What type of specially protected natural areas? Concept and classification of specially protected natural areas
In the system of environmental protection measures, the most important area is the withdrawal of certain territories and water areas from economic use or the restriction of economic activity on them. These measures are designed to promote the conservation of ecosystems and species of biota in a state closest to natural, the conservation of the gene pool of plants and animals, as well as landscapes - as standards of nature, for scientific and educational purposes.
This direction of nature conservation is implemented on the basis of the existing, legally established, network of protected natural areas (PAs). It contains a number of categories of protected areas of varying environmental significance. The number of these categories is increasing as a result of the development of forms of combination of economic and environmental human activities, as well as due to the emergence of new negative consequences of irrational exploitation of natural resources and major man-made disasters (for example, the establishment of a special restoration regime in the Polesie Radiation-Ecological Reserve in Belarus and in the territory East Ural radioactive trace).
The most important feature of the difference between protected areas is the degree to which reserved areas are excluded from economic circulation. Categories of specially protected natural areas (SPNA) are identified that have the greatest spatiotemporal stability and therefore are of greatest importance for the conservation of individual areas.
In Russia, the main legislative act regulating relations in the field of organization, protection and use of specially protected natural areas is the Federal Law “On Specially Protected Natural Areas”, in force since March 1995.
In accordance with this Law, specially protected natural areas are areas of land, water surface and air space above them, where natural complexes and objects are located that have special environmental, scientific, cultural, aesthetic, recreational, health value, which are withdrawn by decisions of state bodies authorities wholly or partially from economic use and for which a special protection regime has been established. Protected areas are classified as objects of national heritage.
In order to protect specially protected natural areas from adverse anthropogenic impacts, protective zones or districts with a regulated regime of economic activity may be created on adjacent areas of land and water. All protected areas are taken into account when developing territorial integrated nature protection schemes, land management and regional planning schemes, and projects for the economic development of territories.
The Russian system of main protected areas is quite close to the international classification of protected areas proposed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1992. Taking into account the peculiarities of the regime of specially protected natural areas and the status of environmental institutions located on them, the following categories of protected areas are distinguished:
- state natural reserves (including biosphere ones);
- National parks;
- natural parks;
- state nature reserves;
- natural monuments;
- dendrological parks and botanical gardens;
- medical and recreational areas and resorts.
According to the current legislation, the Government of the Russian Federation, the relevant executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, local governments can establish other categories of specially protected natural areas (for example, green zones of settlements, urban forests, city parks, monuments of landscape art and others). Protected areas may have federal, regional or local significance.
The territories of state natural reserves and national parks are classified as specially protected natural areas of federal significance. Territories of state reserves, natural monuments, dendrological parks and botanical gardens, as well as health resorts and resorts can be of both federal and local significance.
In Russia, state nature reserves, national parks, state nature reserves, and natural monuments have priority for the conservation of natural heritage and biological diversity. These categories are most widespread and traditionally form the basis of the state network of specially protected natural areas.
Balancing protected areas with intensively exploited natural lands is possible only with an appropriate share of protected areas of different categories in the total area, sufficient to compensate for the loss of natural areas as a result of irrational use of natural resources. This share should be significantly larger than at present. The more significantly the natural landscapes of a country (region, locality) are transformed, the greater the proportion of protected areas should be. The share of protected ecosystems (extensively exploited areas and protected areas) should be greatest in polar deserts, tundras and semi-deserts, as well as in areas with high altitude zones. Foreign researchers recommend that 20-30% of the total area be allocated for protected areas, and 3-5% of the total area for protected areas. For Russia, the optimal value is 5-6%.
The uniqueness and high degree of preservation of the natural complexes of Russian protected areas make them an invaluable asset to all humanity. This is confirmed by the fact that a number of protected areas of various levels are included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List.
State nature reserves
Nature reserves (according to the international classification - strict natural reserves) are zonal representative areas of the biosphere forever removed from the sphere of economic use, possessing the properties of a natural standard and meeting the tasks of biosphere monitoring.
In the territories of state natural reserves, protected natural complexes and objects (land, water, subsoil, flora and fauna) of special environmental, scientific, environmental and educational significance are completely withdrawn from economic use.
In accordance with the Law, state natural reserves are environmental, research and environmental educational institutions aimed at preserving and studying the natural course of natural processes and phenomena, the genetic fund of flora and fauna, individual species and communities of plants and animals, typical and unique environmental systems
State nature reserves that are part of the international system of biosphere reserves for global environmental monitoring have the status of biosphere reserves.
The foundations of the modern network of state natural reserves were laid at the end of the 19th and 20th centuries by the ideas of outstanding natural scientists: V.V. Dokuchaev, I.P. Borodin, G.F. Morozov, G.A. Kozhevnikov, V.P. Semenov - Tien-Shansky and many others. The creation of nature reserves of national importance began in the then Russian Empire. In 1916, a regime of special protection of the Kedrovaya Pad tract was established and institutionalized in the current territory of the reserve of the same name. In the same year, the first national reserve was created - Barguzinsky, on the shore, which is still successfully functioning today.
The network of state nature reserves is constantly expanding. Since 1992, 20 new reserves have been created, the territories of 11 have been expanded, and the total area of reserves in Russia has increased by more than a third.
As of January 1, 2003, there were 100 state nature reserves in the Russian Federation with a total area of 33.231 million hectares, including land reserves (with inland water bodies) - 27.046 million hectares, which is 1.58% of the entire territory of Russia. The main part (95) of state natural reserves are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources, 4 - in the system of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1 - in the system of the Ministry of Education of Russia. Nature reserves are located in 66 constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
The system of Russian state nature reserves has wide international recognition. 21 reserves (highlighted on the map) have the international status of biosphere reserves (they have the appropriate UNESCO certificates), (Pechora-Ilychsky, Kronotsky, Baikalsky, Barguzinsky, Baikal-Lensky) are under the jurisdiction of the World Convention for the Conservation of Cultural and Natural Heritage, 8 fall under the jurisdiction of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, 2 (Oka and Teberdinsky) have diplomas from the Council of Europe.
In accordance with environmental legislation, state nature reserves are designed to solve the following tasks:
a) protection of natural areas in order to preserve biological diversity and maintain protected natural complexes and objects in their natural state;
b) organization and conduct of scientific research, including maintaining the Chronicle of Nature;
c) implementation of environmental monitoring within the framework of the national environmental monitoring system, etc.
In the territories of state natural reserves, any activity that contradicts the listed tasks and the regime of their special protection is prohibited, i.e. disrupting the natural development of natural processes and threatening the state of natural complexes and objects. It is also prohibited to lease out lands, waters and other natural resources in reserve areas.
At the same time, in the territories of nature reserves, it is allowed to carry out measures aimed at preserving natural complexes in their natural state, restoring and preventing changes in their components as a result of anthropogenic influences.
The territories of the state natural biosphere reserves may be joined by the territories of the so-called biosphere testing grounds for conducting scientific research, environmental monitoring, as well as testing and implementing methods of rational environmental management that do not destroy the natural environment and do not deplete biological resources. The protection of natural complexes and objects in the territories of state natural reserves is carried out by a special state inspection.
National parks
National parks (NP), the next highest category of protected areas, are a special territorial form of nature conservation at the federal level. They are considered as environmental institutions, the territories (water areas) of which include natural complexes and objects of special environmental, historical and aesthetic value. Therefore, they are used, along with environmental protection, for recreational, scientific, educational and cultural purposes.
