When will the 100th anniversary of the reserve system be? Will status help?

Day of Nature Reserves and national parks 2017 is a special day, because this year we celebrate 100 years reserve system. In this regard, on this very day, the all-Russian action “Sacred Lesson” and a flash mob on social networks “Congratulate your protected island” will start.

January 11 - 100 years since the creation of the first reserve in Russia

100 years ago in 1917 on this day the first in the territory was created on Lake Baikal Russian Empire Barguzinsky Nature Reserve - to restore the sable population. From this day on, the entire history of the creation of reserves and national parks in Russia has been recorded.

Over the 100 years of existence of nature reserves and national parks in Russia, populations of endangered animal species such as bison, sables, and sea otters have been restored; implemented modern technologies, allowing to effectively study and protect nature without causing disturbance to the inhabitants of protected areas; unique ones are open geographical features, new species of animals and plants were identified.

Cupid will kick off the anniversary events. The Day of Nature Reserves and National Parks of Russia and the Year of Ecology declared by the President of the country will be opened by the exhibition of photographs “The Protected Necklace of the Amur”.

The exhibition covers five regions:

Amur Autonomous Region,
Jewish Autonomous Region,
Transbaikal region,
Khabarovsk region
Primorsky region.

The exhibition presents 92 photographs from 23 federal protected areas of the Amur basin, giving an idea of the animal and flora these protected areas.
An All-Russian flash mob “Congratulate your protected island on the 100th anniversary of the protected system” has been announced on social networks. The promotion will begin on January 11 and will last until the end of the year. On the website zapovednyyurok.rf, everyone can create a postcard with a congratulation addressed to any protected area.

Reserve lesson + flash mob

Since childhood, each of us remembers the famous words of the writer Mikhail Prishvin: “To protect nature means to protect the Motherland.” Russia is a country in which many “protected islands” exist and operate - nature reserves, national parks, natural reserves. How many protected areas are there in Russia? natural areas? Where did the unique system of preserving the network of reference natural objects begin? How was this system built and strengthened, what ups and downs did it experience, what scientific ideas underlay it? Where is the nearest protected area, what is its uniqueness, what objects of wildlife and cultural heritage what are on it? rare species animals and plants live on it, what is its history, what kind of people work on it, what do they study and what can they teach? What are biosphere reserves, what is their importance and special mission?

The answers to all these and many other questions will be learned in detail by participants in the unique action “All-Russian Reserve Lesson”, which starts January 11, 2017, on the date of the 100th anniversary of the Russian nature reserve system.

This project was developed by the Environmental Education Center "Reserves" within the framework of the Program of the Movement of Friends of Protected Islands with the support of the Committee public relations of the city of Moscow, State Budgetary Institution “Mospriroda”, ANO “Your Nature”, as well as with information support from the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia and the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. The idea of implementing the Reserve Lesson was also supported by the Russian Schoolchildren Movement, the Russian Geographical Society, the Green Movement of Russia “ECA”, the Ecosystem Association and the Researcher OOD.

“Reserve Lesson” is a school of environmental knowledge for schoolchildren different ages. The duration of one lesson is 45 minutes, it can be carried out as a separate independent lesson, or be included both in the number of subjects of the natural science cycle (biology, geography, the environment) and the humanities (history, social studies, literature). The universality of the program is that employees of protected areas, teachers, activists of the movement of Friends of Protected Islands (SAI), and volunteers can join the action and conduct classes.

In one lesson of 45 minutes, it is only possible to start a story about the Russian reserve system and the nearby “protected islands”, so the organizers of the event recommend conducting not one, but a whole series of classes and inspiring children to implement projects for the benefit of their protected area (perform research papers By current topics, organize environmental campaigns and educational events, volunteer work, etc.).

Flash mob “Congratulate your protected island on the 100th anniversary of the protected system”

Simultaneously with the “All-Russian Reserve Lesson” project, a flash mob action “Congratulate your protected island on the 100th anniversary of the reserve system” is starting.

Everyone is invited to make a postcard or a congratulatory photo, which are published on their pages on social networks (VK, Facebook, OK, Instagram, etc.) with the same hashtags:

#friends of the protected islands
#reserved lesson
#reserved Russia
#100 years of the conservation system
#(hashtag of your protected area)

The website zapovednyurok.rf has created the ability to generate such a postcard.

How to make a congratulation as part of a flash mob?

Anyone can congratulate several protected areas on their centenary, and, if desired, even all of them. The same creative task is given to all children participating in the All-Russian Reserve Lesson. The goal of the campaign is to collect as many congratulations as possible!

