Russian Federation GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project: Outcomes and Prospects

Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation FCGS Ekologiya GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project

Russian Federation GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project: Outcomes and Prospects

Brief Report on Project Outcomes: 1997-2003

Moscow-2003

Russian Federation GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project: Outcomes and Prospects Moscow, Publishing House of the Scientific and Training/Methodological Center, 2003, 48 pp.

The booklet covers the outcomes of the GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project in Russia a major programme to conserve the wildlife and plant world implemented in the period from 1997 to 2003 in the framework of our country's efforts to meet its commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The publication is intended for those involved in public administration in the area of environmental protection.

© GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project © FCGS Ekologiya © RF Ministry of Natural Resources © STMC

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Implementation of the largest investment project of the Global Environmental Facility the Biodiversity Conservation Project - is coming to an end in the Russian Federation. In 1997-2003, under the direct coordination and supervision of the MNR, about 750 wildlife protection projects were financed; financial support provided to 82 zapovedniks and 19 national parks; the National and Regional Strategies, and National Action Plan on Biodiversity Conservation were prepared and initiated; and institutional framework established to improve the protection of the Baikal Region ecosystem. The mere perception of biodiversity conservation has fundamentally changed during the above period. Deputies and CEO of various levels incorporate wildlife protection issues in environmental policy documents, including the Environmental Doctrine of the Russian Federation (2002), and Federal Targeted Program on Ecology and Natural Resources (2002-2010). Project outcomes were presented at the World Summit in Johannesburg (2002), Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Biological Diversity in Bratislava (1998), Hague (2002).

Activities under the GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project were approved at the session of the Global Environmental Forum for

East European countries (Kishinev, 2003).

Project materials and findings will be of interest to the participants of the World Park Congress in Durban (September, 2003). Russia is now viewed in the world as a major "environmental donor". Project specialists and experts initiated new financial and economic mechanisms of nature protection; training aids and popular materials on various wildlife protection aspects were published; the largest in Russia web-site on biodiversity issues was established www.biodat.ru. Throughout the whole implementation period, the GEF Project has been providing information support of federal environmental management authorities.

Successful Project implementation is the merit of many people, above all, Project managers, consultants, specialists and experts, heads of several divisions and specialists of the MNR, regional Administrations and legislative authorities of the Irkutsk, Chita, Nizhny Novgorod and Volgograd Oblasts, Republic of Buryatia and other regions. I extend my sincere gratitude to all of them. I hope that the completion of the first decade of GEF activities in Russia will become the onset of a new, more productive stage of its involvement in biodiversity conservation in this country, and, therefore, the whole planet.

A.M. Amirkhanov, Project Director, GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project Director, Department of Specially Protected Natural Areas and Sites and Biodiversity Conservation, Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation

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Contents

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Introduction

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1. Peculiarities of Nature Protection in Russia in the First Half of 1990-s 1.1 The State of Nature Protection System, Transition Challenges, the Need for New Environmental Policy 1.2. GEF Project Objectives and Implementation Arrangements

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2. Maintenance, Strengthening and Development of the Unique Russian SPNA Network 2.1. Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of SPNA Network Management in Russia 2.2. Strengthening the Administrative, Scientific and Methodological, Material and Technical Capacity of Zapovedniks and National Parks 2.3. Development of Environmental Education Programs Aimed at Biodiversity Conservation and Maintenance of Protected Areas in Russia 2.4. Support of Model Activities on the Conservation of Rare Species and Unique Ecosystems

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3. Integration of Biodiversity Conservation Requirements in Social Development Priorities 3.1. National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 3.2. Developing the Principles of Partnership between the State, Business and Public Community: Public Agreement 3.3. Development and Implementation of Regional Strategies and Action Plans 3.4. Development of the Strategy and Action Plan on Lake Baikal Biodiversity Conservation 3.5. Local Initiative Program in the Baikal Region

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4. Expanding the Socioeconomic Framework of Wildlife Protection 4.1. Strengthening and Using the Civil Society Potential for Biodiversity Conservation 4.2. Education Greening, Increasing Public Awareness of Biodiversity Conservation 4.3. Mechanisms and Institutes Facilitating Sustainability of Biodiversity Conservation Results

25 25

5. Information Support of Biodiversity Conservation

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6. Significance and Role of the GEF Project in Russia's Environmental Policy: Achievements and Innovations

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7. Biodiversity Conservation Priorities in Russia: an Outlook for Future

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Annex 1. Priority Activities Annex 2. Key Project Documents and Materials Annex 3. Structure of Russian Counterpart Funding under the Project in 1997-2003

40 46 48

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11 12 14 16

18 20 20 21 23

26 28

Biodiversity Conservation Project, prepared and implemented in 1992-2003 by the Russian Federation with the assistance of GEF (through the World Bank) and Swiss Government (through the Russian WWF representative mission), is among the largest and most successful nature conservation projects in Europe.

The Project was implemented in the period of fundamental political and socioeconomic reforms in Russia when the environmental management system underwent several stages of restructuring.

Nevertheless, the Project achieved all major objectives in the preservation and strengthening of basic nature protection elements, development of modern biodiversity conservation mechanisms in the 1/8-th part of the Earth land territory.

The Project has no analogs in the scale of public participation (over 110 thousand people) in practical activities on biodiversity conservation and restoration, as well as cooperation among major segments of the society.

The Project has no precedents in terms of the use, strengthening and development of the available national scientific and technical capacity.

An extensive data set on the state of biodiversity in Russia was for the first time collected, processed and accumulated as part of Project activities. The data was made available to all specialists and general public, and a mechanism

of participatory data replenishment and updating - BioDat portal - was launched.

The Project has no precedents in the use of modern public information instruments to encourage the greening of public consciousness, and promote environmental activities among various population groups, especially the youth.

Innovative approaches, instruments and mechanisms of biodiversity conservation were developed, tested and recommended for dissemination.

The aim of the present paper is to open the most important Project outcomes to the wide range of specialists and general public. The main emphasis in the report is made on the description of globally relevant new approaches and practical results of biodiversity conservation in Russia. This brief report was prepared "hot on the track" of the Project, and has no pretensions to provide a complete and comprehensive review of Project results, especially in terms of its impact on institutional changes in the environmental management system that took place in 2000-2003. Such a review would be more appropriate at a later stage, when the outline of the ongoing administrative reform in Russia will become more explicit, and the system of public environmental management will stabilize.

Investments in US $ 200 100 50

Investment targets Development of management plans Capacity building of protection services Establishment of the information network Tender to award grants for research Model school projects The March of Parks Protection of rare species Support for post-graduate students and applicants

Areas with regional strategies developed for them

GEF Project Investment in Specially Protected Natural Areas in Russia

1.1 The State of Nature Protection System, Transition Challenges, the Need for New Environmental Policy The system of nature and biological resource protection in the former USSR was adapted to the centralized management and strict hierarchical structure of power. Despite its obvious technocratic orientation and weak public control, it had a number of positive qualities, ensuring financing for biodiversity conservation in protected natural areas, maintenance of the Red Book, regular inventory of commercial fauna, forest and water biological resources, conservation of selection achievements in agriculture, support of scientific research, etc.

At the same time, the environmental policy mostly relied on extensive approaches and methods:

- extension of the specially protected natural area (SPNA) network (even with the lack of proper financial support); - monitoring and maintenance of the Red Book (with no serious attempts to eliminate the factors of negative impact on disappearing flora and fauna species).

Changes in the political and economic structure of the country in early 1990-s, growing sovereignty of the subjects of the Russian Federation, decentralization of power have seriously disturbed control and management of biodiversity conservation.

The Russian network of specially protected natural areas was facing especially difficult problems during this period.

With the economic crisis and dramatic aggravation of the criminal situation, the anthropogenic pressure on zapovedniks and

The Development of State Nature Reserves Network during the period from 1917 to 2003 Number of nature reserves (zapovedniks)

Area of zapovedniks, '000 ha

national parks has increased and become more tangible, which drastically enhanced the ever high professional risk and physical hardships occurring in the struggle with poaching and other environmental law infringements.

Highly insufficient and irregular financing of the Russian network of zapovedniks and national parks in 1990s did not allow equipping the Guard Service, even to the minimum, with modern vehicles and communication means, observation devices, high-quality field and special outfit, uniforms, and establish a permanently operating common federal system of guard upgrading.

Scientific units in all zapovedniks and national parks (especially the latter given their short period of existence) suffered from severe shortage of modern technical devices, scientific equipment, computers, and even sufficient funds for special literature and scientific trips, which dramatically undermined the efficiency and effectiveness of scientific activities. The lack of funds almost suspended implementation of international obligations on integrated background monitoring in biosphere zapovedniks included in the UNESCO international biosphere reserve network; zapovedniks and national parks failed to use their capacity to develop a Unified Public Environmental Monitoring System.

With rare exceptions, zapovedniks and national parks failed to use their special capacities enabling to establish a unique educational environment for the work with general public, based on both the natural, historical and cultural potential of these areas, and the available staff of qualified professionals.

Transfer to the social and economic diversity required new approaches to nature protection. The society has come to realize the need for a new environmental policy, adequate legislative framework, new forms of government and public support of environmental activities, including substantial institutional and organizational changes.

In 1995-1996, the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation not

only ratified the Conservation of Biological Diversity but also adopted some fundamental Laws: "On Specially Protected Natural Areas", "On Fauna", "On the Environmental Expert Review", "On Continental Offshore Areas of the Russian Federation".

In 1992-1996, the Government of the Russian Federation made decisions on the establishment of 23 new state zapovedniks with the total area of 71 000 sq. km, 16 national parks with the total area of 31 000 sq. km, 4 new federal nature zakazniks with the total area of 51 000 sq. km. The territory of other 12 zapovedniks were expanded by 25 000 sq. km.

In 1995, the Federal Targeted Program on the State Support of Zapovedniks and National Parks for the period up to 2000 was approved by the Presidential Decree.

The Integrated Federal Program on the Protection of Lake Baikal, and Federal Program on the Protection of Amur Tiger were also approved.

1.2. GEF Project Objectives and Implementation Arrangements In 1992-1994, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, together with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the Bank), developed the Framework Environmental Program of the Russian Federation. The main idea of the Framework Program was the use of globally accumulated environmental policy experience, and coordinated attraction of funds from international organizations and foreign governments to finance priority environmental projects.

At the Donor Conference held in the USA (Washington) in April 1994, representatives of international institutions and foreign states (IBRD, Global Environmental Facility, European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, USA, Finland, Switzerland) declared their commitment to provide the Russian Federation with loan and grant funds for the total amount of about $300 million.

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A key element of the Framework Program was the Biodiversity Conservation Project to be financed by the GEF ($20.1 million), Swiss Government ($1.1 million for he development of environmental education and awareness programs), as well as by the Russian side (at least $4.8 million) through the financing of targeted biodiversity conservation programs from the federal budget, and federal, regional and local environmental funds, as well as compensation of mandatory taxes and charges.

The Bank, as the GEF Implementing Agency, provided the appraisal of the proposed project, signing of the relevant Grant Agreement with the Russian Federation, and routine project implementation supervision. In compliance with the procedural requirements under the GEF "pilot stage", the Grant was legally associated with the Bank Loan to the Russian Federation for the implementation of the Environmental Management Project (EMP), and included in the EMP as a separate component.