The entire global diversity of national parks corresponds to a single international standard, enshrined in the decision of the General Assembly of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1969: “A national park is a relatively large area: 1) where one or more ecosystems are not significantly changed as a result of exploitation and human use where animal and plant species, geomorphological areas and habitats are of scientific, educational and recreational interest or where landscapes of amazing beauty are located; 2) in which the highest and competent authorities of the country have taken steps to prevent or eliminate all exploitation and exploitation of its entire territory and to ensure effective compliance with the regulations regarding the ecological and aesthetic features that led to its formation; 3) where visitors are allowed to enter with special permission for inspiration or educational, cultural and recreational purposes.”
The oldest national park in the world is Yellowstone (USA), created in 1872, i.e. almost 130 years ago. Since that time, the number of NPs on Earth has grown to 3,300.
In Russia, the first NPs - Losiny Ostrov and Sochi - were formed only in 1983. In a relatively short time, the number of Russian NPs reached 35, which is almost one third of the number of reserves, the system of which was formed over 80 years.
National parks include areas of land, its subsoil and water space with all objects located within their boundaries, which are withdrawn from economic exploitation and transferred for use to a national park (the lands and water areas of other land users may be included here).
The definition of NP is enshrined in the above-mentioned Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On Specially Protected Natural Territories” (1995). National parks are environmental, environmental, educational and research institutions, the territories (water areas) of which include natural complexes and objects of special ecological, historical and aesthetic value, and which are intended for use for environmental, educational, scientific and cultural purposes and for regulated tourism.
National parks of Russia are subordinated to a single governing body - the Ministry of Natural Resources (with the exception of Losiny Island, which is subordinate to the authorities of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation).
All Russian NPs have a single list of main tasks: conservation of natural complexes, unique and standard natural sites and objects; restoration of damaged natural, historical and cultural complexes and objects, etc.
In addition to the main tasks common to all NPs, each park, due to the specifics of its location, natural conditions and the history of the territory’s development, also performs a number of additional functions. For example, NPs near large urban agglomerations and/or in popular tourist and recreational areas are designed to preserve a relatively weakly modified natural environment and historical and cultural objects from the influence of industry, forestry and/or agriculture, as well as to prevent the degradation of ecosystems under the influence of mass recreation and tourism. Such problems are solved by Losiny Ostrov, Nizhnyaya Kama, Russian North, and a number of other national parks.
The map “Specially Protected Natural Areas” shows that in a number of cases the territories of NPs and state reserves are adjacent. Such NPs, to a certain extent, distract some of the visitors who want to enter the reserve for purely recreational purposes. In national parks they can find the necessary recreational conditions and satisfy their cognitive needs.
In order for the national park to more successfully fulfill many tasks, which sometimes may contradict each other, a differentiated protection regime is established on its territory depending on natural, historical and other conditions. For this purpose, functional zoning of the entire territory of the national park is carried out. In accordance with the Federal Law, up to 7 functional zones can be allocated in a national park. Some of them are basic, characteristic of all NPs without exception. These areas include:
- a protected area, within which any economic activity and recreational use of the territory is prohibited;
- educational tourism, designed to organize environmental education and familiarization with the sights of the national park. Sometimes this zone is combined with a recreational zone intended for recreation;
- visitor services, designed to accommodate overnight accommodations, tent camps and other tourist service facilities, cultural, consumer and information services for visitors. Often it is combined with an economic zone, within which economic activities necessary to ensure the functioning of national parks are carried out.
Along with these main ones, many NPs have a specially protected zone, which differs from a protected area in that strictly regulated visits are allowed here. In some NPs, a zone for the protection of historical and cultural objects is especially allocated if they are located compactly.
Along with the fact that each functional zone has its own regime for the protection and use of natural resources, there are types of economic activities prohibited throughout the entire territory of the NP. This is exploration and development; construction of main roads, pipelines, high-voltage lines and other communications; construction of economic and residential facilities not related to the activities of the NP; allocation of gardening and summer cottage plots. In addition, final felling and through-cutting are prohibited. It is prohibited to remove items of historical and cultural value from the territory of parks.
If the NP is located in an area inhabited by an indigenous population, it is allowed to allocate special areas where traditional extensive natural resource management, handicrafts, etc. are permitted. Related types of use of natural resources are coordinated with the park administration.
As already noted, when organizing an NP, the entire territory or part of it is withdrawn from its previous economic use and given over to the park.
In each NP, scientific research is carried out in accordance with the tasks assigned to it. Their topics are very diverse: from inventory of flora and fauna and environmental monitoring to specific problems of bioenergy, population ecology, etc.
Thanks to the high degree of preservation of natural complexes and their special value, as well as serious scientific research, Russian NPs have received international recognition. Thus, the Yugyd Va NP is included by UNESCO in the List of World Natural and Cultural Heritage, Vodlozersky - in the List of Biosphere Reserves of the Planet.
A visit to the NP is carried out in the form of so-called ecotourism. It differs from the usual by a system of interrelated tasks that are solved during a visit to a protected area: environmental education, improving the culture of the relationship between man and nature, instilling a sense of personal responsibility in everyone for the fate of nature.
As the map shows, NPs are distributed extremely unevenly throughout Russia. More than half of the NPs are concentrated in the European part of the country. In the regions of the Far North and Far East, not a single NP has yet been created. In the vast territory of Siberia, the Far East and the Far North, the creation of new NPs is required, and work on their design is being carried out very actively.
State nature reserves and natural monuments
Wildlife sanctuaries were originally just a form of protection for their inhabitants. They were created for a certain period of time necessary to restore depleted hunting resources. To date, the range of their activities has been significantly expanded.
According to the Federal Law, state natural reserves are territories (water areas) that are of particular importance for the preservation or restoration of natural complexes or their components and maintaining the ecological balance.
Depending on the specific tasks of protecting the natural environment and natural resources, state nature reserves can be landscape (complex), biological (botanical or zoological), hydrological (swamp, lake, river, sea), paleontological and geological.
Complex (landscape) reserves are designed to preserve and restore natural complexes (natural landscapes) as a whole. Biological (botanical and zoological) are created to preserve and restore the numbers of rare and endangered species (subspecies, populations) of plants and animals, as well as economically, scientifically and culturally valuable ones. To preserve the sites of finds and accumulations of remains or fossilized specimens of fossil animals and plants that have special scientific significance, paleontological reserves are created. Hydrological (marsh, lake, river, sea) reserves are designed to preserve and restore valuable water bodies and ecological systems. To preserve valuable objects and complexes of inanimate nature (peat bogs, deposits of minerals and other minerals, remarkable landforms and associated landscape elements), geological reserves are created.
Territories (water areas) can be declared state natural reserves both with and without withdrawal from users, owners and possessors of these areas.
In the territories of state natural reserves and their individual sections, any activity that contradicts the goals of creating the reserves or causes harm to natural complexes and their components is permanently or temporarily prohibited or limited. In the territories of reserves where small ethnic communities live, the use of natural resources is allowed in forms that ensure the protection of the habitat and the preservation of their traditional way of life.
There are state natural reserves of federal and regional (local) significance. Wildlife sanctuaries of federal significance are distinguished by a stricter protection regime, complexity, and unlimited validity. They perform the functions of conservation, restoration and reproduction of natural resources, maintaining the overall ecological balance.
