Russian Federal SPNAs represent national natural property and heritage. They consist of:

• 100 state natural reserves,
• 35 national parks,
• 68 federal reservations.

Their total area amounts to about 3 per cent of the entire Russian territory.

In the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and other nations, well-known for their nature conservation activities, protected natural areas are in the competence of specialized public services (US Natural Parks Service, Canadian Natural Parks Service, South African Natural Parks Service, etc.) which are counterparts of modern federal agencies in Russia.

These services enjoy legal and administrative independence and have a sufficient number of employees. Their structures include specialized centers engaged in training activities for the personnel of parks and other reservations, methodological and other developments and all issues related to specially protected natural areas management. At the same time their functions do not overlap with functions of other state and local government authorities.

This practice is well-established throughout the world. Implementation of a successful management model tested in many foreign countries contributes to considerable improvement of efficiency of state management in the field of nature conservation.

Recently, the attempts aimed at illegal withdrawal of certain sites of natural reserves and national parks and their involvement in intensive economic activities have increased.

For example, the Government of Kabardino-Balkarskaya republic has come up with an initiative several times (the last of such moves was taken in summer of 2004) to modify the boundaries and to reduce the size of national park “Prielbrussie” from 100 thousand ha to 30 thousand ha in order to establish an alpine skiing complex on these lands. Recently, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has declared this decision null and void after considering a claim instituted by non-governmental organizations in respect of this national park’s lands withdrawal.

On September 7, 2004 the Government of Kalmykia republic issued resolution No. 267 which provided the following: “In order to bring the republican laws in conformity with the federal legislation the Government of Kalmykia republic has decided to revoke resolution No. 338 of the Council of Ministers of Kalmytskaya ASSR – Khalm-Tangch of December 9, 1992 on Delimitation of Boundaries of “Tchernye zemli” (Black Soils) Natural Reserve and the Regulation on the Protection Zone. It was attempted to devaluate the natural reserve’s protection zone regime, particularly by lifting the ban on hunting within its limits.

Furthermore, construction of Umaguzinskoe water storage pool has been practically completed within the territory of national park “Bashkiria”. In addition to damage to unique natural complexes caused by these construction activities there are already cases of water leaks from Umaguzinskoe water storage pool into the adjacent Nugushskoe water pool, which has led to deterioration of quality of drinking water in the local villages. For the second consecutive year the government of Bashkortostan republic has been urging federal authorities, including the President of the Russian Federation, insisting on withdrawal of some 20 thousand ha from Yuzhno-Uralsky (South Urals) natural reserve in the vicinity of Maly Yamantau mountain represented mainly by valuable blocks of forest. In this territory it plans to build yet another alpine skiing resort. Until now the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation has turned down all these requests as being in violation of the legislation in force. The government of Bashkortostan republic is also making attempts to withdraw a part of Bashkirsky state natural reserve’s territory for rare-earth metals mining.

Unfortunately, in recent years the Government of the Russian Federation has itself adopted several decisions on illegal withdrawal of natural reserves and national parks’ territories and their involvement in economic activities. For example, by its resolution No. 238-r of February 27, 2003 the Government of the Russian Federation identified land areas of Sochi national park, which can be leased for the construction of “Krasnaya poliana” (Red Glade) mountainous and climatic complex for tourist and sports-related activities.

However, the addendum to this resolution further specifies that these lands include sites of Caucasian state natural biosphere reserve, as well as a part of the protected zone of Sochi national park, where under the Federal Law on Specially Protected Natural Areas any kind of economic activity has been banned. Recently, following a claim instituted by non-governmental organizations the Prosecutor’s Office of Krasnodarsky krai has revoked this resolution as being in violation of the legislation in force.