«DECISION-MAKING ISSUES»

RUSSIAN NATIONAL PARKS MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

On April 27, 2002, the Russian National Parks Management Strategy was presented at the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). The document was developed by the Biodiversity Conservation Center together with the MNR and with the financial support of the UK Department for International Development.

The Strategy gives an account of the basic principles and mechanisms of the NP system, its goals and objectives, specific features of protecting and managing bio-resources and cultural heritage. The Strategy also considers ways of integrating parks into the regions’ social and economic infrastructure and provides recommendations as to how to involve local people in NP development and management.

The Strategy’s main aim is to improve the efficiency of NP management, to make sure that national park aims and objectives are uniformly understood.

The Strategy was tested in four model areas: Ugra and Smolenskoye Poozerye national parks, and Katunsky and Tsentralno-Lesnoy biosphere nature reserves. All comments and proposals made at regional meetings were considered in the Strategy document, and its final version received full support at final regional meetings with the participation of all national parks and representatives of local and municipal authorities.

Key ideas and principles of the Strategy will be developed in departmental normative and methodical documents. After receiving approval from the MNR, the Strategy will be the core of government policy in national parks management.

A. Grigorian,
Biodiversity Conservation Center

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