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2017 in Russia has been declared the year of PAs - Specially Protected Natural Areas. The Russian nature reserve system is celebrating its centenary.
The first reserve in Russia - Barguzinsky - was organized at the junction of 1916 and 1917. Unfortunately, I don’t have cards for the Barguzinsky Nature Reserve yet, but I do have the Transbaikalsky Nature Reserve National Park.

In 1913-1915, “sable” expeditions were organized to Siberia and Kamchatka to implement the “Project for Surveying the Sable Regions of Russia.” Their tasks included surveying sable habitat areas, searching for optimal locations for organizing reserves and creating their projects. Considering the exceptional value of the fur of the dark Barguzin sable, which lives on the western slopes of the Barguzinsky ridge, an expedition led by Georgy Georgievich Doppelmair was tasked with exploring this Podlemorsky territory (from the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula to Lake Frolikha). Almost two years in 1914-1916. In the most difficult conditions, scientists carried out serious research work - they studied the Barguzin sable, the state of the sable fishery, and surveyed the territory. Based on the materials of the expedition, on May 17, 1916, the Irkutsk Governor-General issued a decree on the organization of the Barguzin Sable Reserve, and on December 29, 1916, this document was approved by the Russian government.

Thus, the 100th anniversary of the creation of the first state nature reserve Russia - Barguzinsky we will celebrate on December 29, 2016 according to the old style, and according to modern calendar this date falls on January 11, 2017.

In Russia, the creation of nature reserves and national parks is traditional and effective form environmental activities. The ecological doctrine of Russia considers the creation and development of protected areas different levels and regime among the main directions public policy in the field of ecology.

Currently, the system of protected areas existing in Russia includes:

103 federal state natural reserve;

48 federal national parks;

64 state natural reserves of federal significance;

2261 state natural reserves of regional significance;

7745 natural monuments;

64 natural park regional significance.

In addition, more than 2300 Protected natural areas of other categories of regional and local (municipal) significance.

The total area of all the above protected areas is 206.7 million hectares(including land with inland waters - 195.5 million hectares) or 11,4% throughout the country).

And a video from the Barguzin task force!

And Google today congratulates on the main page https://g.co/doodle/d7gqy6

Happy holiday!

Good luck to you, reader!
Take care of yourself!

Do you have an interesting production, factory, farm or who travels to beautiful places? Take the cards with you, the material for me [email protected]
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In 2017, the Russian nature reserve system celebrates its centennial anniversary. In the history of our country’s conservation work, during this considerable period of time, various interesting and sometimes tragic periods have been noted.

For the first time, the most clearly and clearly formulated principles of the commandment were V.V. Dokuchaev is still in late XIX century: "... Only that which has a future is what is done in accordance with nature, without, if possible, violating its normal current life, and what, so to speak, follows from local zonal conditions and needs».

At the beginning of the 20th century, the development of nature reserves in Russia was stimulated, on the one hand, by the active movement of scientists - naturalists, among whom was the founder and first director of our Caucasian Nature Reserve - Kh.G. Shaposhnikov. And on the other hand, the existence of national parks in the United States, which were, as it were, a model for the Russian environmental community.

In March 1908, speaking at the Club public figures Petersburg, the famous biologist Andrei Petrovich Semenov-Tyan-Shansky expressed the idea of creating forest reserves: “ Significant virgin forest areas must be converted early, as has been done in many places North America, to protected areas, to national parks, in which the taiga in its inviolable form would be preserved forever».

In the same year, professor at Moscow University G.A. Kozhevnikov, in his report “On the need to establish protected areas for the protection of Russian nature,” proclaimed, in fact, a manifesto of the reserve system, in his report at a meeting of the All-Russian Acclimatization Congress in Moscow. " To be able to study nature, we must try to preserve it in its primitive integrity in the form of its most typical formations».

It is in the spirit of these ideas, with the filing of a petition by H.G. Shaposhnikov and with the direct support of members of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, prominent scientists N.V. Nasonov, A.A. Byalynitsky-Birulei, President of the Academy of Sciences, raised the issue of creating the Caucasian Nature Reserve. As a result, a petition was submitted to the highest name, and in 1909 Nicholas II approved the Interdepartmental Commission: “... to develop measures to protect the Caucasian bison" A regulation on the reserve was developed, and in fact this was the first experience in developing a regulation on a specific state reserve. However, as is known, the Caucasian Nature Reserve itself was established much later...