The major objective of the Project was to assist the Russian Federation in maintaining the adequate level of biodiversity based on sustainable development principles while ensuring enhanced biodiversity protection both within and outside the protected areas in compliance with Government obligations under the Convention on the Biological Diversity.

The Project included four components: А. Strategic Overview (13% of the total amount) intended to provide a basis for the strategic planning of biodiversity conservation activities, and establish economic, financial, regulatory, and information mechanisms.

B. Protected Natural Areas (53% of the total amount), intended to provide support of the Government Federal Program of SPNA development and strengthening, as well as the restructuring of institutions and mechanisms of nature complex protection. С. Baikal Regional Component (25% of the

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total amount) was to demonstrate at the regional level the levers of interagency and administrative coordination required to integrate biodiversity conservation in the sustainable socioeconomic development policy.

D. Project Management and Coordination (9% of the total amount).

The Grant Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Bank was signed on September 29, 1996, and became effective on November 27, 1996.

By Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No.1130, dated September 23, 1996, control of the targeted use of the Grant funds was vested on the State Committee of the Russian Federation on Environmental Protection (hereinafter "the SCEP").

Current Project administration was vested on the Independent Non-Commercial Agency "Center for International Technical Assistance Project Preparation and Implementation" (hereinafter "the CPPI"), where a project subdivision - Biodiversity Conservation Unit headed by the Project Manager - was established.

The Supervisory Committee was established to provide overall Project supervision, which included the heads of Departments corresponding to respective Project components from the SCEP, Federal Forestry Service of the Russian Federation (FFS), representatives of RF Academy of Sciences, and nongovernmental organizations.

A similar Baikal Supervisory Committee (BSC) was created to provide the Baikal Component management. Both Committees were established during the startup period, and consisted, on a parity basis, of representatives of the government authorities, scientific community, and nongovernmental organizations.

Officials of the Buryat Republic Government, Irkutsk and Chita Oblast Administrations, and respective SCEP (later the MNR) regional authorities were included in the BSC ex officio.

Scientific communities and NGOs from each subject of the Federation were represented in the

BSC on a rotational basis. Administration of the BSC was entrusted to the SCEP, and later to its legal successor - the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). Figure 1 presents the overall Project management diagram.

A.M. Amirkhanov, Deputy Chairman of the SCEP, was appointed the Project Director by the SCEP decision (later a similar decision was made by the MNR). Heads of specialized environmental agency departments, Messrs. V.Yu. Ilyashenko, V.B. Stepanitsky and V.D.

Brovchak, ex officio were appointed the Directors of the three Project Components. In the Baikal Region, in addition to the Component Director who represented the federal-level interests, Project implementation was monitored by three Regional Component Directors: V.E. Gulgonov in Buryatia, A.V. Vasyanovich and later M.V. Kadnikov in the Irkutsk Oblast, and V.F. Senotrusov and later K.I. Karasev in the Chita Oblast.

Project Management Diagram

Science

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As of the time of Project development, Russia had about 15 thousand Specially Protected Natural Areas (SPNA) of various status and rank with the total area exceeding 130 million ha (about 8% of the Russian territory). State nature zapovedniks and national parks represent the core of the federal SPNA network, and it is these areas that were to be maintained and developed under Component B - the largest Project component in terms of financing (over one half of the Project cost).

Despite the complex structure of the Component, its activities fitted into two major areas: - Support the SPNA network, and enhance its significance in the civil society; - Support and develop major areas of SPNA activities: protection of natural complexes and objects, scientific research, environmental education and awareness through the implementation of model projects

The validity of prioritization is confirmed by the fact that during the life of the Project the SPNA network not only did not reduce but considerably increased in number and territory, despite the economic difficulties the country was facing. In early 1996, there were 93 zapovedniks with the total area of 30.1 million ha while as of January 1, 2002 their number grew up to 100, and the area - to 33.712 million ha, including the inland territory with internal water bodies equal to 27.211 million ha, which makes up almost 1.6% of the total territory of the Russian Federation.

The hundredth zapovednik (Erzi) was established in 2000 in the Republic of Ingushetiya. In 1996, there were 30 national parks in the Russian Federation with the total area of 6.6 million ha while at present their number amounted to 35 with the total area of about 7 million ha, which makes up 0.4% of the Russian territory.

Structure of the PAs system in Russia Regional special-purpose reserves (zakazniks)

Other federal PAs Regional parks Federal monuments of nature Regional monuments of nature Federal zakazniks Zapovedniks (terrestrial) National parks

Local PAs Zapovedniks (marine)

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Other regional PAs

2.1. Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of SPNA Network Management in Russia GEF Project activities on the institutional support of public authorities facilitated the establishment of a qualitatively new regulatory and legal framework of the SPNA system functioning, which allowed to: - establish strict administrative responsibility for any violations of the protection regime; - provide zapovednik guard services with considerable authority to implement control and inspection functions; - enable zapovedniks to independently dispose of penalties and claim amounts recovered by violators; - reorganize the Zapovednik Guard Service, which earlier had the status of the agency-based Forest Guard, into the Specialized State Inspection.

Holding of annual meetings of federal SPNA managers was one of the most important and successful forms of public governance support.

For the first time in the history of nature protection in Russia all participants were able to feel as members of a single system, since before such meetings were introduced many SPNA managers had not even known each other. The meetings encouraged dissemination of experience and techniques in all aspects of zapovednik activities, they annually discussed the findings and results of various model projects. One of the meetings, held in November 2002 in Krasnaya Polyana, discussed and adopted Major Areas of Development and Organization of State Natural Zapovednik Activities in the Russian Federation for the Period up to 2010.

The Project supported implementation of regular comprehensive inspections in zapovedniks and national parks. Leading specialists from the SCEP Department of Zapovedniks, and invited experts (RASD scientists, NGO representatives) performed 84 inspection trips to 38 zapovedniks and 10 national parks.

The assignment on the support of regional and horizontal relationships between SPNA of various levels also provided substantive results.

8 new Associations of Zapovedniks and National Parks were established, which organized 34 regional workshops on coordination of scientific research, improvements of environmental education, and strengthening of guard services; the workshops were attended by over 1000 people.

Increasing number of regional PA associations

Establishment of the Oryol-Bryansk-Kaluga Regional SPNA Directorate at the Oblast level, and Taldom SPNA Directorate at the district level are the examples of innovative decisions demonstrating a strong potential for improving the SPNA efficiency through joined efforts and resource saving. Establishment of regional directorates can play a catalytic role to encourage greater involvement of local governments in the SPNA network functioning and development. For example, an active coordinating role of the Regional Directorate facilitated the signing of the Agreement on Interregional Cooperation to develop specially protected natural areas in the three Oblasts; decisions of the Bryansk, Oryol and Kaluga Oblast Administrations were prepared on the establishment and expansion of protected zones for the Bryansky Les and Kaluzhskiye Zaseki zapovedniks, Urga and Orlovskoye Polesye national parks, which has led to the formation of a single natural complex.

The project on Establishing the Local SPNA Administration in the Northern Part of the Moscow Oblast was supported as another

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option to improve SPNA management at the regional and local levels, and dissemination of lessons learned. In 1999 the Moscow Oblast Environmental Committee established the Taldom SPNA Administration in the northern part of the Moscow Oblast to ensure protection of the Zhuravlinaya Rodina natural complex where over 11 SPNA were established (zakazniks, monuments of nature, forest sections).

Results of these administrative experiments demonstrated the importance of continuing to seek new approaches to coordinated management of SPNA of different levels, and development of ecological networks.

2.2. Strengthening the Administrative, Scientific and Methodological, Material and Technical Capacity of Zapovedniks and National Parks 39 model projects on strengthening SPNA guard services were implemented under the Project for the amount of $40 to $100 thousand in 35 state natural zapovedniks and 3 national parks. Project participants included: 7 SPNA - objects of World Natural Heritage; 10 SPNA - international biosphere reserves; 7 SPNA referred to wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention; 2 SPNA included in the list of international transboundary SPNA. The territory protected by inspection services of zapovedniks and national parks (including the SPNAs, their protected zones and natural zakazniks and monuments of nature assigned to SPNA) that participated in these projects makes up about 14 million ha, which enables to judge on the scope of the activity.

Major resources under Component B (over 88%) were used to procure goods required to support and directly implement the protection of natural complexes. As a result, zapovedniks and national parks were able to replace the fleet of motor and water transport vehicles, procure

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fuel and spare parts for machinery, uniforms, special clothing and field equipment required for inspection services to perform their protection functions. The Grant funds were also used to procure communication means, computers, and office equipment.

New possibilities offered to inspection services quickly manifested themselves in their performance. Some zapovedniks and national parks increased the number of revealed violations of the established protection regime.

Procurement of new machinery enabled to extend the period of staying in the field, and increase protection coverage. The use of video and photo devices allowed to increase the percentage of detected violations, and reduce the level of fraud when drawing up protocols.

Five-year management plans were established in two zapovedniks and 5 national parks based on a fundamentally new approach to work planning. The plans were developed by zapovedniks (national parks), their administration and staff actively participating in the process and involving a wide range of experts and consultants from among the professionals and specialists from other SPNA. As a result, the responsibility for the final outcome in the form of the prepared management plan, and, most importantly, its implementation was vested on the zapovednik (park) actively assisted by the respective regional executive authority.

A key issue for the organization of protection activities is the regional planning that should provide for the optimization of the SPNA area and boundaries, schemes of functional zoning, boundaries and peculiarities of the protection regime and the use of individual functional zones and their sections, as well as the establishment of protected zones.

For example, the management plan of the Caucasus State Biosphere Zapovednik envisaged expansion of the territory through adding new sections in two ways. First, by adding new sections with the subsequent extension of the strict protection regime to their territory (protection core). Second, by adding new sections with the established biosphere test-site regime meaning the possibility to implement limited

economic activities with a view to test and introduce methods of sustainable nature use imposing no destructive environmental impact.

In the course of developing the management plan of the Kerzhensky State Nature Zapovednik, the Environmental Security Council of the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast Administration prepared and approved the decision to reorganize the Kerzhensky zapovednik into a biosphere one, and establish the Nizhny Novgorod Zavolzhsky Biosphere Complex on its basis.

The management plan of the Kenozersky National Park provided for the establishment of zakazniks along the Park boundaries in the Plesetsky and Kargopolsy Districts following the recommendations of the Karelia Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Implementation of the program is the first step to expand the Park territory up to 250 thousand ha.

The Project provided substantial support of scientific research in zapovedniks and national parks. 62 projects were aimed at supporting scientific research in 41 zapovedniks and 9 national parks.

A major outcome of the activity is that the Project managed to support the efforts and initiatives of zapovednik teams in generalizing and analyzing scientific materials accumulated dur-

ing the decades of SPNA network existence.

Scientific grants enabled to improve the material and technical base of SPNA scientific units, procure office and scientific equipment, publish over 30 scientific monographs, and prepare over 500 publications in regional, national and foreign periodical editions.

Scientific grants have become a sustainable source of zapovedniks' own resources; budget financing of scientific research was increased.

For the first time in the history of zapovedniks in Russia, targeted funds for scientific research were allocated on a competitive basis.

Thanks to the Project, the majority of scientific teams got access to computer facilities, which are an indispensable part of zapovednik performance today. This increased the competitiveness of SPNA scientific teams, and facilitated their adaptation to the requirements of modern scientific community.