In the Russian Federation there are about 3,000 state nature reserves with a total area of over 60 million hectares. As of January 1, 2002, there were 68 federal reserves with a total area of 13.2 million hectares. These include the largest state nature reserve - Franz Josef Land (within the archipelago of the same name) with a total area of about 4.2 million hectares.
Although state nature reserves are a category of protected areas of a lower level than nature reserves and national parks, their role in nature conservation is very great, which is confirmed by giving them the status of international environmental organizations (19 state nature reserves at the federal and regional levels are under the jurisdiction of the Ramsar Convention).
Natural monuments- unique, irreplaceable, ecologically, scientifically, culturally and aesthetically valuable natural complexes, as well as objects of natural and artificial origin. Depending on the environmental, aesthetic and other value of protected natural complexes and objects, natural monuments may have federal or regional significance.
World Natural Heritage sites are highlighted on the map. As of January 1, 2002, the Russian Federation included 6 natural sites with a total area of 17 million hectares in the UNESCO List of Natural Heritage Sites: Virgin Komi Forests, Lake Baikal, Volcanoes, Golden Mountains of Altai, Western Caucasus, Central Sikhote-Alin.
Virgin forests of Komi, the object includes the territories of the Yugyd Va National Park, the Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve and the buffer zone between them, and is the largest array of primary forests, with an area of 3.3 million hectares, remaining in Europe.
Lake Baikal, is a huge area with an area of 3.15 million hectares, which makes this site one of the largest on the entire UNESCO List. This area includes the unique lake itself with an island and smaller islands, as well as the entire natural immediate environment of Lake Baikal within the boundaries of the 1st catchment, which has the status of a “coastal protective strip”. About half of the entire area of this strip is occupied by protected areas of the Baikal region (Barguzinsky, Baikalsky and Baikal-Lensky nature reserves, Pribaikalsky, Transbaikalsky and partly Tunkinsky national parks, Frolikhinsky and Kabansky reserves).
Volcanoes of Kamchatka– a so-called cluster-type object, consisting of 5 separate territories with a total area of 3.9 million hectares. It includes the territories of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve; Bystrinsky, Nalychevsky and South Kamchatka natural parks; Southwestern tundra and South Kamchatka reserves. This is the only region in the world where such a number of active and extinct volcanoes, fumaroles (smoking fissures of volcanoes), geysers, thermal and mineral springs, mud volcanoes and cauldrons, hot lakes and lava flows are concentrated in a relatively small area.
Included in the region Golden Mountains of Altai included the Altai Nature Reserve; a three-kilometer security zone around; Katunsky Reserve; Belukha natural park, Ukok peace zone with a faunal reserve regime. The total area of the facility is more than 1.6 million hectares. It is located at the junction of two large physical-geographical regions: Central Asia and Siberia and is characterized by uniquely high biodiversity and contrasting landscapes from the steppes to the nival-glacial belt. The region is of key importance in the conservation of many endemic and endangered wildlife, most notably the snow leopard.
Western Caucasus is a territory (total area of about 300 thousand hectares), unique both in its richness of natural objects and biodiversity, and in its beauty. Among geographers, biologists and ecologists around the world, it is famous primarily for its mountain forests with a large participation of relict and endemic flora, as well as the richness and diversity of fauna.
Central Sikhote-Alin– it includes the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve and the Goralia Reserve. A number of neighboring territories of other protected areas may in the future also be included in this object.
Included in the World Heritage List Curonian Spit National Park. This is a narrow sandy strip separating the Curonian Lagoon from its open waters. Despite the high landscape value of this object from scientific, environmental and aesthetic points of view, in 2000 it was accepted into the List as an object of cultural heritage rather than natural.
3.Specially protected natural areas (specially protected areas)
Protected areas and tourism. State nature reserves. National and natural parks. State nature reserves. Natural monuments. Dendrological parks and botanical gardens. Medical and recreational areas and resorts. Ecological tourism.
Specially protected natural areas (SPNA) are objects of national heritage and are areas of land, water surface and air space above them where natural complexes and objects are located that have special environmental, scientific, cultural, aesthetic, recreational and health value, which withdrawn by decisions of state authorities in whole or in part from economic use and for which a special protection regime has been established.
To specially protected natural areas (SPNA) include: nature reserves, natural monuments, protected forest areas, national parks, nature reserves. The main purpose of these territories is the protection of valuable natural objects: botanical, zoological, hydrological, geological, complex, landscape.
According to estimates from leading international organizations, at the end of the 90s there were about 10 thousand large protected natural areas of all types in the world. The total number of national parks was close to 2000, and biosphere reserves - to 350.
Specially protected natural areas are important in the natural recreational potential of Russia. Taking into account the peculiarities of the regime and status of the environmental institutions located on them, the following categories of these territories are usually distinguished:
§ state natural reserves, including biosphere reserves;
§ National parks;
§ natural parks;
§ state nature reserves;
§ natural monuments;
§ dendrological parks and botanical gardens;
§ medical and recreational areas and resorts.
Protected areas may have federal, regional or local significance . Protected areas of federal significance are federal property and are under the jurisdiction of federal government bodies. SPNAs of regional significance are the property of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and are under the jurisdiction of state authorities of the constituent entities of the Federation. PAs of local importance are the property of municipalities and are under the jurisdiction of local governments.
State nature reserves are environmental, research and environmental educational institutions aimed at preserving and studying the natural course of natural processes and phenomena, the genetic fund of flora and fauna, individual species and communities of plants and animals, typical and unique ecological systems.
These reserves are the most traditional and strict form of territorial nature protection in Russia, which has priority importance for the conservation of biological diversity.
On the territory of the reserves, specially protected natural complexes and objects (land, water, subsoil, flora and fauna) of environmental, scientific, environmental and educational significance as examples of the natural environment, typical or rare landscapes, places of conservation of genetic fund of flora and fauna.
Reserves– environmental institutions, the territory or water area of which includes natural complexes and objects of unique environmental value, intended for use for environmental, scientific and educational purposes.
Unlike national parks, nature reserves have very limited recreational use, mostly educational only. This is reflected in the functional zoning of the reserves. In particular, there are 4 main zones:
· a protected area in which flora and fauna develop without human intervention;
· scientific monitoring zone, in which the reserve's scientists monitor the condition and development of protected natural objects;
· an environmental education zone, where the nature museum of the reserve is usually located and strictly regulated paths are laid along which groups of tourists are led to become familiar with the natural features of the complex;
· economic and administrative zone.
National parks are environmental, environmental, educational and research institutions, the territories (water areas) of which include natural complexes and objects of special ecological, historical and aesthetic value, and which are intended for use for environmental, educational, scientific and cultural purposes and regulated tourism.
Abroad, national parks are the most popular type of protected areas. In particular, in the USA, the history of the creation of some parks goes back more than a hundred years.
The task of national parks, along with their environmental function, is to create conditions for regulated tourism and recreation in natural conditions.
Consequently, in the most conventional version, 4 functional zones are distinguished on the territory of any national park:
· a protected zone, within which all recreational and economic activities are prohibited;
· zone of reserved regime – preservation of natural objects with strictly regulated recreational use;
· educational tourism zone – organization of environmental education and familiarization with the sights of the park;
· zone of recreational use, including areas for recreation, sports and amateur hunting and fishing.
Natural parks of regional significance – a relatively new category of protected areas in Russia. They are environmental recreational institutions under the jurisdiction of the constituent entities of the Federation, the territories (water areas) of which include natural complexes and objects of significant environmental and aesthetic value, and intended for use for environmental, educational and recreational purposes. Parks are located on lands granted to them for indefinite (permanent) use, and in some cases - on lands of other users, as well as owners.