In December 1916, the Minister of Agriculture submitted a proposal to the Senate: “... on the establishment of the Barguzinsky hunting reserve in the Transbaikal region, Barguzinsky district..." Thus, the first reserve in Russia (for now a hunting reserve) was established by law. In the same year, the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve was established in the Primorsky Territory.

In 1920–1930, during the formation of the Soviet state, the basic ideas of nature conservation were formed. The first decrees of the Soviet state “On land” and “On the socialization of land” removed from the agenda the most difficult issue that had always stood in the way of creating nature reserves - the issue of property rights. This became the main legal basis for organizing the future nature reserve system of Russia.

The beginning was made by the establishment in 1919, in the delta of the Volga River, of the Astrakhan Nature Reserve. In 1920, the Ilmensky Nature Reserve was created, in 1923 the Crimean Nature Reserve defended its right to exist, and in 1924 the Caucasian Nature Reserve was officially established. By the way, the history of creation Crimean Nature Reserve, as well as the Caucasian one, has its roots in the late nineteenth century, since these reserves were created on the lands of former royal or princely hunting reserves.

In 1929, the First All-Russian Congress on Nature Conservation took place, at which a turn from nature conservation as such to nature management in the interests of socialist construction was proclaimed. On the one hand, this turned reserved science away from basic research to more applied areas. On the other hand, one way or another, it served as an incentive to create new reserves. Among others, in 1932 it was formed Altai Nature Reserve, in 1934 - Kronotsky, in 1936 - Teberdinsky Reserve. These reserves today are biosphere reserves, i.e. reference corners wildlife.

In the mid-1930s. In many reserves, truly scientific teams were formed, in which many bright researchers worked, who later became famous scientists. For example, in the Caucasus Nature Reserve at that time a whole galaxy of talented zoologists developed: A.A. Nasimovich, V.P. Teplov, I.V. Zharkov, S.S. Donaurov.

By the end of the 1930s, there were already 27 state reserves in the country, which conducted a total of about 200 scientific topics, subtopics or scientific activities. At the same time, there was a strictly established system for reviewing reports and manuscripts. Among the reviewers were not only staff members of the reserves, but also prominent scientists, including academicians. In general, we can already talk about the formed reserve system of this period as a certain scientific school that trained many specialists.

In 1939, a project was developed to expand the network of state reserves, which included more than 20 designed objects in various landscape zones. Special attention was given to the north of the European part of the country, Siberia and the Far East.

However, the Great One intervened in all these plans and affairs. Patriotic War. Many reserve workers - researchers, security guards - were mobilized to the front, most of whom did not return. Some reserves fell into the zone of hostilities and occupation. According to reports, in 1942-1943 alone, during the occupation, 1,726 deer, 2,050 roe deer, 47 aurochs, 323 chamois were killed in the Crimea and the Caucasus, and more than 100 buildings were destroyed. True, in fairness it must be said that the reserve’s employees also received permission to shoot animals. In particular, in the Caucasus Nature Reserve, in the report of L.I. Sosnina, mentions obtaining permission to shoot 820 ungulates for the needs of the Red Army.

But at the same time, throughout the entire period of occupation and fighting in the Caucasus, in the Caucasus Nature Reserve, a small group of remaining employees, among whom were women and children, selflessly guarded and protected a small herd of bison, which had just been brought to the reserve before the war, as part of an experiment on restoration of this unique look in the Caucasus.

In 1944, when the Wehrmacht military machine Soviet Army drove out of the country, in many reserves, despite the fact that they were not yet staffed staffing tables, and many employees did not return from the front, work began to restore the reserve regime and the destroyed economy. And the victorious year of 1945 was marked by the organization of two nature reserves - Moscow and Darwin. The Moscow Nature Reserve was planned even before the war, and the Darwin Nature Reserve came into operation even before the Rybinsk Reservoir was completely filled.

The total damage caused to the reserves by military actions was estimated at more than 30 million rubles.

However, the most tragic period for the reserves was the period from the late 1940s to the early 1950s.

In August 1948, the infamous session of the All-Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences took place, which was marked by the complete triumph of the “teachings” of Michurin-Lysenko. And at the beginning of 1950, A.V. was appointed to the post of head of the Main Directorate for Nature Reserves under the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR. Malinovsky. It was with the arrival of this man that the Russian conservation system suffered the most severe damage. In one of his first speeches A.V. Malinovsky said the following: “... The question is posed as follows: reconsider the number of reserves, their direction, their tasks, and maybe liquidate some of them..."(General meeting of the State University of Health, July 7, 1950). These and other speeches essentially declared the collapse of the country's conservation system. During 1951-1952. 22 reserves were liquidated, and those whose area exceeded 100 thousand hectares had their territory greatly reduced. For example, such reserves as Altai and Kronotsky were liquidated - today these are biosphere reserves included in the World Natural Heritage List!