The Project made an important contribution to the zapovednik science through opening a possibility to attract high class specialists from various academic and sectoral scientific institutions and universities to zapovedniks and national parks. The number of specialists from various scientific research institutions working at zapovedniks and national parks was gradually growing, and by 2000 amounted to 1560 people, which is almost twice as many as in 1996.

Long-term zoning of the Nizhegorodsky Zavolzhsky Biosphere Integrated Reserve

The Kerzhensky Zapovednik Zoning as of the period of preparing the documents to award it the status of a biosphere reserve

- Core Area - Buffer Area - Transition Area - Monuments of Nature - Kerzhensky zakaznik

- Core Area - Buffer Area - Transition Area - Monuments of Nature - Kerzhensky zakaznik

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2.3. Development of Environmental Education Programs Aimed at Biodiversity Conservation and Maintenance of Protected Areas in Russia SPNA-based environmental education of schoolchildren is currently viewed as one of the most efficient ways to enhance public support of zapovedniks and national parks, and address the challenges of communication with the social environment. Model school projects were designed to implement school environmental education programs on the basis of zapovedniks and national parks, and create enabling conditions for the environmental and ecological education of schoolchildren through contacts with nature. Educational activities for schoolchildren were implemented through environmental camps, lectures, circles, guide training courses, expeditions, and excursions. 156990 Number of Visitors in the Visit-Centres

Number of tourists visiting the ecological trails

schoolchildren participated in such projects during five years. (For comparison: 1578 in 1997, and 73431 in 2001).

The Project helped provide the fundamentals of environmental education, and tourist infrastructure in model territories, and initiated establishment of a network of visit centers and other information/education facilities. Financial resources invested in the material and technical base made up about $750 thousand, or 75% of the total amount spent on model school projects. Visit centers include demonstration expositions on the SPNA nature and culture, training classes, research laboratories, halls for visitors equipped with adequate facilities for video and photo presentations. As of the date of this report, 15 SPNA have been working on the establishment of 22 visit centers.

About 80 000 people visited these centers since the beginning of Project implementation.

Ecological paths were designed and established under the Project in Baikalsky, Bryansky Les, Voronezhsky, Kaluzhskiye Zaseki, Katunsky, Kostomukshsky, Pasvik, Pinezhsky, Sayano-Shushensky, and Shulgan-Tash zapovedniks, and Vodlozersky, Kenozersky, and Meshchera national parks. On the average, there are 487 km of ecological paths and routes (consisting of 4 paths) established during the 5 years of Project implementation. Over 70% of these are pedestrian paths; others are intended for travel by water, on horseback, and by car.

Over 47 400 tourists visited these ecological paths during 5 years. The number of visitors increased by 44 times, as compared to the first Project implementation year.

An integrated environmental education and information/scientific center was established on the basis of the museum in the Teberdinsky zapovednik, which attracted additional attention of the local government to ecotourism development in Karachaevo-Cherkessia.

The Government of the Karachaevo-Cherkess Republic issued resolution "On the Program of Developing Environmental Education and Ecological Tourism on the Basis of the Teberdinsky Zapovednik".

Activities under Component B were covered by local and regional, as well as central and international media. 388 papers, 99 TV programs, 45 radio presentations were prepared in three languages (Russian, Bashkir, Finnish). Publications included: 60 issues of the Zapovedny Vestnik newspaper, 10 issues of scientific notes Zapovednoye Delo, 18 issues of Newsletter Zapovedniki i Natsionalnye Parki, books, methodological guidelines on environmental education and guard service, 10 collected papers, and monographs.

A TV group was established and equipped on the basis of the Bryansky Les zapovednik; TV series on the Wild Nature was made, which is shown on 10 regional TV channels.

Establishment and successful operation of the Zapovedniki Environmental Education Center was an important contribution to the Project implementation. The Center is supported from the grant from the Swiss Government provided through the Russian WWF office. The Swiss Grant was provided in 1996 -2002 in the amount exceeding $1.2 million.

has been operational since 1996. Over 200 specialists from 127 zapovedniks and national parks were trained at professional upgrading courses (government license for educational activities No. Đ“696868, issued in 1997). The courses' curriculum was officially approved by the SCEP. After attending the courses, the specialists get official state certificates. In addition to Russian specialists, the Center provides training to the staff of zapovedniks and national parks from Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan In addition to courses, the Center organizes regular workshop on various areas of SPNA activities: training, roundtables, exchange of experience, and study tours to Russian SPNA, inter alia, for foreign specialists. Over 500 various specialists from SPNA, as well as representatives of regional environmental authorities, teachers cooperating with SPNA, etc. participated in the Center's training programs.

The Center initiated establishment of public centers, foundations, clubs and other associa-

Project co-financing from the Swiss Grant, USD thousand

Used

1996 335

1997 290

1998 256

The Center developed methodological basis for environmental education activities in specially protected natural areas. Concept Paper on environmental education activities of state natural zapovedniks and national parks of the Russian Federation was developed, which was approved by the FFS and SCEP in 1998 and is being implemented within the SPNA network.

In addition, over 50 textbooks, methodological guidelines, brochures, and booklets were developed and published. All materials were disseminated among the Russian SPNA, and government environmental agencies.

The system of training in environmental education activities in SPNA was developed and

1999 169

2000 97,4

2001 42,7

2002 18,5

Total 1208,6

tions to develop public support of SPNA; a network was established consisting of 40 such branches operating at zapovedniks and national parks in various regions of Russia. These nongovernmental organizations are making increasingly significant contribution to environmental education efforts, and cooperation of SPNA with the local population.

The Zapovedniki Center developed a model Program of environmental education and ecotourism development in the Teberdinsky zapovednik. The Program was approved by the Government of the Karachaevo-Cherkess Republic, and disseminated among all zapovedniks and national parks in Russia.

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The following programs were implemented with a view to promote zapovednik activities in Russia, and biodiversity conservation ideas: Traveling photo exhibition "The World of Russian Protected Nature" was established, and is regularly updated.

With the assistance of the Komsomolskaya Pradva newspaper, the all-Russian competition "Zapovednoye Ekho" for regional media is conducted on an annual basis, as well as other activities aimed at attracting attention to SPNA operations. Regional and district newspaper that took part in the competition represent almost all Russian regions; the total number of articles by regional journalists dealing with protected areas as reviewed during 5 years exceeds 12 000.

Monthly environmental education newspaper Zapovednye Ostrova dealing with protected areas is being issued during 6 years (3 thousand copies).

Server WildNet - zapovednik data network on http://www.wildnet.ru presents data on all zapovedniks and national parks in Russia.

The Zapovedniki EcoCenter initiated, and supports youth movement Friends of Secret Islands. The First all-Russian rally of the Friends was held in September 2001 in Moscow on Vorobyevy Gory, and was attended by over 400 movement participants representing 22 Russian regions and Moscow.

The Volunteer Program is underway, which encourages formation of voluntary assistant groups consisting of university students and schoolchildren performing field works in zapovedniks and national parks.

Environmental education program Zapovedniks in Moscow for schoolchildren is being implemented since early 2000. The program is supported by Moscow City Government agencies: Education Committee, Department on Nature Use and Environmental Protection, Committee for Family and Youth Affairs, etc.

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The Zapovedniki Center continues to operate on a sustainable basis assisting zapovedniks and national parks in their efforts to increase the awareness of the Russian society of the role and importance of protected areas in biodiversity conservation. The Center receives financial support from Moscow City Government, Institute for Sustainable Communities, US Agency for International Development, Mott Foundation, Dutch Embassy, Federal Environmental Fund, US Fish and Wildlife Service, IUCN, UNDP, Association of Bavaria Forest National Park Friends, Van Melle AG company, and others.

2.4. Support of Model Activities on the Conservation of Rare Species and Unique Ecosystems Operational SPNA systems supporting biological diversity at the species and ecosystem level were established in several model regions under the GEF Project. Some projects were aimed at improving methodologies of regional nature protection, and their dissemination among specialists.

The following regions were selected as model territories in terms of establishing protected area systems (environmental networks) to preserve full value biota within the geographic region: Mountain Altay (Altay Republic), South-Western Russia (Central Black Soil Region), Russian Valley Center, and VolgaUrals Region. Strong or critical fragmentation of natural landscapes in the majority of RF subjects located in these regions, and existence of unique natural areas provided rationale for the selection.

Draft Environmental Framework of the Russian Valley Center was developed, which includes annotated list of key protected natural areas with the required transit and buffer zones, and the list of existing SPNA. Environmental condition assessment was performed in over

200 key natural areas, including SPNA of regional importance; 89 key natural areas of various importance were identified. Proposals were prepared (draft proposals and passports, environmental justification, cartographic materials, etc.) on the establishment of 109 new SPNA of different level with a view to preserve the known and newly identified key natural areas.

Draft documents on the protection of key natural areas were submitted for agreement to environmental authorities and other concerned agencies. Establishment of 26 new SPNA was agreed with district administrations or land users; new zakazniks (Forest Tract Obolensky Les and Kablukovo) were established in the Vladimir Oblast.

Draft Environmental Framework of the Volga-Urals Region was developed, as well as the annotated list of 942 known and newly identified valuable natural areas and objects, including SPNA, which was used as a basis to identify key protected natural areas. An annotated list of 44 transit areas was established; field trips to monitor compliance with the environmental legislation were imple mented within 10 key protected areas, including some SPNA. Proposals were prepared (draft proposals and passports, environmental justification, cartographic materials, etc.) on the establishment of 6 new large SPNA with a view to preserve the known and newly identified key natural areas. Draft documents on the protection of key natural areas were submitted for agreement to environmental authorities and other concerned agencies.

Regional and local governments demonstrated willingness to co-finance project activities.

Important methodological and practical results were obtained under several model projects on Biodiversity Restoration.

Ecosystem restoration is among the most complicated tasks of wildlife protection. The issue is most urgent in regions with strong and critical fragmentation of the natural framework.

As part of the Project, the Central Black Soil state biosphere zapovednik restored the native condition of black soil steppe sections. The area of the Black Soil zapovednik was significantly expanded during the Project (by 861.4 ha), protection, studying and restoration of the natural steppe flora and fauna being initiated in new sections.

Model task on reintroduction of species with disappeared wild populations was addressed based on the example of free-living aurochs populations. As a result of the Task implementation, draft national Strategy of aurochs conservation in Russia was developed, which was taken as a basis for further activities by the Russian aurochs and bison group. A free-living aurochs population (60 heads) was established on the basis of the Orlovskoye Polesye national park.

Model task on the support of natural populations through nursery-based breeding of rare species (Far East cranes) was performed by the Khingan state natural zapovednik. Station for rare bird species reintroduction was reequipped; several hatches of crane chicks were grown and released. Observations showed a stable increase in the number of breeding pairs returning to the zapovednik after winter, which evidences to the success of the experiment.

Works are underway to breed other bird species (Far East stork, black stork, whooper swan, mandarin duck).

Conservation of wild ancestors of domestic animals based on traditions nature use was tested by the Shulgan-Tash state natural zapovednik that implemented the model task on assisting the stabilization of wild honey bees in the Republic of Bashkortostan. As a result, a stable population of wild-hive honey bee was established; the number of bee families in wild-hives in 1999-2000 was the highest throughout the whole period of zapovednik existence, and the monitored habitat of wild-hive bees increased 4-fold.

