To V.V. Putin
President of the Russian Federation

On the improvement of state management
of the federal system of specially protected natural areas

Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich,

Leading public environmental organizations of Russia – World Wildlife Fund of Russia, Greenpeace of Russia, Social and Ecological Union International, All-Russian Society for Nature Protection, Russian Birds Protection Union, Biodiversity Conservation Center – in the course of the current administrative reform have voiced on several occasions their concern of the future of state natural reserves and national parks.

Currently, reorganization of management of 130 federal state institutions, which include more than 10 thousand employees and exercise control of federal lands with the total area of 34.2 ha, is carried out in blatant violation of Your Decrees which leads to a drastic reduction of the efficiency of this sector organization.

In accordance with Resolution No. 400 of the Russian Government of July 30, 2004, “pending the adoption of a relevant legal act by the Government of the Russian Federation state management in the field of organization and functioning of specially protected natural areas of federal significance shall be entrusted on a temporary basis to the Federal Service of Nature Use Oversight”. Meanwhile, under Your Decrees No. 314 of March 9, 2004 and No. 649 of May 20, 2004 federal oversight services are not entitled to exercise control of state property or to render paid services, which is an integral element of natural reserves and national parks’ functioning.

Due to this uncertainty (until now the drafting process of the legal act mentioned in the Resolution of the Government has not even started) this system and its property have been naturally lost sight of by the authorities of the Service. Today the future of this state property is addressed by a small division consisting of five staff-members (instead of a former independent department within the Ministry of Natural Resources), which is responsible for financial matters and protection, as well as scientific research and educational activities. This division is physically incapable of performing such tasks due to its low status and its small size.

According to leading domestic professionals and based on the world’s experience in national reserve systems’ management it would be practical to establish by Your Decree and under direct control of the Government of the Russian Federation a specialized Federal agency on specially protected natural areas authorized to ensure state management in this field.