The Caucasus Nature Reserve was “lucky” - it was not closed, but its area was halved. The unique mountain ranges of Dzitaku, Aishkha, Lagonaki and others were transferred to the economic zone - the former protected land was now managed by loggers, geologists and shepherds... Fortunately, this state of affairs did not last for a relatively long time, and already in 1955, 108 thousand were returned to the reserve. hectares, and by March 1959 the area of the reserve had already increased to 252 thousand hectares.

In 1958 – 1959 It was possible to restore a number of liquidated nature reserves, including Altai and Kronotsky.

In 1960–1970, the reserve system underwent a number of changes, but still there were more creative events. In 1962, a new “Regulation on State Nature Reserves” was adopted and approved by the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR, according to which nature reserves were defined as: “ areas of land and water that are of special scientific or cultural and educational significance..." And although some sections of this provision contained clauses that contradicted the principles of conservation, for example, it was allowed “ sanitary fellings, thinnings"etc. But in general, this Regulation, in fact, gave rise to the revival of the reserve system, which was violated in the middle of the 20th century. In total, during this period, about 20 new reserves were created, including such well-known today biosphere reserves as: Volzhko-Kama, Baikal, Far Eastern Sea, Taimyr.

In the 1980s - 1990s. Russia's conservation system developed further, and the beginning of this period can be considered the so-called “the period of the great leap”, since more than 30 new reserves were created in the eighties alone. Almost the same amount was created in the 1990s. During these years, such well-known biosphere reserves as the Central Siberian, Shulgan-Tash, Daursky, Komandorsky and a number of others were established.

By the beginning of the 2000s, there were more than 100 different nature reserves in Russia, which reflect the nature of various regions and regions, landscapes, flora and fauna. And today it's truly golden natural fund country, which allows you to track trends in natural changes with a high degree of probability and, accordingly, analyze and predict the human impact on Mother Nature, and not only our country!

Published based on materials from F.R. Shtilmarka

“History of conservation in Russia (1895 – 1995)

09:45 — REGNUM

In 1917, on this day, the first nature reserve in the Russian Empire, Barguzinsky, was created on Lake Baikal. — to restore the sable population. This date became the starting point of the protected history of Russia.

Today, specially protected natural areas (SPNA) cover 11.4% of the entire area of the country, there are more than 13,000 of them. Outstanding Russian natural scientists and environmental enthusiasts were at the origins of the formation of this nature protection system. They managed to develop effective methods and forms of environmental activities.

The fruits of this selfless work are obvious: over the 100 years of the existence of the Russian reserve system, populations of endangered animal species such as bison, sable, and sea otters have been restored; modern technologies have been introduced to effectively study and protect nature without disturbing the inhabitants of protected areas; Unique geographical objects were discovered, new species of animals and plants were identified.

"One of the most important conditions efficient work modern specially protected natural areas is that they are not separate “islands” of wildlife, but a single network connected by various ecological corridors - econet, — says the project coordinator for protected areas of the Amur branch of WWF Russia Anna Barma. In her opinion, this approach to planning a nature conservation system can significantly increase the efficiency of work to preserve biological diversity.

Impressive results have been achieved in the Amur ecoregion. There are 17 nature reserves, 7 national parks, 8 federal and 78 regional reserves, 6 natural parks, 6 ecological corridors, 2 wetlands. The Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve has UNESCO World Natural Heritage status. Five more reserves - Sokhondinsky, Far Eastern Sea, Daursky, Kedrovaya Pad and Khankaisky - are UNESCO biosphere reserves. Six territories are included in the list of wetlands of international importance: Lake Khanka, Torey Lakes, Khingan-Arkharinskaya Lowland, Zeya-Bureya Plain, Lake Bolon, Lake Udyl.

It is no coincidence that Amur will kick off the anniversary events. The Day of Nature Reserves and National Parks of Russia and the Year of Ecology declared by the President of the country will be opened by an exhibition of photographs "The Reserved Necklace of Amur" . The exhibition covers five regions: Amur, Jewish Autonomous Regions, Transbaikal, Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories. It presents 92 photographs from 23 federal protected areas in the Amur basin, giving an idea of the flora and fauna of these specially protected areas.

And the All-Russian flash mob “Congratulate your protected island on the 100th anniversary of the protected system” was announced on social networks. The promotion will begin on January 11 and will last until the end of the year. On the website reservedlesson.rf Anyone can create a postcard with congratulations addressed to any protected area.