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- identification of the most significant 3.1. National Biodiversity Consersocioeconomic problems (poverty reduction, vation Strategy

Cover pages of basic Component A documents: the Strategy, National Report Action Plan (p.19)

18

Prioritization of the national policy and development of the National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy (hereinafter "the Strategy") was one of the most important Project outcome. As part of Strategy preparation, special analytical studies were performed, some of them having their own separate importance: - survey and analysis of the attitude of various social and population groups to biodiversity issues, which identified a relatively low awareness of wildlife protection problems;

resource orientation of the economy, domestic business interests, inadequate tax policy, etc.) affecting biodiversity conservation; - review of positive biodiversity conservation experience in forestry, agriculture, hunting and fishery, protection and use of freshwater ecosystems, flora and vegetation cover, rare species protection, etc.

The system of interagency coordination and interaction between government authorities and other agencies concerned with wildlife protection was established during the preparation of the Strategy and Action Plan. The Interagency Commission (IAC) on Biodiversity was the leading government agency at the first stage of the work. Subsequently, the leadership was taken over by the Strategy Coordination Group, which included specialists from the SCEP Department of Biodiversity Conservation, Ministry of Science, FFS, Ministry of Agriculture, GEF Project PIU, RAC, and other agencies. In addition to traditional partners, Strategy preparation also involved the Ministry of Defense, State Committee for Land Resources, Federal Frontier Service, Customs Committee, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, and representatives of various religious organizations.

The Strategy was discussed through a wide dissemination of materials, and collection of proposals from all concerned sectors of the civil society. Strategy papers were repeatedly sent for comments and proposals to various agencies, NGO, major busi-

ness structures, scientific institutions. The State Duma discussed the draft Strategy twice (by the Higher Environmental Council, and during the roundtable at the Environmental Committee). An online electronic conference and discussion were also held.

The National Strategy, and major directions of the Action Plan on Biodiversity Conservation in Russia were approved by the National Forum on Wildlife Conservation in Russia in June 2001.

The Forum was attended by over 230 participants from various sectors of the society: academic and university scientists, representatives of legislative and executive authorities, business community and military forces, environmental nongovernmental organizations and foundations, creative unions, mass media.

The Strategy as approved by the 2001 Forum is viewed as an aggregate of expertly identified priority wildlife conservation activities of government, commercial, scientific and public organizations. The adopted paper has a status of a framework document for the whole Russian society. Each sector or group of the society - be it the state, business, nongovernmental organizations, church, creative unions or individuals - may check their actions, program documents and activities with the Strategy. In doing so, they may refer to the Strategy provisions relevant to the interests and terms of reference of each participant. The Strategy was officially submitted to the Russian Government, major ministries and agencies, heads of administrations of the RF subjects, sectoral committees of the State Duma, regional environmental authorities, major business structures, nongovernmental organizations.

The National Strategy of Biodiversity Conservation in Russia was presented to the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Biological Diversity (Hague, April 2002) as a major confirmation of Russia's compliance with its obligations under Article 6 of the Convention.

Strategy provisions on the need to establish partnership between the countries for wildlife conservation purposes, and on the importance of economic and financial evaluation of the contribution of Russian natural ecosys-

tems in maintaining the global sustainability were included in the National Report of the Russian Federation on the fulfillment of the XXI Century Agenda, and formed the basis of the Russian position at the Rio +10 Summit in Johannesburg (September 2002).

The Strategy formed the basis for the National Action Plan on Biodiversity Conservation, which was elaborated according to the rules and procedures recommended by the Russian Government for the preparation of draft Federal Targeted Programs, and represents a portfolio of project proposals (currently about 1500 activities) to be implemented in the field, by various agencies, companies and NGO. The Action Plan portfolio is used by the Russian Government, various agencies and regions to prepare respective programs. For example, when working on the Federal Targeted Program on the Ecology and Natural Resources (2002-2010), it was used to develop three subprograms: on the conservation of rare flora and fauna species, specially protected natural areas, and Lake Baikal protection. The same sets of project proposals are used as a source of factual data during in bilateral negotiations on environmental cooperation, for example, with Germany and Japan, as well as in the preparation of specialized environmental action plans, for example, the Peatbog Plan. Thus, the National Action Plan orientation towards complementary funding sources and counterpart financing is implemented.

The Strategy and Action Plan were published in Russian and English in 2001; their texts, as those of many other official documents prepared under the Project are available on www.biodat.ru and the site of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity www.biodiver.org.

3.2. Developing the Principles of Partnership between the State, Business and Public Community: Public Agreement Given the great interest of various society sectors in the National Strategy, the concept of environmental partnership was adopted as a key approach to its implementation. The concept was realized in the form of the Public Agreement on Wildlife Conservation in Russia an agreement open to all layers of the society: government authorities, producers associations, civil society structures concerned about the conservation of national wildlife.

Major ideas of the Public Agreement on Wildlife Conservation in Russia were submitted and discussed at the First National Biodiversity Forum (May 30-31, 1999), and the Second AllRussian Nature Protection Congress (June 2-6, 1999, Saratov) where the issues of biodiversity conservations were addressed by a separate session (about 100 participants). The importance of the Strategy and Public Agreement was stated in the Resolution of the Congress.

Presentation of the Public Agreement was combined with the Congress with a view to maximize the use of mass media coverage inertia to bring the notions of "biodiversity", "wildlife", and "National Strategy" to the attention of those public groups who, actually defining the state of biodiversity, remained organizationally excluded from participation in wildlife protection. At the initial stage (from June through November 1999), the campaign facilitated 23 demonstrative signings of Protocols of accession to the Pubic Agreement on Wildlife Conservation at various administrative and sectoral levels. The process involved: administrations of RF subjects, individual districts and cities (Pskov and Volgograd Oblasts, etc.), regional environmental authorities, large industrial companies (Siberian Aluminum, East Siberian Railway, Irkutskenergo, etc.) and their associations, educational institutions, scientific research institutes, political associations, etc.

3.3. Development and Implementation of Regional Strategies and Action Plans The model of regional biodiversity conservation strategy was developed and implemented under the Strategic Component. Nizhny Novgorod Oblast was selected as a model region where in 1998-2000 the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and detailed Action Plan on Wildlife Conservation were developed and

-Kerzhensky State Nature Reserve -Planned biosphere nature reserve ZAKAZNIKS: -integrated -ornithological -game management -planned integrated -monuments of nature

approved by the Oblast Administration. Other activities included the drafting of legislative documents, plans of developing the regional SPNA network, preparation of the Red Book of the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast for publication, proposals on new forms of inter-sector coordination of biodiversity conservation.

Nizhny Novgorod model results were adapted and replicated (to a varying extent and in different forms) in other Russian Oblasts and regions. For example, in the Volgograd Oblast, the Legislative Assembly adopted the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan, a series of Oblast laws were drafted, work initiated on the establishment of new SPNA, large actions implemented on environmental education and awareness.

In Penza, Saratov, Vologda Oblasts, Republics of Yakutia and Northern Ossetia, as well as in other regions regional Biodiversity Conservation Strategies and Action Plans provided the basis for regional targeted programs.

Some regions generated experience in the preparation of Red Books, development of regional environmental networks, use of localbudget funds to support wildlife protection.

Voronezh, Yaroslavl, Lipetsk, Tomsk, Moscow, Kaliningrad Oblasts, Krasnoyarsky Kray and other regions initiated economic evaluation of the regional nature capital and its integration in the regional wealth, which allows justification of alternative options of biodiversity and ecosystem use, development of ecotourism and environmentally oriented business.

As a result, some 20 regions joined the process of preparing regional Biodiversity Conservation Action Plans, which was viewed as the first stage of the National Action Plan implementation. Several projects included in the approved regional Action Plans were selected on a competitive basis for financing under the GEF Project Small Grant mechanism.

Their positive results, public response and socioeconomic effects have provided an important basis for revaluation and further development of environmental projects in Russia, defining their priorities and methods of providing government support of wildlife conservation.

3.4. Development of the Strategy and Action Plan on Lake Baikal Biodiversity Conservation Elaboration of a common biodiversity conservation policy for three administrative parts of the Baikal Natural Territory (BNT), and coordinated steps for its implementation were the major tasks of the Interregional Subcomponent under the Baikal Component of the GEF Project.

The Subcomponent started with the development of the Interregional Strategy of Lake Baikal Biodiversity Conservation, and arrangements for its public discussion and agreement.

Representatives of the key stakeholders were involved both in the Strategy development and implementation. An important innovation was the use of the LI Program as an instrument to encourage local community initiatives and establish feedback between the communities and BNT management system - through the Baikal Supervisory Committee. The series of competitive selections provided an extensive portfolio of practical measures on Baikal wildlife Baikal conservation (over 1500 project proposals), endemics and allowed identification of major directions Baikal homes 2,635 and priorities of the Strategy and Action Plan species of living organisms with due regard for the priorities of the BNT population. Public discussion and resultant finalization of the Strategy took almost four years. The process involved about 200 represenBaikal tatives of various target groups: govendemics ernment authorities, agencies and 68% enterprises, scientific and environThe number of fish species and the role of the Baikal endemics in the faunas of Russia and Baikal 100%

Russia

Baikal

31

Other endemics

80%

31 60%

Baikal endemics Other species

225

40% 20% 0%

22 21

mental community, business, residents of Baikal coastal areas. Developers of the National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy (Moscow), representatives of well known Russian and international public associations also took part in the process.

As a result, a package of strategic documents was developed consisting of the Baikal Declaration, Strategy of Lake Baikal Ecosystem Biodiversity Conservation, Action Plan on Lake Baikal Biodiversity Conservation, and Public Agreement on Lake Baikal Biodiversity Conservation. The documents were published in Russian and English in 1999-2002 (see the List of Project Publications in Annex 1), and are available on www.biodat.ru.

The Strategy of Lake Baikal Ecosystem Biodiversity Conservation is the most general strategic planning document defining major principles of Lake Baikal conservation, priority actions, and new approaches to addressing biodiversity conservation. The Action Plan consists of two parts: long-term action plan, and priority action plan.

The strategy was integrated in the existing system of decision-making: the documents were approved by the Government of the Buryat Republic, Irkutsk and Chita Oblast Administrations, and MNR. Government authorities on their own behalf disseminated the Strategy and Action Plan to their subordinate offices and key users

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in the Baikal Region. The Strategy and Action Plan were used to develop the Subprogram on the Protection of Lake Baikal and Baikal Natural Territory under the FTP on the Russian Ecology and Natural Resources (2002-2010). Action Plan activities provided the basis for numerous programs and plans of socioeconomic development designed for enterprises, agencies, administrative structures, and Baikal Region areas.

Development of the Baikal Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan with the wide participation of various target groups is the first example of such efforts in Russia. The process involved an innovative mechanism of public involvement in the implementation of Baikal Biodiversity Conservation Strategy though joining the Public Agreement and Baikal Declaration. At present, over 70 Protocols of accession have been signed, and several independent enterprise-based conservation programs have been approved for implementation in the Baikal Region.

The Strategy was designed with due regard for environmental peculiarities of individual ecosystem components, as well as the economic and political conditions in the three RF subjects located within the BNT. Each BNT region used model areas to implement biodiversity conservation principles. The Goloustnaya River basin was selected as a model area in Irkutsk Oblast, Tugnuy-Sukhara River basin - in Buryat Republic, and Khilok River basin in Chita Oblast.

