
According to Colonel Ali Maleki Ahangaran, this issue has caused resentment and animosity among the friends and accomplices of these individuals towards the natural resource protection unit. For this reason, timber smugglers have been trying various methods to strike at the natural resource protection unit.
The commander of the natural resource protection unit stated that the smugglers’ intention was not economic gain but solely motivated by revenge.
“Instead of following the usual practice of taking the tree trunks to process into timber, they dumped the trunks in the middle of the roads on the outskirts of the forest areas. These offenders didn’t even fully cut some of the trees; they only partially cut them. It seems that the perpetrators in this case only wanted to take revenge on the natural resource forces and demonstrate their power without intending to make an economic profit.”
A Cycle of Vengeance and Intimidation
The conflict between smugglers and environmental forces has escalated over recent months. Recent arrests of several smugglers seem to have spurred retaliatory actions, including attacks on the homes and headquarters of environmental officers. Majid Zekriayi, a local environmental commander, reported multiple attacks, including gunfire, targeting personnel during the Nowruz holiday season. These incidents demonstrate a clear intent to intimidate and exact revenge on those protecting the forests.
Legal Responses and Implications
The current penalties for tree cutting are deemed insufficient to deter such crimes. They range from 150,000 to 375,000 Iranian tomans (approximately 36 to 90 US dollars) per tree, depending on the type, which many argue does not reflect the ecological value of the forests. Environmental officials are advocating for a legal framework that emphasizes the ecological impact over the mere economic value of the timber, which could lead to more stringent penalties and perhaps a more effective deterrent against such environmental crimes.
One of the ways to reduce tree cutting and timber smuggling in Iran is the formulation and implementation of stricter laws and increased penalties for offenders. The commander of the natural resource protection unit said:
“Our recommendation to the judiciary is that in cases involving forest offenses, especially in Hyrcanian forests, they should consider the ecological value of the trees when issuing verdicts, and not prioritize the monetary value derived from converting the trees into timber or charcoal; because the ecological value of the trees in forest areas is several times their monetary value, and if crimes related to cutting or damaging trees are determined based on their ecosystem value, it will be much more deterrent.”
The Need for Strengthened Protections
The persistence and escalation of timber smuggling in northern Iran highlight a critical need for enhanced protective measures for forests. As smugglers resort to more aggressive tactics, the response from the authorities must not only match but exceed the intensity of these challenges to safeguard the ecological and environmental health of the region. The struggle is not just about enforcing the law but preserving a vital natural heritage for future generations.
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