13.01.2017

2017 has been declared the year of ecology and the year of specially protected natural areas. It was in 2017 that the reserve system Russian Federation celebrates its 100th anniversary. After all, the Russian nature reserve system is a unique system that has no equal in the world. It is in the reserves that the elite of wildlife is concentrated: untouched economic activity people of forests and steppes, rivers and mountains. More than 80% of the animal species listed in the Red Book of Russia live on the territory of the reserves. It is in the reserves that outstanding scientists, the flower of Russian biology, work. Finally, it is the reserves, occupying an essentially minuscule area (only 2.87% of the territory of our country!) that preserve 80% of the species wealth of the flora and fauna of Russia. We would like to introduce readers to some milestones in the history of Russian nature reserves in this issue.

Based on the traditional understanding of the term “reserved,” it can be noted that the origins of the reserve business in Russia go far into ancient times. Already at the earliest stages of their development, various tribes inhabiting the territory of our country paid attention to unusual manifestations of nature - water sources with especially pure or healing water, remarkable outlets rocks and minerals, woody patriarchs, places of concentration useful plants and animals. Understanding and knowing their meaning, they took them under protection, declaring them sacred.

These were the first steps to preserve flora and fauna. Later, in the 6th-7th centuries, another form of protection arose - a ban on the use of vegetation and hunting in the burial places of the ancestors of the Slavs - “zhalniki”. It was at this time that the term “reserve” became widespread in the lexicon, i.e. command. Prohibition, prohibited, protected. Hence such popular expressions as “extra commanded”, etc. Some peoples had small sacred groves near their villages, kept in perfect order. Not a single tree could be cut down in such a grove. These forms of conservation have survived to this day. So, for example, on the territory of Kenozersky national park In the south of the Arkhangelsk region, ancient sacred fir groves have been preserved.

The first written evidence of nature conservation is contained in the code of laws of Yaroslav the Wise “Russian Truth” (10th century), where there are sections and clauses on the protection of beavers and honey bees.

The Middle Ages gave rise to three new forms of protected areas. One of the forms of unique conservation protection is associated with the land holdings of monasteries. In many of them, visiting certain areas or collecting and extracting plants, hunting various animals was strictly regulated, and sometimes completely prohibited, which contributed to an increase in their numbers in the adjacent lands.

In Moscow Rus' XV-XV centuries. The reserve in the full sense of today's understanding of the term was the “cutting strips” - border forests that were strictly guarded for defensive purposes along the southern border of the state. A clear example serves as the former reserve Tula Zaseki.

And the third form of reserved territory in the Middle Ages was the organization of “reserved” feudal hunting grounds, closed to the common people. The world-famous Belovezhskaya Pushcha became a protected area eight centuries ago. A great lover of hunting, Prince Danila Galitsky (1220-1264) issued a decree according to which a “great reserve was created at the borders of the two” Belovezhskaya and Tsumanskaya Pushchas.

Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (1645-1676) issued about 70 decrees on the protection of hunting and fishing grounds, forests and hayfields. A restricted hunting zone was established around Moscow. Territories intended only for the highest hunting (sovereign loans, amusing meadows, amusing islands on which princes and kings “did fishing”) existed both around Kyiv and in the vicinity of St. Petersburg. The royal hunting grounds in the Crimea and the Caucasus were guarded by Cossack cavalry hundreds and experienced rangers.
In those same ancient times, real seasonal reserves arose, where hunting stopped completely in certain time. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich established the “sovereign commandment” on the Seven Islands off the Murmansk coast (now part of the Kandalaksha Nature Reserve), where gyrfalcons were caught for royal hunts. Birds were caught here only with special permits; the presence of outsiders, hunting and economic activities were prohibited or severely limited. But not only the mighty of the world These were the initiators of environmental measures. Hunters and fishermen were well aware that it was necessary to limit the production of game in order not to be left without a commercial object. The Chukchi established walrus reserves in the Arctic seas. Russian industrialists agreed not to kill the beast in certain taiga areas. Tuvans observed the ban on beaver hunting at the sources of the Yenisei. All these measures put into practice the same principle: to preserve valuable commercially species and their habitat.