Detailed biodiversity assessment, as well as practical Project activities in model areas enabled to identify medium and long term nature protection priorities, and implement fullscale planning of economic activity. Thus, activities in Khilok model basin included development of the land use strategy, forest use planning, environmental audit of the area, and recommendations on nature use management improvements. Activities in Tugnuy-Sukhara basin involved indicator-based planning of agricultural development and planning of SPA development. The Plan of environmentally safe socioeconomic development was prepared and adopted for implementation in the Irkutsk Oblast Administration (Goloustnaya basin).

Establishment of environmental services market in the Baikal Region was an important outcome of model activities. The value of ecosystem resources was for the first time estimated based on their contribution to the formation of environment and climate, carbon sequestration, recreational capacity, etc.

Given the typical nature of existing problems, the lessons learned in model areas under the GEF Project could and should be replicated in other parts of the Baikal Natural Territory.

3.5. Local Initiative Program in the Baikal Region Local Initiative (LI) Program implemented through the mechanism of small grant competitions and performance monitoring has beecome an element of efficient biodiversity conservation management in the Region. Underlying principles of the Program included the widest possible participation of target groups in Baikal wildlife conservation, independent expert review of proposals, and transparency of decision-making and regulatory bodies. The lack of any "grey field" in the working procedures, and their strict fulfillment were the major condition of the Program. The essential role was played by the Expert Council established following the example of classic expert bodies providing the

widest possible parity-based representation of specialists and BNT areas. Closed evaluation was performed by independent (often alternative) experts, and envisaged double-checking.

The results were declared in public, which enhanced the responsibility of specialists concerned about "keeping the face". As a result, rating lists covering over 1500 projects were never disputed.

LI Program had two major objectives: (i) attract the widest possible range of participants to wildlife conservation in the Baikal Region; and (ii) identify and formulate the civil society position in respect to Baikal conservation priorities.

LI Program was noted for its comprehensive nature and variety of innovative approachNumbers of applications to participate in the second round of the Local Initiatives from urban vs. rural areas

100% 80%

Rural

60% 40% Urban 20% 0% Minicompetition

General competition

Thematic competition

Number of applications from various categories of applicants (August - September, 2000)

70

Private persons

60 50

Organisations

40 Temporary creative teams

30 20

Private entrepreneurs

10 0

Minicompetition

General competition

Thematic competition

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es and instruments of wildlife protection ranging from new SPNA establishment to wide-scale information campaigns in mass media. Some of the Program achievements in environmental education and awareness are presented in Section 4.2, however, of greatest importance are the methodologi-

cal and practical results of over a hundred projects on the conservation and restoration of natural complexes in the Central Part of the BNT. The results deserve active promotion for further replication both within the BNT and in other regions in Russia and the world.

Practical Results of the LI Program on Biodiversity Conservation With a view to protect rare species, new breeding places were established for white-tailed eagle, osprey; activities implemented to protect such species as red duck, golden-eye, fish duck and some other waterfowl in the Selenga and Goloustnaya river deltas. Populations restored and/or protected of cormorant in Chivykuisky bay, common crane and musk rat in Lake Dikoye, Mongolian toad in the Goloustnaya delta, Mongolian lark in Buryatia. A shoal of juvenile sturgeon was bred at the Selenga fish-farm.

Tarbagan was reacclimatized in Buryatia; to restore populations of indigenous fauna species, a flock of reindeers were introduced in the northern Baikal coastal area. 11 plantations of medicinal herbs and wild plants were established for subsequent resettlements in natural habitats; activities implemented in the southern part of Baikal coast to preserve and disseminate endemic species Tridaktylin kirilov. Natural areal of Sayan ecotype dwarf sea buckthorn was restored. Measures taken to preserve local populations of bird cherry Padus avium Mill., licorice Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Siberian apricot, Altay onion, Viola incise, Hedysarum zundukii, Oxytropis, Crylovia ere mophila.

With a view to provide habitat protection, 8 new SPNA of different status were established with the total area of 21.7 thousand ha. Among these, Mindalnaya Roscha botanical zakaznik, Japanese elm Relict Grove monument of nature, Posolsky Sor natural park, Kalipso botanical monument of nature. Environmental network sections were established: 9 sections subject to special use and protection regime mapped in the Goloustnaya basin; management plans developed for monuments of nature in Kochergatsky zakaznik and a section in Pribaikalsky national park. Regulatory documents prepared for approval of five SPNA. A

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refugium network to preserve wetland and floodland communities established in deltas of the Selenga, Goloustnaya, Zunduk rivers. 12 packages of documents to establish monuments of nature and attain the SPNA status to areas covering over 300 thousand ha were prepared for approval; recommendations prepared to establish 11 more SPNA. The movement of volunteer assistance to SPNA was supported in Baikalsky, Barguzinsky, Dzherginsky zapovedniks, and Kabansky zalaznik, and Pribaikalsky national park.

A network of public inspectors and operational groups established in Pribaikalsky, Atsulsky and Angirsky zakazniks, Pribaikalsky national park, Kochegarsky zakaznik. The operational group established in the Baikalsky State biosphere zapovednik helped to reduce the number of protection regime violations by 31%. Protection measures were taken in respect of many other unique natural objects.

Natural landscapes were restored in Myngei locality, near Maisky settlement, in Zagustaisky valley, and unique natural complex Verkhnyaya Berezovka. Mad-made mechanical pollution was liquidated along the coasts and in beds of over thirty rivers and lakes.

New technology of oil product waste detoxification with biological agents was introduced within Lake Baikal watershed area: biological agents were used to treat the ground polluted with mazut along the 4-km section of the railway.

200 tons of oil sludge was detoxified at the Ulan-Ude oil base of AO Buryatnefteprodukt.

Project funds were used for recultivation of Baikal coastal areas; over 150 thousand saplings were planted. Grayling spawning grounds in the Goloustnaya river were cleaned from obstructions and sunk logs; 47.2 ha of forest ecosystems were restored in the Khilok river-head.

4.1. Strengthening and Using the Civil Society Potential for Biodiversity Conservation Changes in the public perception of wildlife protection issues facilitated by wide public participation are among the essential Project outcomes.

The Project has no precedents in the involvement of various society segments, first and foremost, children and youth, in wide-scale Project activities: in 1997-2001, 700-800 thousand people and almost all Russian zapovedniks and national parks annually took part in the Project-supported March of Parks; about 100 thousand people joined the Public Agreement; over 20 thousand people participated in Days of Baikal, Baikal environmental festivals and marathons.

Since 1997 through 2003 over 110 thousand people were directly involved in the implementation of 750 projects and assignments (80 thousand under the Baikal Component, 14 thousand under the Strategic Component, and 18 thousand under the Protected Areas Component). The participants included: - up to 300 administration officials, 350400 scientists and up to 2000 staff members of zapovednik and national park guard services; - several hundreds of wildlife protection practical workers (in the field of forestry, hunting and fishing management, rare species protection, etc.) from the regions, especially the Baikal Region; - specialists from federal and regional environmental agencies, local administrations,

legislative assemblies who participated in Project implementation, preparation and discussion of essential strategic documents, elaboration of proposals to the National Action Plan, and respective sections of the Federal Targeted Program on the Ecology and Natural Resources; - participants of the Forums, conferences, seminars and working meeting under the Project - representatives of various society segments and sectors of economy (1600 people under the Strategic Component, over 1000 people took part in seminars organized by the Regional Association of Zapovedniks and National Parks, etc.); - several hundreds of scientists from academic and sector institutes, including the experts and reviewers, members of evaluation committees, authors of reviews and recommendations, training program developers and workshop trainers (for example, about 50 experts of the First National Report on Biodiversity Conservation); - over 1000 members of various environmental NGO, both existing and established under the Project within the Center and in the regions.

Nongovernmental organizations (NGO), academic and sectoral scientific research institutes, higher educational institutions took the most active part in Project implementation.

Among the Russian and international NGO that actively participated or assisted in Project implementation one could mention the following ones: Wildlife Protection Center; IUCN Representative Mission for CIS Countries;

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Center for Environmental Policy; Russian World Wildlife Fund office; Socioecological Union; Zapovedniki EcoCenter; ISAR, Ecoline; Dront Environmental Center in Nizhny Novgorod; Regional Center of Biodiversity Studies and Conservation in Volgograd; Sacred Land Charity Foundation; Khabarovsk Wildlife Fund; All-Russian Nature Protection Society; Baikal Foundation, Baikal Biodiversity Conservation Center, and many others.

In addition, noteworthy is the indirect involvement of the multi-million audience of central and regional mass media (newspapers, journals, radio, TV).

4.2.

Education Greening, Increasing Public Awareness of Biodiversity Conservation Support of initiatives related to environmental education, awareness and promotion occupies a special place among the instruments of environmental policy development and implementation. These activities were given priority attention under all three major Project Components. Chapter 2.3 above presents some results of SPNA and Zapovedniki Center work on environmental education. However, the widest coverage was ensured under the Baikal Component, which included over 200 projects and assignments directly or indirectly related to environmental education, awareness or promotion. This work facilitated the development of "Baikal ideology" in the region, i.e., such a perception of the need to protect BNT wildlife that becomes part of everyday life of the society and individuals.

Media-based information flow was organized on a continuous basis. Over 300 papers

and materials, about 100 TV and 600 radio programs were devoted to biodiversity conservation issues in the Baikal Region.

103 educational programs, methodological guidelines and training materials were developed. 60 specialized educational editions with the total circulation over 65 thousand copies were published and widely dis seminated throughout the Baikal Region.

Irkutsk Oblast developed a system of continuous environmental education, Baikal Science curriculum, upgrading programs for education workers. Chita Oblast developed and impemented the Regional Standard on ecology based on modern information technologies. This is a significant and innovative step in the development of environmental education contributing to biodiversity conservation, since it represents a long-term system aimed at educating a personality with environmentally oriented mentality.

Implementation of projects facilitated consolidation of the most active participants into nongovernmental environmental organizations.

73 nongovernmental environmental organizations were established under the Baikal Component, including the Environmental Initiative in Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky, ChROO Pussy Willow in Krasky Chikoy village, Friends of Baikal environmental and aesthetic association in Zaigrayevsky district (Buryatia), Baikal Center of Public Environmental Expert Review, Baikal Environmental Center, etc.

The Project provided invaluable contribution to higher school greening through preparing and publishing by the Moscow State University Ecocenter of a unique series of training materials on Biodiversity Conservation (15 materials in 4 volumes).

The total circulation of participating periodicals exceeds 1 million copies. Thematic radio programs are broadcast on Europe-Plus Radio in Ulan-Ude. Chita Oblast radio issued 12 radio programs on Lake Baikal biodiversity conservation, and performed two rounds of radio quizzes. Chita State TV Company, together with Altes TV Company regularly demonstrate environmentally oriented films that were also shown on Irkutsk TV and TVC central channel. Siberian Information and Analytical Agency "Baikal Region Ecology" (SIAA EcoBR) was established, registered and equipped in Irkutsk Oblast; Oblast newspaper organized an information campaign, and Oblast radio station issued a serried of programs on Lake Baikal biodiversity conservation. A series of TV programs dealing with Baikal Region environmental problems was issued under the thematic program "Our Environment" (IGTRK).

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Several dozens of local environmental education programs were developed for children of different age. In particular, in Mukhorshibirsky District, training programs on continuous environmental education are being implemented in 21 secondary schools and 14 kindergartens.

Data/advice units were established in cities of Ulan-Ude, Chita, Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky, Severobaikalsk, Baikalsk, villages Krasny Chikoy, Chernorud, Ust-Barguzin, Sosnovoozersk, in Baikal-Lensky and Baikalsky zapovedniks, as well as mobile extension units for rural areas. Resource and information centers including environmental libraries, videotecs and slidetecs we also established (7 centers).

