In November 2004 the investment basis for the construction of the Cherkessk – Adler highway was submitted for the state environmental review to "Rosprirodnadzor" (Russia’s Service on Control of Natural Use Management). The Damkhurts – Krasnaya Polyana part of this road is going to be built through the territory of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve (World Natural Heritage Site "West Caucasus") and virgin mountain areas bordering it. Building owner of the project is "The Department of Federal Highways in Karachay-Circassian Republic". This project is not accepted for carrying out the state environmental review yet, but it may happen soon.
Not so long ago there were plans to construct the highway through the Caucasian Reserve (Lagonaki Plateau) on Maikop – Dagomys route. Fortunately public protest campaign against this construction was successful and this project was not put into practice. But Adygeya Republic authorities are still planning this road-building, so the danger is not eliminated completely. And now a much more dangerous threat of road construction through the Caucasian Reserve is coming from Karachay -Circassian Republic authorities. The government of this North Caucasian republic, as well as Adygeya’s authorities, wants to get a direct outlet to the Black Sea coast. So Karachay – Circassia leaders have been designing the Cherkessk – Adler highway since 2001. But the only direct way from Karachay-Circassia to the Russia’s Black Sea coast lies through the Caucasian Reserve. This project can severely damage both – the integrity of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve and its natural complexes.
Nine options for this highway route were considered within the framework of the investment basis for the Cherkessk-Adler highway construction. Karachay-Cherkessia promoted the 6th option most actively. According to the promoted option, the highway is planned on the route: Cherkessk?- Psemen – Rozhkao – Damkhurts – Damkhurts River valley – Tsakhvoa River valley – Kardyvach Lake – Engelmanova Polyana – Krasnaya Polyana – Adler. Total length of the highway on this route is 313 kilometers. Construction of two tunnels with the total length of 12,6 kilometers is planned. So the highway is going to be built on extremely valuable areas in southern part of the Caucasian Reserve near the border of Russia with Georgia (Abkhazia). Virgin areas in both of Damkhurts River and Mzymta River valleys, bordering the Reserve, will also suffer from this.
Here the highway lies also on a protected areas: Sochi National Park, Sochi Zakaznik (wildlife refuge) and Damkhurts Zakaznik. As a result, if this project is realized, huge areas of the West Caucasus wilderness will be deeply influenced by intense anthropogenic impact.
Caucasian Reserve, as well as other unique natural complexes of Russia, is now in great danger. In the last few years, illegal but profitable for authorities projects were widely practiced in Russia and Northern Caucasus in particular. These projects are usually put into practice even despite the heavy opposition from the public.
But the main danger now is that even laws can be easily changed, Deputies of the governmental party "United Russia", make up the majority in the State Duma (Parliament of the Russian Federation) and are changing laws one after another. So it is quite possible that Russian authorities might even change the federal legislation making it possible to stretch the highway through the Reserve.
The areas of the Caucasus Reserve where the road construction is planned are a part of the World Natural Heritage. This fact will hardly become a serious obstacle for those behind this project, unless the international community will raise a question at the highest level about the inadmissibility of this construction.
This problem is very important and calls for active actions from all people and organizations concerned on the conservation of wild nature of The Caucasian Reserve. Russian environmental organizations are starting a public campaign against the construction of the Damkhurts – Krasnaya Polyana highway.
As part of this campaign Environmental Watch on North Caucasus with the support of other local NGOs and also Greenpeace Russia and Biodiversity Conservation Center is preparing to carry out a public environmental review of this project.