Peter I made an exceptionally large contribution to the cause of nature conservation in Russia. It was during his reign that state environmental measures became targeted and systematic. Paying great attention construction of the fleet, Peter organized effective protection of ship groves, creating a control system and installing severe punishments for illegal logging. To keep the floatable rivers full-flowing, along them were installed water protection zones, where it was forbidden to clear the forest for arable land. The forests that belonged to the factories were divided into several dozen cutting areas, of which only one was allowed to be cut down, and in the future it could not be plowed up or built up.
Peter issued the first decrees aimed at ensuring the cleanliness of water bodies and at the preliminary examination of projects: garbage and ballast from ships were allowed to be dumped only in places indicated by the captain above the port; another decree ordered: “... make the projectors in good working order, so as to damage the fatherland don’t fix things and don’t waste the treasury in vain, and if anyone blurts out plans anyhow, he’ll be stripped of his rank and beaten mercilessly.” The decrees of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich on streamlining and limiting hunting were supported by additional measures, and the pearl mussel, which lives in the rivers of northern Russia, was taken under protection.
After the reign of Peter I, attention to nature conservation noticeably weakened. Most of the decrees of the second half of the 15th century. concerned the regulation of hunting and the protection of game animals. Under Catherine, as part of the expansion of the rights of the nobility, Peter's decrees on forest protection were gradually repealed. Attempts made under Paul to restore the forest protection system did not yield results. Shipbuilding and other industries ensured a constant demand for wood both in Russia and in Western Europe, and during the last decades of the 15th century, the entire 16th century. and the beginning of the 17th century. landowners solved their financial problems by selling forests for logging. During this period, in the populated areas of Russia, forests were destroyed on an area of 67 million hectares. The lands where forests were cleared were usually plowed. The area of arable land also increased due to slopes (especially in the post-reform period), which caused erosion, dust storms, shallowing of rivers.

***
In 1888, Russia adopted the Regulations on Forest Conservation, which prohibited clear-cutting and established categories of protective forests. However, the provision was applied formally and did not prevent selective logging throughout the entire area of forest dachas and subsequent agricultural development.
However, despite such deep historical roots, the first real nature reserves in Russia began to emerge only at the end of the 19th century. And this did not happen at the state level, but on the initiative of individual landowners. These reserves were already in many ways similar to the current ones: economic activity completely ceased on their territory, and sometimes even scientific research was carried out.

That's how it was in steppe reserve Chapli, now famous throughout the world, Askania-Nova, created in 1874 by F.E. Falz-Fein in the Kherson province. At the same time, Count Pototsky established a reserve on his estate Pilyavin in Volyn where bison, deer, beavers and other animals were protected. A strict conservation regime was observed in the forests along the Vorskla River, which belonged to Count Sheremetyev (now it is the Forest on Vorskla Nature Reserve). Entry there was allowed only with special tickets issued by the forest guards. Reserves existed on the Karamzin estate in the Saratov province, on the estate of Countess Panina in Valuysky district, near Voronezh.

The foundations of modern domestic conservation were laid at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. ideas of outstanding Russian natural scientists: V.V. Dokuchaeva, I.P. Borodina, G.F. Morozova, G.A. Kozhevnikova, V.P. Semenov-Tianshansky and others. Almost all prominent biologists of that time contributed to the creation of the concept of the Russian nature reserve system. Moreover, from the very beginning we were talking about a system, about a whole network of protected areas that would cover all natural communities typical and rare for our country.

Already in 1895 V.V. Dokuchaev put forward the idea of creating a network of virgin steppe reserves, under which he proposed to establish research stations for detailed observation of natural processes. It was intended to use such areas as natural standards and compare the development of soil-forming processes on them and on economically converted lands.

In 1908, at the Anniversary Acclimatization Congress, Professor G.A. Kozhevnikov made a report that became the “bible” of domestic nature reserves. All provisions of this report are valid to this day. “Sites intended to preserve examples of primeval nature should be quite large size so that the influence of the culture of neighboring areas does not affect them, at least in parts of them far from the edge. These areas must be protected areas in the strictest sense of the word. In relation to the fauna, all shooting and catching of any animals should be absolutely prohibited, except in cases where it is necessary for scientific research. Any measures that violate the natural conditions of the struggle for existence are unacceptable here... In relation to the flora, it is necessary to abolish cutting clearings, clearing forests, even haymaking and, of course, all sorts of sowing and planting. There is no need to eliminate anything, add anything, improve anything. We must leave nature to its own devices and observe the results. Reserved areas are of enormous importance, and therefore their establishment should first of all be a matter of state. Of course, this can be a matter of public and private initiative, but the state must lead the way here.”

In 1910, at the Congress of Russian Naturalists, Professor G.F. Morozov, one of the founders of Russian forestry, also put forward the idea of creating nature reserves. “The allocation of protected areas should occur as systematically as possible, based on the following botanical and geographical divisions: protected areas should be located in every botanical-geographical region, representing in their totality a number of the most characteristic and most scientifically valuable types of vegetation.”