One of the most “massive” categories of specially protected natural areas are state natural reserves, which exist in almost all regions of the Russian Federation. Declaring a territory as a state nature reserve is permitted both with and without withdrawal from users, owners and possessors of land plots.
State nature reserves are territories (water areas) that are of particular importance for the preservation or restoration of natural complexes or their components and maintaining the ecological balance.
State nature reserves can be of federal or regional significance and have a different profile. Landscape reserves are designed to preserve and restore natural complexes (natural landscapes); biological (botanical and zoological) – conservation and restoration of rare and endangered species of plants and animals (including economically, scientifically and culturally valuable species); paleontological – preservation of fossil objects; hydrological (marsh, lake, river, sea) – conservation and restoration of valuable water bodies and ecological systems; geological – preservation of valuable objects and complexes of inanimate nature.
Natural monuments – unique, irreplaceable, ecologically, scientifically, culturally and aesthetically valuable natural complexes, as well as objects of natural and artificial origin.
Areas of land and water, as well as single natural objects, can be declared natural monuments.
Natural monuments may have federal, regional or local significance, depending on the environmental, aesthetic and other value of the protected natural complexes and objects.
Russian legislation identifies another category of protected natural areas – dendrological parks and botanical gardens. These are predominantly urban and suburban facilities created for educational, scientific and only partially recreational purposes.
Botanical gardens and dendrological parks carry out the introduction of plants of natural flora, study their ecology and biology under stationary conditions, develop the scientific foundations of ornamental gardening, landscape architecture, landscaping, introduce wild plants into cultivation, protect introduced plants from pests and diseases, and also develop methods and techniques for selection and agricultural technology for the creation of sustainable decorative displays, the principles of organizing artificial phytocenoses and the use of introduced plants to optimize the technogenic environment.
Dendrological parks and botanical gardens can be of federal or regional significance and are formed accordingly by decisions of the executive bodies of state power of the Russian Federation or representative and executive bodies of state power of the relevant subjects of the Federation.
You can become familiar with the types and forms of recreational use of specially protected natural areas in detail by studying the textbook excerpts from articles covering this issue presented below.
HEALTH AND HEALTH AREAS- specially protected natural sites, which, in accordance with the Federal Law “On Specially Protected Natural Territories” dated March 14, 1995, may include territories (water areas) suitable for organizing the treatment and prevention of diseases, as well as recreation for the population and possessing natural healing resources (mineral waters, healing mud, brine of estuaries and lakes, healing climate, beaches, parts of water areas and inland seas, other natural objects and conditions). RESORT - a specially protected natural area developed and used for therapeutic and preventive purposes, which has natural healing resources and the buildings and structures necessary for their operation, including infrastructure facilities (Federal Law “On natural healing resources, medical and recreational areas and resorts” dated February 23, 1995 .).
There are distinctions between municipalities of local significance (under the jurisdiction of local government bodies), municipalities of regional significance (under the jurisdiction of the state authority of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation), and municipalities of federal significance (under the jurisdiction of federal government bodies).
Types of institutions: sanatoriums, holiday homes, boarding houses, resort clinics, resort. hotels, treatment hotels.
Main types of resorts:
Balneotherapeutic (min. water)
Mud (therapeutic mud)
Climatic (forest, seaside, mountain, climate-kumyso - medicinal)
!!!See the table with resorts in your tour notebook. resources in seminars!!!
Ecological tourism(especially in the form of biosphere ecotourism) is the most environmentally friendly type of environmental management. Within its framework, knowledge can follow either the educational process or simply familiarization. The difference between the first type of knowledge and the second is that the educational process is associated with the targeted and thematic acquisition of information about the elements of the ecosystem, and the educational process is associated with non-professional observation of nature. Familiarization can take place in passive (stationary presence in the natural environment), active (associated with the tourist’s transitions from one natural object of interest to another) and sports (overcoming natural obstacles while walking routes) forms.
Therefore, it is necessary to define ecotourism as an activity based on the following principles:
Ø Journey into nature, and the main content of such trips is acquaintance with living nature, as well as local customs and culture.
Ø Minimizing negative consequences of an environmental and socio-cultural nature, maintaining environmental sustainability of the environment.
Ø Promoting the protection of nature and the local socio-cultural environment.
Ø Environmental education and awareness.
Ø Participation of local residents and their receipt of income from tourism activities, which creates economic incentives for them to protect nature.
Ø Economic efficiency and contribution to the sustainable development of the regions visited.
These signs are indicated as fundamental for ecotourism by recognized authorities in this field - N.V. Moraleva and E.Yu. Ledovskikh, participants of the Dersu Uzala Ecotourism Development Fund.
4.Cultural and historical tourist resources.
Concept, essence. Material and spiritual cultural and historical objects.
material- all means of production and material assets of society (historical and cultural monuments, enterprises of all sectors of the national economy) that can satisfy the cognitive needs of people;
spiritual- achievements of society in state and public life, science, culture, art.
In the complex of recreational resources, a special place is occupied by cultural and historical resources, which represent the legacy of past eras of social development. They serve as a prerequisite for organizing cultural and educational types of recreational activities; on this basis, they optimize recreational activities as a whole, performing quite serious educational functions. The spaces formed by cultural and historical objects to a certain extent determine the localization of recreational flows and the directions of excursion routes.
Among the cultural and historical sites the leading role belongs to historical and cultural monuments, which are the most attractive and, on this basis, serve as the main means of satisfying the needs of educational and cultural recreation. Depending on their main features, historical and cultural monuments are divided into 5 main types: history, archaeology, urban planning and architecture, art, and documentary monuments.
HISTORICAL MONUMENTS. These may include buildings, structures, memorable places and objects associated with the most important historical events in the life of the people, as well as with the development of science and technology, culture and life of peoples, with the life of outstanding people of the state.
ARCHEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS. These are fortifications, mounds, remains of ancient settlements, fortifications, industries, canals, roads, ancient burial places, stone sculptures, rock carvings, ancient objects, areas of the historical cultural layer of ancient settlements.
MONUMENTS OF URBAN PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE. The following objects are most characteristic of them: architectural ensembles and complexes, historical centers, neighborhoods, squares, streets, remains of ancient planning and development of cities and other settlements, buildings of civil, industrial, military, religious architecture, folk architecture, as well as related ones works of monumental, fine, decorative and applied art, landscape art, suburban landscapes.
ART MONUMENTS. These include works of monumental, fine, decorative and applied art and other types of art.
DOCUMENTARY MONUMENTS. These are acts of government and administrative bodies, other written and graphic documents, film, photo and sound recordings, as well as ancient and other manuscripts and archives, recordings of folklore and music, and rare printed publications.
To cultural and historical The prerequisites of the recreational industry include other objects related to history, culture and modern human activities: original enterprises of industry, agriculture, transport, theaters, scientific and educational institutions, sports facilities, botanical gardens, zoos, ethnographic and folklore attractions, handicrafts , folk customs, holiday rituals, etc.
All objects used in educational and cultural recreation are divided into 2 groups - movable and immovable.
The first group consists of monuments of art, archaeological finds, mineralogical, botanical and zoological collections, documentary monuments and other things, objects and documents that can be easily moved. The consumption of recreational resources by this group is associated with visits to museums, libraries and archives, where they are usually concentrated.