Over 30 environmental camps were organized along the Baikal coast offering integrated programs including lectures, practical training and seminars, excursions along environmental paths, competitions and quizzes, cleanup activities and wildlife studies; the camps were attended by over 3 thousand children.

Over 100 items of printed products with the circulation over 100 thousand copies were published (brochures, booklets and newsletters). Interesting experience was gained though involvement of religious communities in wildlife protection. This resulted in the publishing of two books (Buddhism: a Man in Harmony with Nature, and Environmental Ethics of Buddhism.

36 video films and 112 video materials were made and widely disseminated across the Region. 134 exhibitions and expositions on Baikal wildlife were organized, and visited by over 23 thousand people.

Media coverage at the initial stage of National Strategy development (1997-1998) was generally limited to the publication of brochures, books collected materials dealing with highly specific topics and intended for a small range of specialists. Later, given the growing interest to Project activities, and lack of access to electronic data sources for general public, the GEF Project started seeking the ways to publish Project materials in editions with broader audience. For example, the Zeleny Mir newspaper published the brief version of the

First National Biodiversity Report. The newspaper also published the first works on the principles of developing the National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy, some information and analytical Project materials, as well as advertisements of newly published Project books. The latter were also published on a regular basis in periodical editions of the Environmental Policy Center, such thematic editions as ZapoVestnik and Prirodno-resursnye Vedomosti. Mass media have gradually developed an interest to the Project and its activities.

Educational materials: - Singing birds of Central Russia (CD) - Biodiversity geography and monitoring - Biodiversity conservation basics - Social, economic and legal frameworks for biodiversity conservation - Biodiversity conservation and restoration

Regular work with mass media was initiated with the information campaign aimed at promoting the Public Agreement, which was organized by the International Press Club. Information campaign involved lots of special actions for media (roundtables, press tours and press conferences) attended by journalists from Zeleny Mir, Vsya Rossia, Rossia, Bereginya newspapers; Business and Finance, Business and Investment in Russia, Environment and Life, Business People, Entrepreneur's Companion, Compatriot magazines; representatives of the Journalist Union, Federal News Agency, information agencies Economic News, Russian Photo News, Bloomberg, Ekos Publishing House.

Publications at this stage were mainly focused on the possible roles of various sectors of Russian society in wildlife protection. Press tours to Pskov and Volgograd Oblasts were organized for media representatives. A press tour to Primorsky Kray to Far East leopard habitat was organized for two central TV channels (RTR and NTV) and Radio of Russia. Thanks to these efforts, and the established contacts, biodiversity conservation issues have become a regular theme for radio, TV and printed media.

At the final implementation stage the Project was actively involved in the preparation of information pre-products (plots, information for press, press releases). The most popular themes included materials on the Red Book of the Russian Federation, Russian zapovedniks, MNR role in zapovednik activities and wildlife protection in general, notes on biodiversity conservation prepared for the Biodiversity Day (December 29).

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4.3. Mechanisms and Institutes 40 organizations from almost 20 Russian regions Facilitating Sustainability of rook part in the competitive selection for dissemination of new economic mechanisms. 19 Biodiversity Conservation Results Project implementation enabled to make a considerable progress in the improvement of existing and creation of new economic and financial mechanisms of biodiversity conservation.

This assignment was aimed at identification and adaptation to the needs of biodiversity conservation of mechanisms capable of providing economic incentives for wildlife protection, and improving the efficiency of environmental activity financing: - identify economic value of biodiversity and its components, including the value of "ecosystem services"; - generalize the available Russian and foreign experience in using economic mechanisms of biodiversity conservation; - support and disseminate positive experience gained in the period of developing the new economic policy in the area of wildlife protection and restoration, use of biological resources; - establish and introduce new economic mechanisms to implement the above policy.

It is at this stage of Project implementation that Russia formulated new approaches and methods of biodiversity conservation economics. In addition to introducing positive international experience ("green accounts", environmental and economic evaluation of "ecosystem services", "debts for nature" arrangements, etc.), the Project actively encouraged Russian developments: improvements in the tax system, environmental insurance, establishment of funds, calculation of compensation payments for implementation of biosphere functions, etc.

Findings of this work were summarized in publications that were in great demand among specialists.

The main emphasis when introducing new economic methods of biodiversity conservation was made on the work in the regions and support of regional initiatives. For example, over

28

projects were selected and implemented, which were aimed at implementation of new wildlife valuation methods, techniques to account for ecosystem services in the planning of alternative economic activities, ecotourism development, preparation of management plans for environmentally friendly business, etc.

In addition, under the biodiversity economic activities, the Project generalized Russian and foreign experience in using economic mechanisms in ex-situ wildlife conservation. The survival of centers for wild animal breeding becomes especially urgent under developing market conditions.

The review of available methods of maintaining viability of animal breeding units indicated the need to seek new financial arrangements and economic mechanisms to ensure their long-term functioning.

Generalization and improvement of approaches and methods of economic evaluation of damage caused to biodiversity was an important part of Project activities. A set of regulatory and legal documents was prepared under the Project. The Project initiated the work on estimating the value of biodiversity (mainly for SPNA) based on the concept of overall economic value. The studies allowed an important conclusion that a major part of the economic value (cost) of many SPNA will consist of the indirect utilization value: carbon sequestration, water regulating functions, erosion prevention, etc. Carbon sequestration may play a special role in the economic evaluation of SPNA based on indirect utilization value. The effectiveness of the Kyoto Protocol will provide conditions for developing a world market of carbon emissions trading while the price may amount to several dozens of US dollars per ton of carbon.

Calculations showed that the indirect utilization value may equal up to 100% of the economic value of an individual SPNA. Methodological support of the State Methodology for Cadastre Evaluation of Lands Intended for Environmental Purposes

(Roszemkadastr, 2002) was another important Project outcome. The Methodology included three criteria of economic differentiation of land value depending on the productive properties of ecosystems and their biodiversity. The approach, which was previously applied only to zapovednik lands, has been extended to other valuable natural areas: national and natural parks, lands intended for environmental purposes.

The above methodological approach has been already used in evaluation of lands in individual regions. The use of "biodiversity uniqueness factor" and "ecosystem value factor" may lead to a 5-7-fold increase in the cadastre value of lands in protected natural areas, as compared to evaluation of similar utilized lands.

The innovative role of such approaches will become especially explicit in case the land taxation proposals of the President Commission on Administrative Reforms are adopted. According to these proposals, all categories of land users will have to pay land taxes based on the cadastre land evaluation.

However, in respect of federal objects, taxes should be paid from the federal budget and received by the municipal budget in the place where the given object is located - in our case, a zapovednik or national park.

Increasing coefficients (as compared to surrounding territories) will convert land taxes paid to SPNA into a substantial source of additional revenues to the local budget. The tax amount will directly depend on the natural properties of ecosystems and their biodiversi-

ty, which will actually transform taxes into subventions to municipalities for ecosystem services provided by the protected natural area.

Local communities and, most importantly, local authorities will have substantial economic incentives for wildlife protection, and will be directly interested in maintaining the protection regime within the federal SPNA, which, if eliminated, could deprive the region of an additional source of budget revenues.

Implementation of the above approach would fundamentally change the institutional framework, and financial and economic relations between the SPNA and government authorities of different level.

Noteworthy is still another innovative activity under the GEF Project: analytical notes and proposals on international financial arrangements related to payments for ecosystem services provided by environmentally diligent countries. So far the world community failed to establish mechanisms to identify and compensate the damage related to conservation of natural ecosystems and their biota to ensure the highest efficiency of their global biosphere functions. For Russia, this is a matter of highest priority, since over 65% of the Russian territory is occupied by pristine, mostly tundra and taiga ecosystems. Proposals developed under the Project were used by the Russian Government in the preparation to the Rio+10 Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (September 2002). Details of these activities are presented in Project publications, and available on www.biodat.ru.

Financing of zapovedniks (State Nature Reserves - SNR) and national parks (NP) from the federal budget and extra-budgetary sources over time ($/man/year)

NP from other sources NP from the federal budget SNR from other sources SNR from the federal budget

Successful introduction of new management approaches to wildlife protection is largely dependent on the availability of biological monitoring information systems and modern IT development level. Efficient coordination of the environmental policy at the federal, regional and local levels is dependent on the capacity for real-time collection, accumulation, analysis and transmission of data on biodiversity status.

A much better information support of nature protection in Russia is one of the key results of the Project. Other major results are summarized below.

The Project allowed the establishment and equipment of the biodiversity conservation Data Analysis Center (DAC), which is functioning as a data exchange and scientific and technological cooperation mechanism: a ClearingHouse Mechanism under the Convention on Biodiversity. The DAC is equipped with modern hardware, software and IT, and has qualified staff. Upon the completion of the Project, the Data Analysis Center will be transferred to an entity accountable to the MNR with a view to ensuring the continuity of information support of biodiversity conservation measures.

To meet its commitments under the Convention on Biodiversity Russia prepared two National Reports on biodiversity conservation (in 1997 and 2001), and 6 thematic analytical reports on compliance with specific clauses of the Convention: nonnative species; forest biodiversity conservation; access to genetic resources; biodiversity conservation in protected areas; and mountain biodiversity conserva-

30

tion. The First National Report was issued and disseminated in Russian and English. All documents are available in the electronic format in the BioDat Portal.

In response to requests from federal executive authorities, the DAC prepared over 200 information and analytical materials, including those to be considered at the meetings of the Government, Management Board of the State Environmental Committee and the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the State Council of the Russian Federation.

The Center established a portal (www.BioDat.ru), which is a shared information system of an open Internet community. The community includes interested data analysis units of ministries, agencies, research institutes, and HEIs, as well as individual experts (information complex). The Portal will become a major instrument and mechanism of the DAC operation upon completion of the GEF Project, and a forum for the intersectoral and interdepartmental exchange of information on wildlife conservation issues in Russia.

The BioDat Portal houses all information collected within the framework of the GEF Project: executors' reports, databases, information materials, methodologies, training aids, handbooks, maps, forms, etc. BioDat also presents technological means to integrate users and provide them with information available to the members of the Internet community: catalogs, classifiers, search systems, engines to disseminate information on new materials, opportunities to establish direct contacts with data hold-

ers and users, etc. The server houses meta data: names of information resources available to organizations and specialists; lists of indicators; conditions on which information or analytical services may be provided. In addition to meta data, information partners submit samples of their databases and other materials which they allow to disseminate free of charge. The server tools may be used to get access to the partners' information and interact with the partners via interactive systems.

A similar conceptual framework was used to establish a biodiversity information management system for the Baikal Region. A meta database was developed, which forms the basis for the operation of a Web server which provides a free access to information on the current status of wildlife and natural resources in the Baikal Regions (http://www.baikalregion.ru). A common Internet-based Biodiversity Conservation Centre was opened at the RAS (Siberian Branch) Research Center in Irkutsk. An interregional analytical center (Information Society Analytical Network) was also established and registered.