Almost simultaneously with the concept of the reserve system, the question of public support for protected areas arose. In 1911, at the 12th All-Russian Congress of Naturalists and Doctors, in the report of the pioneer of nature conservation, Professor V.I. Taliev said: “We will not protect nature with nature reserves alone. We need the people to understand and realize why we are doing this. But he is still blind and deaf.”

Fortunately, not all the people turned out to be blind and deaf. And it was impossible not to notice what was happening around. At the beginning of the 20th century, due to a sharp reduction in the number of game animals, hunters and game managers sounded the alarm. There were considerable reasons for alarm. By this time, river beavers, saigas, and bison were almost completely exterminated. Tarpans and aurochs were completely destroyed. The population of sable, elk, and deer has been sharply reduced. Particular concern was caused by the fate of the sable, which disappeared from a significant part of its range or remained isolated in the most inaccessible areas. Therefore, in 1912, a law was passed banning the fishing of this animal for three years and a resolution of the Council of Ministers: “to recognize, for the conservation of sable, the urgency of allocating protected areas, so-called reserves, which would serve as a place for the quiet existence and reproduction of sables and as a center for their settlement in surrounding hunting areas." The Fisheries and Hunting Department of the Agriculture Department has begun work on organizing sable reserves. The result of these works was the organization in 1916 (1917 - according to the new style) of the first domestic reserve - Barguzinsky. He saved the taiga of the Eastern Baikal region and the pearl of this taiga - the Barguzin sable. At the same time, at the beginning of the century, the scientific community showed great concern due to the sharp decline in the number of birds, associated, in particular, with the fashion for bird feathers. “Thanks to” this fashion, herons, pelicans, pheasants, rollers, bee-eaters, and woodpeckers were destroyed. One can imagine the scale of destruction if, for example, in 1892, the owner of one Moscow factory for the production of ladies' hats sent abroad 30 thousand sparrow skins, 1 thousand woodpeckers, 30 thousand white partridges, 3800 herons and 1200 seagulls. Information has also been preserved that in 1911, 150 thousand jackdaws, 20 thousand loons, and 3.5 thousand swans were stocked on the Caspian coast.

In connection with what was happening in 1912, the Department of Agriculture and Imperial Society acclimatization of animals and plants, professors from Moscow University B.M. are sent to the Volga delta. Zhitkov and assistant S.I. Ognev to develop measures to save the local fauna. In 1914, based on the materials of the business trip, Zhitkov’s article “On the fishing and protection of birds in the Volga delta” was published, which showed a picture of the barbaric extermination of birds and outlined a plan for creating a reserve. This reserve - Astrakhan, was created a little later, already under Soviet power in 1919.

In 1912 in St. Petersburg under the Russian geographical society A special environmental commission was created, which aimed to promote the organization of nature reserves. Almost all Russian pioneers of nature conservation were involved in the work of the commission: G. Kozhevnikov, N. Kuznetsov, A. and V. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, V. Sukachev, G. Vysotsky, G. Morozov, F. Falz-Fein, V. .Taliev, L.Berg, P.Kozlov. The commission organizes expeditions, prints brochures, prepares draft environmental laws and organizes the country's first census of sites in need of conservation.

After the revolution of 1917, many scientists who stood at the origins of nature conservation in tsarist times remained faithful to the cause, regardless of the political situation in the country. We owe it to these people that the system of Russian nature reserves continued to expand, and those that already existed were preserved.

In 1917, the Moscow Society for Nature Conservation was organized, six reserves were created: Astrakhan, Ilmen, “Stolby”, “Forest on Vorskla”, Crimean and Caucasian, although in fairness it should be said that almost all of these reserves existed by 1917, only the their status. Becoming Soviet system nature conservation and conservation is associated with the vigorous activity of the People's Commissariat for Education, headed by Lunacharsky A.V. It was by his order that the initiative and management of work in the field of state conservation of natural monuments was concentrated in the scientific department of the People's Commissariat for Education. Which turned out to be very significant for the reserves, because the People's Commissariat for Education was a structure not related to economic activities, and did not try to use the reserves as hunting or agricultural lands. The period of subordination to the People's Commissariat for Education turned out to be relatively calm and even prosperous for the reserves. 63 standard nature reserves and 100 art parks have been identified throughout the USSR. The first “Model Regulation” on nature reserves was adopted, according to which nature reserves are recognized as areas of land or water, “which must forever be left inviolable.” The People's Commissariat for Education granted nature reserves the rights of scientific research institutions; they could create scientific stations, museum, libraries, laboratories, observatories and other auxiliary units. Nature reserves were granted the rights of legal entities with all the ensuing powers, and funding from the state budget was provided for them. That is, basically the provision provided for the procedure that is in force to the present day.