The second group includes monuments of history, urban planning and architecture, archeology and monumental art and other structures, including those monuments of art that form an integral part of architecture. From the standpoint of cognitive and cultural recreation, it is important that the objects of this group are independent single or group formations.
The next, more important stage in the assessment of cultural and historical objects is their typology according to recreational significance.
The basis of the typology is the informational essence of cultural and historical objects: uniqueness, typicality among objects of a given type, cognitive and educational significance, attractiveness (external attractiveness).
Information content cultural and historical sites for recreational purposes can be measured by the amount of necessary and sufficient time for their inspection. To determine the time of inspection of an object, it is necessary to classify the object on a basis that would reflect the duration of the inspection.
You can choose 2 classification criteria:
degree of organization of the object for display
the location of the tourists in relation to the object of inspection.
According to the degree of organization, objects are divided into specially organized and unorganized for display.
Organized objects require more inspection time, since they are the purpose of the inspection and form the basis of the excursion. Unorganized objects serve as a general plan accompanying the excursion, a background that is covered at one glance without a detailed examination.
According to the location of the tourists, the objects are divided into
interior (internal inspection of the facility)
Exterior (external inspection of the facility). The total time for inspecting exterior objects is always longer than the time for inspecting interior objects (perhaps with the exception of museums and some other repositories of historical values).
HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL MONUMENTS AND THEIR VARIETIES
Monuments of religious architecture. Monuments of religious architecture are the most ancient that have survived to our time. These are churches and monasteries of various denominations (religions): Orthodox churches, Catholic cathedrals, Lutheran churches, Jewish synagogues, Buddhist pagodas, Muslim mosques.
Now, during the revival of religiosity, pilgrimages are becoming very relevant. Travel to religious complexes can be carried out by different groups for different purposes. There are several forms of such travel.
Monuments of secular architecture. Monuments of secular architecture include urban development - civil and industrial, as well as country palace and park ensembles. Of the most ancient buildings, the kremlins and boyars' chambers have survived to this day. Urban architecture is usually represented by palace buildings, administrative buildings (public places, shopping arcades, noble and merchant meetings, houses of governors), buildings of theaters, libraries, universities and hospitals, which were often built with funds from patrons of the arts according to the designs of famous architects. Since the formation of the Yamsk road race for royalty, postal stations and travel palaces have been revived, which are now part of the cities or stand along old roads. Industrial architecture includes factory buildings, mines, quarries and other structures. Country architecture is represented by estates and palace and park ensembles, such as, for example, Petrodvorets and Pavlovsk in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, Arkhangelskoye and others in the Moscow region.
Archaeological sites. Archaeological sites include villages, burial mounds, rock paintings, earthworks, ancient quarries, mines, as well as the remains of ancient civilizations and excavations from the earliest periods. Archaeological sites are of interest to specialists - historians and archaeologists. Tourists are mainly attracted by rock paintings, inspection of exposed archaeological layers, as well as archaeological exhibitions.
Ethnographic monuments. The ethnographic heritage involved in tourist routes is represented by two types. These are either museum exhibitions in local history museums, museums of folk life and wooden architecture, or existing settlements that have preserved the features of traditional forms of management, cultural life and rituals inherent in the area.
Ethnographic monuments classified as cultural heritage according to the following criteria: uniqueness and originality of ethnocultural and sociocultural conditions; compact residence of small peoples and old-timers, where traditional ways of life, customs and forms of environmental management are most fully preserved.
HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL POTENTIAL AND METHODOLOGY FOR ITS ASSESSMENT
Historical and cultural potential is the basis of educational tourism. It is represented by various types of historical monuments, memorial sites, folk crafts, museums, that is, combinations of objects of material and spiritual culture.
Cultural heritage is the legacy of the historical development of civilization that has accumulated in a given territory.
Each era leaves its mark, which is discovered in cultural layers during archaeological excavations. Almost every area can be of interest for educational tourism. But places where people lived for a long time keep more traces of material culture.
In historical and cultural potential includes the entire sociocultural environment with traditions and customs, features of everyday and economic activities. Tourists, visiting a particular country, perceive cultural complexes as a whole.
The assessment of cultural complexes for recreational purposes is carried out using two main methods:
1) ranking cultural complexes according to their place in world and domestic culture. It is carried out by expert means: objects of global, federal, regional and local significance are established;
2) necessary and sufficient time for inspection. This method allows you to compare different territories according to the prospects of their historical and cultural potential for tourism.
For cultural complexes, as well as for natural ones, important characteristics are reliability and capacity.
The reliability of cultural complexes is determined by two factors: resistance to recreational loads and the stability of its compliance with the value criteria formed among the population.
The first factor determines how much tourist flow a given cultural complex can withstand. This is especially important for museums, where it is necessary to maintain a certain temperature and humidity regime to preserve exhibits. An urgent issue is the use of modern technical means to increase the resistance of cultural complexes to recreational loads and the regulation of the flow of tourists.
The second factor is related to the long-term interest of tourists in a given cultural site. Their interest in world heritage sites remains stable (Egyptian pyramids, ancient architecture of Athens, architectural and historical-cultural monuments of Paris, St. Petersburg, etc.).
The capacity of a cultural complex is determined by the duration of the period during which tourists can perceive the information contained in it, and depends on two factors: the attractiveness of the object of inspection and the psychophysiological capabilities of a person, which are distinguished by significant individuality and have a certain limit.
According to estimates from leading international organizations, at the end of the 90s there were about 10 thousand large protected natural areas of all types in the world.
Specially protected natural areas (SPNA) are objects of national heritage and are areas of land, water surface and air space above them where natural complexes and objects are located that have special environmental, scientific, cultural, aesthetic, recreational and health value, which withdrawn by decisions of state authorities in whole or in part from economic use and for which a special protection regime has been established.
According to estimates from leading international organizations, at the end of the 90s there were about 10 thousand large protected natural areas of all types in the world. The total number of national parks was close to 2000, and biosphere reserves - 350.
Taking into account the peculiarities of the regime and status of the environmental institutions located on them, the following categories of these territories are usually distinguished:
state natural reserves, including biosphere reserves;
National parks;
natural parks;
state nature reserves;
natural monuments;
dendrological parks and botanical gardens;
medical and recreational areas and resorts.
The first two groups of the above territories are of particular importance for the protection of the nature of our country.
The Government of the Russian Federation, the relevant executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Federation, local governments can establish other categories of protected areas (territories containing green zones, urban forests and parks, monuments of landscape art, protected coastlines, river systems and natural landscapes, biological stations, microreserves, etc.).
In order to protect protected areas from adverse anthropogenic impacts, protective zones or districts with a regulated regime of economic activity can be created on adjacent areas of land and water.
Protected areas may have federal, regional or local significance. Protected areas of federal significance are federal property and are under the jurisdiction of federal government bodies. SPNAs of regional significance are the property of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and are under the jurisdiction of state authorities of the constituent entities of the Federation. PAs of local importance are the property of municipalities and are under the jurisdiction of local governments.
PAs are heterogeneous in their environmental regime and functions. In the hierarchical system, each category of protected areas is distinguished by its ability to keep the natural complex or its individual structural parts from destruction and serious changes.
State nature reserves
State nature reserves are environmental, research and environmental educational institutions aimed at preserving and studying the natural course of natural processes and phenomena, the genetic fund of flora and fauna, individual species and communities of plants and animals, typical and unique ecological systems. These reserves are the most traditional and strict form of territorial nature protection in Russia, which has priority importance for the conservation of biological diversity.