Creation of a tourist industry database for the Central Zone of the Baikal Nature Area was a special assignment which resulted in the establishment and/or further development of a few data centers in cities and rayons. A common data bank was organized which is presented in a specially established and publicly accessible ecotourism site (http://baikal.net/travel). Another achievement is the publication of the Atlas of Protected Nature Areas in Lake Baikal Basin which shall be treated as an initial database on the current state and potential development of the established protected area network in Lake Baikal Basin, including Mongolia. The Atlas is available both as a hard copy and as an Internet-based information system (www.baikalia.ru) which has been transferred for further administration to the Association of Specially Protected Nature Areas in the Baikal Region.

28 information resources were established, including those devoted to specially protected nature areas: - Live Sable, a multi-media handbook on the Barguzin Zapovednik http://baikal.net/livingsable; - Baikalsky State Biosphere Zapovednik http://baikal.net/zapovednik; - Zabaikalsky National Park http://zabaikal.boom.ru, http://ngo.burnet.ru/znp; - Multi-media Handbook on Pribaikalsky National Park http://baikal.net/pribpark; - web server for Baikal issues www.baikal.net; - a virtual gallery of Baikal scenic photos www.berill.ru/eger-gallery/ homepage.buryatia.ru/eger-gallery/; - an interactive reference book on rare and endangered flora and fauna species in the Buryat Republic based on the Buryat Red Book www.berill/ru/redbook/, homepage.buryatia.ru/redbook/; - a Clean River web site which reviews the situation in the Khilok River basin www.chita.ru/HilockWeb; - Colored Identification Atlas of East Siberian Butterflies http:/babochki.narod.ru; - a laser disk under the same name; - a full-text library Biodiversity Conservation in Lake Baikal Ecosystem http:/library.isc.irk.ru; - Nature of Baikal Siberia www.taiga.irk.ru; - Flora of Southern Baikal Region http://cultura.baikal.ru/flowers; - Baikal Ecological Wave http://www.baikalwave.eu.org.; - Identification Atlas of Cottoid Fish http://nti.lin.irk.ru/cottoidei/; - a database on major industrial polluters in the Baikal Region http://www.oresp.irk.ru:8080/bd2htm.

31

Improving the environmental monitoring system is a key component of the development of biodiversity conservation information base.

Entities operating within the Integrated State Monitoring System (ISMS) in the Buryat Republic, Irkutsk and Chita Oblasts are equipped with modern technologies, and their monitoring capacity has been enhanced.

Monitoring studies were conducted in the Tugnui-Sukhara basin, and their results were

included in the current state monitoring: agrochemical soil surveys, hydrochemical water quality analysis, and ambient air analysis. The Irkutsk Oblast designed a new monitoring approach: they established a system integrating environmental monitoring activities of public, academic and nongovernmental entities. A multilateral cooperation agreement was prepared and signed to implement comprehensive monitoring in a model area.

BioDat Portal Structure and Contents Subject Group 1. Done under the GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project - Documents relating to the National Strategy and Action Plan on biodiversity conservation.

- Documents describing the outcomes of Project activities in zapovedniks and national parks.

- GEF Project archive: altogether over 800 MB. - GEF Project bibliography.

Subject Group 2. Environmental Protection Activity (projects and people) - Environmental protection organizations.

- Environmental experts.

- Positive experience in biodiversity conservation.

- Environmental projects: Database on international environmental projects implemented in Russia.

- Applications for environmental projects: Database of applications for environmental projects - Economic mechanisms of biodiversity conservation.

- Financial mechanisms of biodiversity conservation.

Subject Group 3. Protected Nature Areas - Regulations on the establishment of zapovedniks.

- All specially protected nature areas (SPNA) in all regions of Russia.

- Environmental framework of Central Russia (maps and databases of SPNA within the network).

- Size of protected nature areas.

- Changes in the area of individual zapovedniks in 1917-2000. An economic assessment methodology for zapovednik lands.

- Synopses of research in zapovedniks. Bibliography of research in zapovedniks.

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Subject Group 4. North Eurasia Biodiversity Atlas - Taxon lists for 89 subjects of the Russian Federation and 30 biological nature regions, by 8 taxonomic groups of Russia's flora and fauna: 500 subgenera of ground beetles, 295 species of bark beetles, 120 species of bumblebees, 310 species of freshwater fish, 40 amphibian species, 170 reptile species, 820 bird species, 350 mammal species, and 23,500 species pf vascular plants.

- Schematic maps of the habitats of 11 taxonomic groups: 1,710 genera of vascular plants, 550 species of arboreal plants, 59 families of macromycet fungi, 320 genera of lichens, 500 subgenera of ground beetles, 295 species of bark beetles, 120 species of bumblebees, 310 species of freshwater fish, 40 amphibian species, 170 reptile species, 820 bird species, 350 mammal species.

- Game mammals: 160 photos and pictures, 81 maps and diagrams.

- Introduced species: Database on animals and plants.

- The Red Book of Russia: Animals.

- The Red Book of the RSFSR: Plants.

- Biodiversity of the Far East Ecoregion (a review of and cartographic database on the distribution of 356 arboreal plant species, 307 lepidopterous species (butterflies), and 318 bird species for 85 nature regions).

- Summer abundance of birds in West Siberia.

- Plant cover productivity in Russia. The Regional Red Books (availability and status of the Regional Red Books, lists of protected species and publications for 89 subjects of the Russian Federation).

- Russia's waterfowl resources and their use (a review of 50 species in 47 nature regions; a database on the numbers and hunting yield in 89 subjects of the Russian Federation; 35 maps; bibliography: 350 publications on the topic).

- The following sections are at the preparation stage: - Adventive flora of Eastern Europe, - Biodiversity of European Russia, - Finds of locust species, - Multiyear biological monitoring (in 13 zapovedniks, with an observation period of up to 40 years).

Subject Group 5. Handbooks, Textbooks, and Monographs - The First National Report on Biodiversity - The Second National Report on Biodiversity - Positive Experience of Biodiversity Conservation - Lands of the Russian Federation: categories and ownership - Economic Assessment of Lands and Wildlife: methodology - Economic Assessment of Lands and Wildlife: typical cases - Biodiversity textbooks (Zip-archive) - A Glossary of Environmental Terms Used in Legislation - Main regional development statistics for the Russian Federation (6,000 maps) - Nature and People in Russia: environment, religion, politics, and action. A social analysis - Russia as a System (Web atlas) - Environment and Health of the Russian People (Web atlas)

33

Major achievements and innovations of the GEF Project may be summarized as follows: The Project allowed to preserve and largely enhance one of the world's best SPNA systems established over the last 80 years, which occupies about 2% of the country's territory and forms an essential component of the global network of international protected areas. Support of the most urgent activities in the transition period made it possible to improve the efficiency of wildlife protection and create prerequisites for SPNA integration in regional socioeconomic development processes as a foothold of the emerging sector of ecosystem services.

The Project allowed to develop and introduce up-to-date biodiversity conservation mechanisms consistent with new socioeconom-

ic realities in Russia. Over 750 Project activities implemented between 1997 and 2003 significantly enhanced the involvement of businesses and households in wildlife protection in the world's largest country whose land is equal to 1/8 of the global land, and forests constitute up to 25% of the global forest area.

The scope and geographic coverage of activities implemented in the vast territory of North Eurasia within Russia's national borders, which encompass 8 nature zones and large global biodiversity centers from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans, allows to state that the Project contributed to the improvement of the global environmental situation. The Project laid innovative development approaches, instruments and mechanisms that would ensure further improvement of the national environmental

The PAs System in Russia

Area in '000 ha

Zapovedniks

National parks

Biodiversity Conservation: the Most Significant Innovative Approaches, Instruments and Mechanisms Innovation

Future Implementation Mechanism

Preliminary Results and Assessment of Their Efficiency

Biodiversity conservation strategy which builds upon the partnership of the state, businesses and various segments of the society

Action Plan that takes into account voluntary commitments and proposals of regions

The first phase of the Strategy and Action Plan implementation; development of regional biodiversity conservation strategies and programs; and small grants programs as the first phase of the Action Plan implementation

The Public Conservation Agreement as a mechanism to implement Strategic Tasks

One of the most effective mechanisms to implement the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy. Partnership based on voluntary wildlife protection commitments made by the representatives of different segments of the society. Signature of Agreement Accession Protocols.

Establishment of regional Agreement development centers

Demonstration signatures in more than 20 regions; interest in the Agreement in 45 regions; over 10,000 participants; accession by the Administrations of large regions; a rapid development of regional Public Agreement dissemination centers (in Murmansk, Volgograd, Irkutsk and other Oblasts). Development of the Baikal Declaration, and its independent implementation in the years to come.

Small grants programs

Rationalization of financial support and encouragement of cofinancing; involvement of the population in biodiversity conservation

The small grants programs in the Baikal region, Volgograd and Nizhny Novgorod Oblasts had an exclusively strong impact since they involved several dozen thousand people in wildlife protection; established growth centers at the local level; disseminated biodiversity-related information and knowledge, etc.

Information partnership in www.biodat.ru

An interactive cooperation of all stakeholders; a free access to information on Russia wildlife for decision-making purposes; "information site" partnership: public authorities, business, science, and NGOs.

One of the largest environmental sites in Russia: a high visit rate and an active participation of regional users (12,250 visits over the 6-month period of its operation).

Preparation of a public methodology for cadastre assessment of SPNA lands proceeding from biodiversity indicators and production characteristics of natural ecosystems

Dissemination of the methodology among Roszemcadaster regional offices, and its use for SPNA land assessment in regions

Economic assessment of nature protection fund lands in a number of regions within the Central Federal District (Kursk, Lipetsk and other Oblasts). Use of the results at Roszemcadaster regional training workshops.

Introducing indicators reflecting the environmental status of lands into standard reports on lands

Following the introduction of the new methodology for state cadastre assessment of lands in different types of SPNA, regions would collect statistical data on land value with due regard for biodiversity

Preparation of a preliminary list of the biospheric functions of natural ecosystems has been initiated (see Attachment to the Methodology); the list of mandatory statistical indicators relating to SPNA land assessment includes data on flora and fauna species diversity, availability of species included in the Red Book of Russia, productivity of natural ecosystems, etc. Russia is developing criteria for state assessment.

Competitions for research projects in zapovedniks

SPNA that are far away from research centers have got a mechanism to receive competitive research grants within their corporate community for the implementation of priority studies: biota inventory, continuation of multi-year observation series, study of unique nature features, GIS preparation, etc.

Zapovedniks and national parks submitted over 500 applications within the Project lifetime. Support was given to 70 research projects that involved regional scientific and training organizations, and individual experts from RAS institutes and HEIs.

35

Biodiversity Conservation: the Most Significant Innovative Approaches, Instruments and Mechanisms Innovation

Future Implementation Mechanism

Preliminary Results and Assessment of Their Efficiency

Management plan preparation for zapovednik and national parks

Partnership and cooperation between SPNA, local authorities, NGOs and other stakeholders with a view to SPNA development

Preparation of management plans for 3 zapovedniks and 5 national parks. Development of approaches, methods and demonstration materials to disseminate the experience; organization of specialist training.

The Wildlife Protection Center used the Project experience to develop the SPNA management plan preparation Strategy and Recommendations.

A new mechanism to provide institutional support to the SPNA system, which integrates regional SPNA with their corporate interests in management, environmental education, research development, mass media operation, etc.

Establishment of 8 new regional SPNA associations; organization of training workshops and conferences; exchange of experience; publication of collected volumes of scientific works, etc. High efficiency due to the opportunity to overcome isolation, exchange information, etc.

