National parks in Russia
Russia to create new national parks and reserves the size of Switzerland
Polar bears, walruses, sea otters, and other endangered species are all set to benefit from a Russian decision to boost its national protected areas to nearly three per cent of its territory by 2020, a move that helps the country to meet its international obligations to protect biodiversity.
The Russian government’s decision establishes nine new nature reserves and 13 national parks covering a total area of over 3.8 million ha by 2020. Russia is also introducing marine buffer zones of more than 1 million ha.
WWF applauds creation of Chukotkan nature reserve
WWF Russia has welcomed the news that a new nature reserve has been established in Chukotka to help conserve the unique coastal ecosystem of the Chukchi Sea and its walrus and polar bear populations.
National parks of Russia – Wikipedia
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There are currently forty-one national parks in Russia, a list of which is given below. Together they cover approximately 71,700 square kilometers (27,683.5 sq mi).
- The oldest parks in Russia are Sochinsky and Losiny Ostrov (1983); Samarskaya Luka (1984); Mariy Chodra (1985); Bashkiriya, Prielbrusye, Pribaykalsky, and Zabaykalsky (1986).[1]
- According to the law on the protected areas of Russia, national parks are areas of land and water devoted to nature protection, ecological education, and scientific research. They contain sites of particular ecological, historical and aesthetic value. Regulated tourism is permitted.
- The area of each park is divided into zones according to various functions. There should be a strictly protected area managed as a zapovednik, and also recreational and buffer zones in which economic activity is allowed, such as tourism, traditional land use, and benign forms of agriculture and forestry. The strictly protected function is sometimes fulfilled by a neighbouring official zapovednik; for instance, Barguzin Zapovednik adjoins Zabaykalsky National Park on the east side of Lake Baikal.
- In 2001 Vodlozero National Park received UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status, followed by Smolenskoye Poozerye and Ugra National Park in 2002, and two others more recently.[3]
- The national parks are currently the responsibility of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia.
Covering nearly one-eighth of the Earth’s surface, Russia harbors a tremendous variety of forests and freshwater ecosystems, mountains, and other landscape types in its 14 bioregions.
Russian Nature Press: list of parks with basic statistics and contact details, in English
