Specially protected natural territories of the Russian Federation

Protected natural areas (PNA) are areas of land, water surface and air space above them, where natural complexes and sites of particular environmental, scientific, cultural, aesthetic, recreational and curative value are located, which are totally or partially withdrawn from practical use by decisions of public authorities, and for which special protected conditions are established.

Protected natural areas are referred to national heritage sites. Public administration in organization and functioning of federal protected areas is exercised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation.

As of 2013, in all, Russia had more than 13 thousand PNAs of the federal, regional and local significance, their total area (including marine water areas) exceeding 200 million hectares, i.e. 11.9 % Russia’s territory (or, excluding water areas – 11.3 %).

299 PNAs are of the federal significance, including 102 state nature reserves, 46 national parks and 70 state wildlife sanctuaries, as well as natural landmarks and other federal significance PNAs. The total area of PNAs of federal significance is 59.2 million hectares (with marine water areas), or 48.3 million hectares (without water areas).

State nature reserves

On the territories of state nature reserves, protected natural complexes and sites (land, water bodies, subsoil, flora and fauna) of environmental, scientific, ecological educational value are completely withdrawn from economic use as specimens of the natural environment, typical or rare landscapes, places allocated for preservation of genetic pool of flora and fauna.

State nature reserves are conservational, scientific research and environmental education institutions that are established for the purpose of preserving and studying the unaffected course of natural processes and phenomena, the genetic pool of flora and fauna, particular species and communities of plants and animals, typical and unique ecological systems.

The status of state nature biosphere reserves is assigned to state nature reserves, which make part of the international system of biosphere reserves that are involved in global environmental monitoring.

Areas may be allocated within the state nature reserve sites, where any human intervention in natural processes is excluded. At the same time, there are specially designated areas of partial economic use beyond especially valuable ecological systems or objects, for the sake of which the nature reserve was created, where activities are allowed aimed at ensuring the functioning of the state nature reserve and the citizens living on its territory, provided these are exercised in accordance with the approved individual regulations on the state nature reserve in question.

National parks and natural parks

National parks are environmental, ecological education and research institutions, the territories (water areas) of which include natural complexes and sites of particular ecological, historical and aesthetic value, and which are intended for use in environmental, educational, scientific and cultural purposes and for regulated tourism.

National parks have differentiated special protection conditions established therein with consideration of their natural, historical, cultural and other specifics. It is based on these characteristics that different functional areas can be distinguished in national parks, including a preserved area, where any economic activity or recreational use of the territory are strictly prohibited; a specially protected area, where conditions are provided for conservation of natural complexes and sites, and that may be open for strictly controlled access; an educational tourism area intended for environmental education and familiarization with the main landmarks of the national park; a recreational area, including those intended for recreation, development of physical culture and sports; an area for protection of historical and cultural sites, within which conditions are provided for their preservation; an area of visitor services designed to accommodate overnight places, campgrounds and other facilities of tourist services, cultural, consumer and information services provided to visitors; an economic area, within which economic activities are exercised required for operation of the national park.

Natural parks are environmental recreational facilities under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation, the territories (water areas) of which include natural complexes and sites of significant ecological and aesthetic value, and which are intended for use in environmental, educational and recreational purposes. Natural parks are assigned with the following objectives: preservation of the natural environment, natural landscapes; establishing recreational facilities (including those for mass recreation) and preservation of recreational resources; development and implementation of effective methods of nature conservation and maintenance of ecological balance in conditions of recreational use of the territories of natural parks.

State wildlife sanctuaries

State wildlife sanctuaries are territories (water areas) of particular importance for preserving or restoring natural complexes or their components and maintaining the ecological balance.

State wildlife sanctuaries may be of different profiles and are accordingly classified into: complex (landscape) ones intended for conservation and restoration of natural complexes (landscapes); biological (botanical and zoological) ones designed for preservation and restoration of rare and endangered species of plants and animals (including species valuable in the economic, scientific and cultural respects); paleontological ones serving to save fossil sites; hydrological (swamp, lake, river, sea) ones intended for preservation and restoration of water bodies and ecological systems; geological ones intended for saving valuable objects and complexes of inorganic nature.

Particularly significant for the purposes of cultural tourism are complex wildlife sanctuaries, where tourists get familiarized with rare species.