But by the end of the twenties, the situation of the reserves began to change sharply for the worse. The principle of complete inviolability of nature reserves was practically rejected. There has been a decisive turn from nature conservation as such to nature management in the interests of socialist construction. In the resolution of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR “On the protection and development natural resources in the RSFSR" dated June 20, 1930. it was said that the goals of the reserves are not only to preserve characteristic features "original natural conditions until they are changed by human activity", but also the introduction of natural objects "into economic circulation".

The reserve business now had to be subordinated to the interests of forestry, agriculture and hunting. The reserves were forced to justify their existence in the eyes of the authorities. This was done in a variety of ways: by hanging birdhouses and houses that attracted birds to combat agricultural pests, testing herbicides in protected meadows, creating souvenir workshops and subsidiary farms, releasing and transporting animals, acclimatizing alien species, and even crossing domestic animals with wild ones. Hybridization of domestic goats with aurochs was carried out just at that time in the Teberda Nature Reserve. The principle of complete inviolability of nature reserves was practically rejected.

But, despite all the crazyness of what was happening, the reserves existed and worked to the best of their ability in the field of protection and study of wildlife. Their number continues to grow: from 1930 to 1940. 42 new reserves were established. And even during the war, not a single reserve was closed! Moreover, new ones are being created. In 1943, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR A.N. Kosygin signs a decree on the creation of the Pre-Urals and Kungur Ice Cave nature reserves (Perm region). In 1945, the Darwin and Moscow nature reserves were organized.

Post-war times turned out to be much more difficult. Most officials of that time believed that the reserves allocated were “wasted” and did not produce any visible harvest. In 1949, in the final report of the State Control of the USSR, reserves were presented as institutions completely useless for the national economy.

On August 29, 1951, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR I.V. Stalin signed Decree No. 3192 “On Nature Reserves” with an order to close 88 and reduce 20 nature reserves. At the same time, the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation was closed.

Of the 130 reserves, 40 were left, and the remaining ones were ordered to place the main emphasis not on science and wildlife conservation, but on a practical contribution to the development of the national economic complex.

After the death of Stalin, the Commission for Nature Conservation under the USSR Academy of Sciences, created in 1955, launched active efforts to restore unjustifiably liquidated nature reserves. By 1960, the number of reserves again reached 85. In the same year, a new “Law on the Protection of Nature of the RSFSR” was adopted, which defined reserves as territories forever withdrawn from economic use for research, cultural and educational purposes. The word “forever” seemed to exclude further troubles.

But, in 1961, the idea of using reserves for economic needs surfaced again. And again the reserves are closed. This time - sixteen, mainly forest ones, on the territory of which active logging immediately begins. Fortunately, this crisis did not last long. Already in 1962, a new “Regulation on State Nature Reserves of the RSFSR” was adopted, which returned them the status of scientific research institutions. But it cannot be said that since then the reserves have lived comfortably. On May 17, 2000, Decree No. 867 “On the structure of federal authorities” was issued. In accordance with this decree, virtually the only federal agency involved in the protection of environment and control over compliance with environmental legislation, to which the reserves were directly subordinate, - State Committee for Environmental Protection (State Committee for Ecology). At the same time it was abolished Federal service forestry, responsible for the protection Russian forests. This decree alarmed the entire Russian and global environmental community. The country's environmental control system, which took decades to form, was destroyed. The powers of the liquidated committees were transferred to the Ministry of Natural Resources - that is, the structure main goal which is the exploitation of natural resources. “The economic entity and controller turned out to be one legal entity. This is a violation of the first principle of environmental protection!” - said the Chairman of the State Committee for Ecology of the Russian Federation V. Danilov-Danilyan.

Nevertheless, the reserves live on. Their network is steadily expanding - today there are 103 nature reserves and 48 national parks in the Russian Federation. To the international network biosphere reserves UNESCO included 35 nature reserves and 7 national parks. Looking back at the centuries-old path of Russian nature reserves, we can say that only thanks to them, sable, bison, tiger and many other species of animals and plants, the last islands of virgin steppe, unique forest and wetland biogeocenoses were preserved in Russia.

The article used:

fragments of publication

"History of Russian nature reserves"

materials from the book by F.R. Shtilmark

“Reserve business of Russia: theory, practice, history”,

Materials from free sources.