On the territory of the reserves, specially protected natural complexes and objects (land, water, subsoil, flora and fauna) of environmental, scientific, environmental and educational significance as examples of the natural environment, typical or rare landscapes, places of conservation of genetic fund of flora and fauna.
Land, water, subsoil, flora and fauna located in the territories of nature reserves are provided for the use (ownership) of the latter under the rights provided for by federal laws. The property of the reserves is federal property. Buildings, structures, historical, cultural and other real estate objects are assigned to nature reserves with operational management rights. Confiscation or other termination of rights to land plots and other natural resources included in nature reserves is prohibited. Natural resources and real estate of reserves are completely withdrawn from circulation (they cannot be alienated or transferred from one person to another by other means).
The regulations on a specific reserve and its status are approved by a body authorized to do so by the Government of the Russian Federation.
Any activity that contradicts the objectives of the reserve and the regime of special protection of its territory established in the regulations on this reserve is prohibited on the territory of the reserve; The introduction of living organisms for the purpose of their acclimatization is prohibited.
In the territories of nature reserves, events and activities aimed at:
preservation of natural complexes in their natural state, restoration and prevention of changes in natural complexes and their components as a result of anthropogenic impact;
maintaining conditions that ensure sanitary and fire safety;
preventing conditions that could cause natural disasters that threaten human lives and populated areas;
implementation of environmental monitoring;
carrying out research tasks;
conducting environmental education work;
implementation of control and supervisory functions.
The network of nature reserves in Russia has been created over the past eighty years.
In total in the Russian Federation by the beginning of 2003. 100 state natural reserves officially operated with a total area established by the Government of the Russian Federation of 33,732,189 hectares, including a marine area of 6,376,084 hectares.
Nature reserves are located on the territory of 18 of 21 republics within the Russian Federation, 5 of 6 territories, 35 of 49 regions, the Jewish Autonomous Region and 7 of 10 autonomous okrugs.
Outside the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources there are 5 nature reserves, the total officially designated area of which is 257,259 hectares, including the marine area of about 63,000 hectares. This includes, in particular:
4 nature reserves (Ilmensky, Ussuriysky, Far Eastern Marine, "Kedrovaya Pad"), which are under the jurisdiction of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the direct management of its structural divisions;
the Galichya Mountain Nature Reserve, which is under the jurisdiction of the Russian Ministry of Education and the direct management of Voronezh State University;
A special status and purpose also has the Zavidovo state complex of the Russian Ministry of Defense, which is not included in the general list and located in the Tver region (until the beginning of the 90s - the Zavidovo state reserve), the year of foundation is 1929, the total actual area is 1254 km2 .
The system of Russian state nature reserves is widely recognized in the world: 27 Russian reserves have the international status of biosphere reserves (they have been issued the corresponding UNESCO certificates), 9 are under the jurisdiction of the World Convention for the Conservation of Cultural and Natural Heritage, 12 fall under the jurisdiction of the Ramsar Convention (Water Convention). -wetlands of international importance), 4 - Oksky, Teberdinsky, Central Black Earth and Kostomuksha - have diplomas from the Council of Europe.
National parks
National parks are environmental, environmental, educational and research institutions, the territories (water areas) of which include natural complexes and objects of special ecological, historical and aesthetic value, and which are intended for use for environmental, educational, scientific and cultural purposes and for regulated tourism.
Land, water, subsoil, flora and fauna located on the territory of national parks are provided for use (ownership) by the parks under the rights provided for by federal laws. Historical and cultural objects placed under state protection in the prescribed manner are transferred for use to national parks only in agreement with the state body for the protection of historical and cultural monuments. In some cases, within the boundaries of parks there may be land plots of other users, as well as owners. National parks have the exclusive right to acquire these lands at the expense of the federal budget and other sources not prohibited by law. These parks are exclusively federal property. Buildings, structures, historical, cultural and other real estate objects are assigned to national parks with the right of operational management. A specific park operates on the basis of regulations approved by the state body under whose jurisdiction it is located, in agreement with the specially authorized state body of the Russian Federation in the field of environmental protection. A protective zone with a limited regime of environmental management is being created around the national park.
Abroad, national parks are the most popular type of protected areas. In particular, in the USA, the history of the creation of some parks goes back more than a hundred years.
In the Russian Federation, national parks began to be created only in 1983 (the Sochi and Losiny Ostrov national parks were organized) and were a new form of territorial nature conservation for Russia. The idea of their creation is associated with the combination of a wide range of tasks: the protection of natural and cultural heritage, the organization of tourism, and the search for ways of sustainable development of the territory. The new form of protected areas makes it possible to preserve both unique natural complexes and objects of historical and cultural significance. At the same time, national parks provide the opportunity for a large number of people to visit them, get acquainted with natural, historical and cultural attractions, and relax in picturesque landscapes.
In total, in the Russian Federation, by the beginning of 1999, there were 34 national parks, the total officially established area of which was 6784.6 thousand hectares, and by the beginning of 2003 - 35 parks with a total area of 6956 thousand hectares (0.4% of the entire territory of the Russian Federation). Federation).
The vast majority of national parks are located in the European part of the Russian Federation. National parks were formed on the territory of 13 republics within the Russian Federation, 2 territories and 20 regions. Most of the national parks (34) were directly subordinate to b. Federal Forestry Service of Russia and one under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Government (“Losiny Ostrov”).
A differentiated regime of special protection is established in the territories of national parks, taking into account their natural, historical, cultural and other features. Based on these features, various functional zones can be distinguished in the park territories, including protected areas, with a regime characteristic of natural reserves (protected areas occupy up to 64% of their territory in Russian national parks). A security zone is also allocated around the park, where economic activities must be coordinated with the park administration.
The main part of the parks' territory (from 50 to 100% of the area) is occupied by lands that are provided to them for management and implementation of their main activities. Other territories (mainly agricultural lands, in some cases fishery reservoirs, lands of settlements, cities) are included within the boundaries of parks, as a rule, without removing them from economic use. Usually, it is on these lands that cultural and historical monuments are located, forming a single whole with the surrounding natural complexes.
Today's network of national parks covers 7 physical-geographical regions, 11 regions and 27 provinces. The parks contain the following vegetation: plains - taiga and broad-leaved-coniferous forests (dark-coniferous middle-taiga forests, dark-coniferous southern taiga forests, broad-leaved-dark-coniferous, pine northern taiga, pine mid- and southern taiga, broad-leaved pine and pine dry-grass forests), broad-leaved forests; steppes; mountains - dark coniferous mountain forests, light coniferous mountain forests, deciduous mountain forests; as well as swamps.
Taking into account the natural, historical, cultural and other features of national parks, various functional zones can be distinguished, including:
a protected area, within which any economic activity and recreational use of the territory is prohibited;
specially protected, within which conditions are provided for the preservation of natural complexes and objects and on the territory of which strictly regulated visits are allowed;
educational tourism, intended for organizing environmental education and familiarization with the attractions of the park;
recreational, intended for recreation;
protection of historical and cultural objects, within which conditions for their preservation are provided;
visitor services, designed to accommodate overnight accommodations, tent camps and other tourist service facilities, cultural, consumer and information services for visitors;
economic purpose, within which economic activities necessary to ensure the functioning of the park are carried out.
Within the protected areas of national parks, a regime generally corresponds to the protection regime of nature reserves. Within the boundaries of the recreational zone of the national park there may be territories intended for sport and amateur hunting and fishing. At the same time, hunting in the park territories is carried out by them independently or by leasing hunting lands to other hunting users.
Natural parks
Natural parks of regional significance are a relatively new category of protected areas in Russia. They are environmental recreational institutions under the jurisdiction of the constituent entities of the Federation, the territories (water areas) of which include natural complexes and objects of significant environmental and aesthetic value, and intended for use for environmental, educational and recreational purposes. Parks are located on lands granted to them for indefinite (permanent) use, in some cases - on lands of other users, as well as owners.
Currently, the number of protected areas with the status of natural parks in Russia includes 30 territories.
State nature reserves
State natural reserves are territories (water areas) that are of particular importance for the preservation or restoration of natural complexes or their components and maintaining the ecological balance. Declaring a territory as a state nature reserve is permitted both with and without withdrawal from users, owners and possessors of land plots.
State nature reserves can be of federal or regional significance and have a different profile. Landscape reserves are designed to preserve and restore natural complexes (natural landscapes); biological (botanical and zoological) - conservation and restoration of rare and endangered species of plants and animals (including economically, scientifically and culturally valuable species); paleontological - preservation of fossil objects; hydrological (marsh, lake, river, sea) - conservation and restoration of valuable water bodies and ecological systems; geological - preservation of valuable objects and complexes of inanimate nature.
Of the 67 federal reserves at the end of 2000, 56 were under the jurisdiction and management of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, 11 - the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources.
Natural monuments
Natural monuments are unique, irreplaceable, ecologically, scientifically, culturally and aesthetically valuable natural complexes, as well as objects of natural and artificial origin.
Land and water areas, as well as single natural objects, can be declared natural monuments, including:
scenic areas;
reference areas of untouched nature;
areas with a predominance of cultural landscape (ancient parks, alleys, canals, ancient mines);
places of growth and habitat of valuable, relict, small, rare and endangered species of plants and animals;
forest areas and forest areas that are especially valuable for their characteristics (species composition, productivity, genetic qualities, plant structure), as well as examples of outstanding achievements of forestry science and practice;
natural objects that play an important role in maintaining the hydrological regime;
unique forms of relief and associated natural landscapes (mountains, groups of rocks, gorges, canyons, groups of caves, glacial cirques and spur valleys, moraine-boulder ridges, dunes, sand dunes, giant ice dams, hydrolaccoliths);
geological outcrops of particular scientific value (reference sections, stratotypes, outcrops of rare minerals, rocks and minerals);
geological and geographical polygons, including classic areas with especially expressive traces of seismic phenomena, as well as exposures of fault and fold faults in rocks;
locations of rare or particularly valuable paleontological objects;
sections of rivers, lakes, wetland complexes, reservoirs, marine areas, small rivers with floodplains, lakes, reservoirs and ponds;
natural hydromineral complexes, thermal and mineral water sources, deposits of medicinal mud;
coastal objects (spits, isthmuses, peninsulas, islands, lagoons, bays);
individual objects of living and inanimate nature (bird nesting sites, long-lived trees and those of historical and memorial significance, plants of bizarre shapes, single specimens of exotics and relics, volcanoes, hills, glaciers, boulders, waterfalls, geysers, springs, river sources, rocks, cliffs, outcrops, manifestations of karst, caves, grottoes).
Natural monuments may have federal, regional or local significance, depending on the environmental, aesthetic and other value of the protected natural complexes and objects.
Like nature reserves, this category of protected areas is most widespread at the regional level. State control over the functioning of more than 7.5 thousand natural monuments of regional significance was carried out by territorial bodies of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, b. State Committee for Ecology of Russia, b. Rosleskhoz.
In addition, in the Russian Federation in 2002 there were 27 natural monuments of federal significance with a total area of 14,351 thousand. ha (excluding geological and some other monuments).
In 2003, no new natural monuments of federal significance were created (they were not officially registered).
Dendrological parks and botanical gardens
Dendrological parks and botanical gardens are environmental institutions whose tasks include creating special collections of plants in order to preserve the diversity and enrichment of the flora, as well as carrying out scientific, educational and educational activities. The territories of dendrological parks and botanical gardens are intended only for the fulfillment of their direct tasks, while land plots are transferred for indefinite (permanent) use either to parks or to research or educational institutions under whose jurisdiction they are located.
Botanical gardens and dendrological parks introduce plants of natural flora, study their ecology and biology under stationary conditions, develop the scientific foundations of ornamental gardening, landscape architecture, landscaping, introduce wild plants into cultivation, protect introduced plants from pests and diseases, and also develop methods and selection and agricultural techniques for creating sustainable decorative displays, principles of organizing artificial phytocenoses and using introduced plants to optimize the technogenic environment.
Dendrological parks and botanical gardens can be of federal or regional significance and are formed accordingly by decisions of the executive bodies of state power of the Russian Federation or representative and executive bodies of state power of the relevant subjects of the Federation.
In Russia at the beginning of 2000, there were 80 botanical gardens and dendrological parks.
Medical and recreational areas and resorts.
Territories (water areas) suitable for organizing treatment and prevention of diseases, as well as recreation for the population and possessing natural healing resources (mineral waters, therapeutic mud, brine of estuaries and lakes, therapeutic climate, beaches, parts of water areas and inland seas, other natural objects and conditions ) can be classified as medical and recreational areas. Medical and health-improving areas and resorts are allocated for the purpose of their rational use and ensuring the preservation of their natural healing resources and health-improving properties. Within the boundaries of medical and recreational areas and resorts, activities are prohibited (limited) that can lead to deterioration in the quality and depletion of natural resources and objects with medicinal properties. In order to preserve natural factors favorable for the organization of treatment and prevention of diseases of the population, sanitary or mountain sanitary protection districts are organized in the territories of medical and recreational areas and resorts. For medical and recreational areas and resorts, where natural healing resources belong to the subsoil (mineral waters, therapeutic mud, etc.), mountain sanitary protection districts are established. In other cases, sanitary protection districts are established. The outer contour of the sanitary (mountain sanitary) protection district is the border of a medical and recreational area or resort. The procedure for organizing sanitary and mountain sanitary protection districts and the specifics of their functioning are determined by the Government of the Russian Federation and government bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in accordance with the federal law on natural healing resources, medical and recreational areas and resorts. are regulated by the Government of the Russian Federation and state authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in accordance with the federal law on natural healing resources, health resorts and resorts.
Russian Civilization
Nature, both living and inanimate, is a huge value on our planet. We are in excellent living conditions. If you look at the planets closest to us, the large difference in appearance between the Earth and the other planets is impressive. A huge volume of clean fresh and salt water of the oceans, a life-giving atmosphere, fertile soils. The richness of the plant world that surrounds almost our entire planet, as well as the animal diversity, is surprising: it is impossible to study all types of living beings in a person’s lifetime.
However, it is precisely such diversity and such environmental conditions that are necessary for the harmonious state of the entire planet, for the balance of substances on it.
Harmony of nature
People, through their activities, transform nature more than any other type of organism. Moreover, other organisms have so merged with the natural environment that they even help maintain the original balance on the planet. For example, a lion hunting an antelope is likely to catch the weakest individual, thereby maintaining the survival of the herbivore population. An earthworm, making numerous holes in the soil, does not spoil the fertile surface layer. It loosens the soil so that the air can better reach the roots of the plants.
Economic activity of Homo sapiens
A person has a developed brain. The development of human economic activity is proceeding at a faster pace than the evolutionary processes of nature. She does not have time to adapt to the changes caused by people.
Many years ago, the population of Australia overgrazed livestock on the small continent. According to this hypothesis, numerous deserts of the continent were formed precisely because of human activity.
Since ancient times, trees have been intensively cut down for the construction of houses. Nowadays, forests are shrinking just as quickly: we still use wood for various purposes.
The planet's population is huge and, according to scientists, will grow at an even faster rate. If people populate or use the entire area of the planet for farming, then nature, of course, will not withstand such a load.
History of protected natural areas
Already in ancient times, people kept untouched certain areas of the territory in which they lived. People's faith in gods made them tremble before sacred places. There was no need to even protect such areas; the people themselves treated these sacred territories with care, believing in something mysterious.
In the era of feudalism, the lands of the nobility came first in terms of inviolability. The possessions were guarded. In such territories, hunting was prohibited, or even simply visiting other people's forests or other biotope was prohibited.
In the nineteenth century, the Industrial Revolution made people think seriously about preserving natural resources for future generations. Protected areas are being created in Europe. The first of the specially protected natural areas were natural monuments. Ancient beech forests and some attractions, such as unusual geological objects, were preserved.
In Russia, the first protected areas were organized at the end of the 19th century. They were not yet state owned.
What is a protected area
These are areas of land or water where human economic activity is partially or completely prohibited. How does the abbreviation stand for? As "specially protected natural areas".
Types of protected areas according to IUCN
Nowadays there are about 105,000 specially protected natural areas on the planet. For such a number of objects, classification is necessary. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has identified the following types of protected areas:
- Strict nature reserve. The security of such a territory is especially strict; all economic activity is prohibited. Visit only with a document permitting you to be on the site. The nature of this territory is the most holistic.
- National Park. It is divided into areas with strict security and areas where tourist routes are laid.
- Natural monument. An unusual, well-known natural site is being protected.
- Managed nature reserve. The state takes care of the conservation of species of living organisms and biotopes for their habitat. A person introduces activities to help in fairly rapid reproduction and maintenance of offspring.
- Protected marine and territorial landscapes. Recreational facilities are preserved.
- Protected areas with monitoring of resource consumption. It is possible to use natural resources if the activity does not cause major changes to the site.
Types of protected areas according to the law of the Russian Federation
In the Russian Federation a simpler classification is used. Types of protected areas in Russia:
- State nature reserve. The strictest security regime is maintained. Visit only for the purpose of conservation work or education in the area.
- National Park. It is divided into ecological zones based on the possibility of using natural resources. Ecotourism has been developed in some areas. There are work areas for national park staff. There may be areas for recreation for the population, as well as for overnight stays for visitors passing the tourist route.
- Natural Park. It is created to preserve ecosystems in conditions of mass recreation of the population. New methods of nature conservation are being developed.
- State nature reserve. Natural resources are not only preserved, but also restored. The reserve is actively working to restore the former natural wealth of the area. Ecotourism possible.
- Natural monument. Significant natural or man-made natural complex. Unique education.
- Dendrological parks and botanical gardens. Collections of plant species are created in the territories in order to preserve the species diversity of the planet and replenish lost species of land.
Wrangel Island
The UNESCO World Heritage Sites include 8 sites located on the territory of the Russian Federation. One of these protected areas is the Wrangel Island Nature Reserve.
The protected area is located in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. This is the northernmost of all protected natural areas in Russia. The protected area consists of two islands (Wrangel and Herald) and the adjacent water area. The area of protected areas is more than two million hectares.
The reserve was organized in 1976 to preserve typical and unique flora and fauna. Nature, due to the location of the islands far from the mainland and due to the harsh climate, is preserved almost untouched. Scientists come to the site to study local ecosystems. Thanks to the creation of the reserve, rare animals such as the polar bear and walrus are protected. A huge number of endemic species live in this area.
The islands are home to local people. It has the right to use natural resources, but to a strictly limited extent.
Lake Baikal
The most valuable lake in the world is also a World Natural Heritage Site. The PA data system is the largest reservoir of clean fresh water.
The huge number of endemic species surprises scientists. More than half of the animals and plants growing here are found only on Lake Baikal. There are about a thousand endemic species in total. Of these, 27 species of fish. The Baikal omul and golomyanka are well known. All nematodes living in the lake are endemic. The water in Baikal is purified by the crustacean epishura, which also lives only in this lake.
It makes up 80% of the biomass of plankton of animal origin.
Baikal was included in the World Natural Heritage List in 1996. The Baikal Nature Reserve itself was founded in 1969.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site “Lake Baikal” consists of 8 protected areas located directly next to the famous lake. Many scientists are confident that Baikal is expanding every year, increasing its water area due to the drift of lithospheric plates.
Kronotsky Reserve
Another example of a protected area is the Kronotsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Volcanoes of Kamchatka.
Moreover, this protected area is a biosphere reserve. UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program identifies protected areas around the world that are almost untouched by human activity. The state is obliged to preserve a self-regulating natural system if the object is located on its territory.
The Kronotsky Nature Reserve is one of the earliest in Russia. In 1882, the Sable Nature Reserve was located on this territory. Kronotsky State Reserve was created in 1934. In addition to the territory with numerous volcanoes, hot springs and geysers, the Kronotsky Nature Reserve includes a significant area of water.
Currently, tourism is actively developing in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve. Visiting him was not allowed at all times.
Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve
Another example of a protected area in Russia is the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve. This is the first nature reserve in the Far East. He is also one of the oldest in Russia. The Far Eastern leopard lives here, a rare subspecies of leopards whose numbers have declined in the past. Now it is in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, has the status of “endangered”.
The reserve itself was created for the conservation and research of liana coniferous-deciduous forests. The massifs are not disturbed by anthropogenic influence. There are many endemic species here.
Losiny Ostrov National Park
One of the very first in Russia. Founded in 1983 on the territory of Moscow and the Moscow region.
Includes 5 zones: reserved (access is closed), specially protected (visit with permission), protection of historical and cultural monuments (visits are allowed), recreational (occupies more than half the area, free visit) and economic (ensures the operation of the park).
Legislation of the Russian Federation
The Federal Law on Protected Natural Areas (1995) states that protected areas must have federal, regional or local significance. Nature reserves and national parks always have federal significance.
Any reserve, national park, natural park and natural monument must have a protection zone. It additionally protects the object from destructive anthropogenic influence. The boundaries of protected areas, as well as the boundaries of the protective zone, are determined by the legislation of the Russian Federation.
Anyone can visit the territory of the protected zone. However, she is also under guard.
The lands of protected areas are a national property. It is prohibited to build houses, roads, or cultivate land on federal sites.
To create protected areas, the government reserves new lands. Further, such lands are declared protected areas. In this case, the law prohibits future cultivation of the land in this area.
Protected areas are an important component of our planet. Such territories preserve priceless wealth for subsequent generations. The balance of the biosphere is maintained and the gene pool of living organisms is protected. The inanimate nature of such territories is also preserved: valuable water resources, geological formations.
Specially protected natural areas have not only environmental significance, but also scientific, as well as environmental and educational significance. It is at such sites that the most educational tourism for nature lovers is organized.
The world's population is growing at an ever faster pace. Humanity needs to think more actively about maintaining nature and take a more responsible approach to preserving natural resources. Every person should think about this and contribute to maintaining the health of the planet.