] Establishing SPNA regional associations and regional directorates

The Baikal component allowed to develop strategic approaches to biodiversity conservation in the unique ecosystems of the Baikal Nature Area, and utilize modern mechanisms, ways and methods to ensure sustainable environmental management in a region of global significance.

The Project was a powerful factor that caused greening of the socioeconomic development process in regions within the Baikal Nature Area. The most important implication is the involvement of businesses and civil society in wildlife conservation, and the introduction of new environmental policy implementation mechanisms. The Lake Baikal Protection Legislation Development Concept elaborated under the Project was supported by the State Duma, which drafted more than ten legal acts required for efficient implementation of the Federal Law on Lake Baikal Protection.

The Baikal Component of the Project was used as a framework to pilot a model of interregional management and efficient interaction with the federal center. Experience thus generated was further developed in the region.

Regional Administrations of the Baikal Nature Area (BNA) formed the Baikal Council, a coordinating body whose principles are similar to those of the GEF Project management system.

It was designed as a principal political mechanism to ensure a unified environmental policy in the BNA. Establishment of the Baikal

36

Interregional Territorial Authority of the MNR was an important step to strengthen state control and ensure the implementation of the Federal Law on Lake Baikal Protection.

Financial impact of the Project activities is also very substantial. Direct Project financing is estimated at US$ 39.7 million in spite of the changes in the costs of some assignments and the reallocation among the items of expenditures in accordance with the changing priorities under the Project.

Moreover, a most important output of the Project is the assistance in attracting new financial resources to conservation activities in Russia.

The Table presents expected disbursement of the GEF proceeds under the Project by component cross-section. The Table shows that the amount of about US$ 18.1 million (which is equivalent to SDR 13.8 [see the Note below]), will be fully disbursed by the Grant Closing Date - September 30, 2003.

The main changes to the plan were accounted for by the necessitated reduction in financing for some assignments under the Project due to the denomination of the allocated funds in SDR*. The almost two-year extension of the Project life increased its administration costs under Component D. Apart from that, upon agreement with the steering entities (the MNR and the World Bank), the grant funds were reallocated among selected tasks within the Components. For purposes of finalising the National Strategy (Sub-Component Đ?.1.), a

GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project Budget Follow-Up during the Project Implementation Period (as of June 22, 2003 *) Project Component Component А. Strategic Overview А.1. National and Regional Biodiversity Strategies А.2. Biodiversity Policy Support А.3. Information Support for BC Activities Component В. Protected Areas В.1. Institutional Support В.2. Operations and Planning В.3. Public Support and Education Programmes В.4. Ecosystem Protection В.5. Training Component С. Lake Baikal Regional Programme С.1. Inter-regional Activities С.2. Regional Model Watershed Project С.3. Model Watershed Project in the Tunguy-Sukhara River basin (Buryatia) С.4. Model Watershed Project in the Khilok River basin (Chita Oblast) С.5. Local Initiatives Component D. Project Management D.1. Project Management Unit (Moscow) D.2. Regional Sub-Component Management Units (Baikal) Total

Initial Project Budget, US$ '000

Budget with approved changes, US$ '000

Disbursement, as of 31. 05.2003, US$ '000

2695 370 1390 935 9257 832 1875 2215 3970 365 6340 950 890 1135 865 2500 1806 1462 344 20098

2269,2 442,5 886,9 939,8 8847,3 832,8 4481,0 2525,4 700,7 307,4 5105,9 704,8 664,2 962,4 666,7 2107,8 1928,6 1644,3 284,3 18151,0

2269,2 442,5 886,9 939,8 8815,6 832,7 4452,6 2523,0 699,9 307,4 5047,3 696,8 656,6 951,3 659,1 2083,5 1727,0 1472,4 254,6 17859,1

* The data are presented in compliance with the rate of the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) relative to US $ as of June 22, 2003

no-objection was given to use Sub-Component A.2. funds for the contract with the Institute of Ecology and Evolution under the Russian Academy of Sciences (US $149,300) and its implementation co-ordination. One task of SubComponent B.4. (establishment of new protected areas) was cancelled with its intended funds reallocated to more successful tasks under Sub-Components В.2. and В.3.

(Strengthening the Protection Services, Model School Projects, Competition of Research Teams for Grants, and Support to the March of Parks Campaign). The Table gives somewhat approximate costs of a number of items under Structure of Grant TF 28315 RU of the GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project (US $ '000)

different sub-components since the work was shared by the Components, and it was impossible to differentiate the costs exactly. E.g., in the Baikal Component, selected tasks of some sub-components were financed out of the small grants scheme, and in operational documents, they were referred to Sub-Component С.5.

Assignment В.5.2. (preparation of text-books for zapovedniks) was co-ordinated by Component А Manager, with the costs referred to the latter Component. The final table shows these costs in those sub-components to which they are referred as per the contents of activities rather than administration arrangements.

Disbursement of Grant TF 28315 RU of the GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project (US $ '000)

Components A B C

1928,6

5105,9

2269,2

D

8847,3

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The Special Drawing Rights is a currency pool settlement unit of the international financial institutions. The SDR is used to denominate certain groups of the International Monetary Fund credits, World Bank loans, and GEF grants extended via the World Bank. As of the Project approval in 1996, the US dollar equivalent of the GEF Grant was $20.1 million. Due to a sustainable growth of the US dollar exchange rate relative to the SDR currency pool throughout the principal Project disbursement period (1999-2001), the US dollar equivalent of total planned and disbursed Grant expenditures under the Project was $18.1 million. The difference between the above amount and $20.1 million is not GEF Grant "underdisbursement" under the Project: it is accounted for by the variations of the exchange rate.

Russia's counterpart funding is $9.4 million (Annex 3).

The amount consists of: - State budget funds allocated for the implementation of tasks under the Federal Targeted Programs: $6.005 million; - State budget funds allocated for payment and reimbursement of mandatory state taxes and charges on the Project activities. The amount of counterpart funds allocated under that category between the Project launch and December 31, 2002 exceeded $970 thousand; - Cofinancing of the preparation and implementation of Regional Strategies, Action Plans and Small Grants Programs, as well as money from various sources mobilized by the SPNA in 19972002: $13.42 million.

The Project allowed to initiate a number of large investment projects totaling over $110 million and, inter alia, receive the World Bank loan proceeds in the aggregate amount of $87 million for the following purposes: - The Sustainable Forestry Pilot Project (the total project is $75 million, including a World Bank loan of $60 million); -The Krasnoyarsk Emergency Silkworm Outbreak Control Project (about $5 million were allocated under the NPAF in 1997); - The Baikal PPP Modernization Project to convert the enterprise to a closed-loop water cycle (the total project cost is $33 million, including $22.4 million of loan funds allocated under the NPAF).

The Project was a powerful trigger for new GEF projects. The PMU prepared a project entitled Implementation of a Comprehensive Approach to Ecosystem Management in 3 Model Areas with a View to Biodiversity Conservation and Minimization of Biotope Fragmentation in the Russian Arctic (GEF/UNEP, 2001), which was supported both by the Russian Government and

38

GEF. The MNR is currently reviewing a number of project applications, including those that rely upon environmentally sustainable land use to develop biodiversity conservation in the process of land market formation in Russian regions with a long history of land use.

The Project outcomes were also used to prepare a number of GEF projects in 1997-2003, which are currently implemented via the UN Development Program, including: - Conserving Globally Significant Biodiversity of Taimyr including its Keystone Population of Wild Reindeer: A Demonstration - Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in the Altai-Sayan Mountain Ecoregion; - National Action Plan to Protect Marine Environment from Anthropogenic Pollution in the Russian Arctic; - Conservation of Wetland Biodiversity in the Lower Volga Region; - Conservation of Globally Significant Wetlands and Migration Corridors for White Crane and Other Globally Significant Waterfowl.

The Project outputs allow to outline key areas of wilderness protection in Russia under the current conditions requiring participation of all sectors of the Russian society, and may yield maximum short-term benefits for nature conservation in our country.

1. Flexible public awareness activities aimed at dissemination of nature protection ideas among the population and Russian higher management, and wide-scale promotion of support to Russian zapovedniks and national parks.

2. Using the underdeveloped land market conditions and regulations to improve environmental efficiency of land use, and establish environmental networks in the most agriculturally disturbed Russian regions.

3. Transfer from methodology to practice in the wildlife protection system orientation towards "ecosystem services", and developing a market of actual trade-offs between countries and regions for maintaining environmental sustainability.

4. Developing new instruments of public influence on private business using the economic and financial mechanisms of wildlife protection (greening the cadastre land valuation, environmental rating of companies, etc.)

5. Using the international "image" of Lake Baikal to promote socioeconomic development of the Region, and transform its world status from an investment constraint into an advantage for environmentally acceptable activities.

6. Support and development of information connections, and cooperation within the Internet community of wildlife data producers and users, which unites data analysis units of agencies, research institutes, HEIs, individual specialists, and ordinary amateurs.

The aforesaid priorities should be supported through a set of investment programmes and individual projects of different scale, including full-fledged projects of international financial institutions, including GEF medium-sized grants. Under large and medium-sized projects, there is a need to ensure support to local initiatives using such mechanisms as programmes of small grants and/or micro-credits.

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Annex 1. Priorities

1.

The civil society and governmental entities (both Russian and foreign ones) should better know the Russian PAs and their conservation activities. To this end, it is necessary not only to improve and expand the Russian network of PAs, strengthen their human resource, protection and research capacity, but also make them famous, well-known and loved, a pride of all Russian people.

Use the infrastructure and lessons learnt from the public awareness activities under the GEF Project: the established video and film studios, series of documentary films, radio and TV programmes, and publications about Russian zapovedniks and national parks.

The March of Parks

Annex 1. Priorities In the framework of further development of the ecological networks in the Russian Federation, a principal task should be the establishment of an ecological frame over earlier developed regions of the Russian Federation by the year 2010 as set forth in the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy. The following priority regions are recommended for expanding the scope of work to establish ecological networks: southern areas of European Russia, southern areas in the Ural and Western Siberia, Ciscaucasia, and North-Eastern Caucasia

2.

The degree of necessity to develop the territorial nature conservation activities based on greener systems of land use and the establishment of an ecological network

-

Low Medium High Very high Priority

Land areas stripped of natural vegetation (1965-2001) Disturbed land, '000 ha Construction sites and roads, '000 ha Arable land, '000 ha

Prioritisation of investments in the establishment of an ecological frame and networks of PAs

Under the changing land use conditions, the designing of ecological networks is a chance which should be taken by ecologists, particularly, in areas where natural ecosystems are on the verge of disappearance. This activity could be implemented under the Project called "Strengthening the Territorial Biodiversity Protection Based on Greener Land Use in Earlier-Developed Agrarian Regions in Russia through the Land Market Development". An application for this Project has been prepared to be submitted to the GEF.

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Annex 1. Priorities

3.

Follow-up methodological and practical activities to develop international mechanisms of compensating for the costs of countries and regions related to natural ecosystem conservation. Defining an institutional framework and sources of financing for such activities. Search for partners among countries and international organisations interested in formalising the global market of ecosystem services.

Contributions of countries in the preservation of global terrestrial ecosystem sustainability, %.

Nature liabilities (-) and assets (+) of the Federal Districts (US $./man) Far-Eastern Siberian Ural Volga Southern North-Western Central

-Ecosystem losses -Additional heating -Air purification -Water purification -Losses of working ability -Ecosystem services -Carbon credit -Growing stock -Water supply savings -Agro-climatic

Correlation between the area of zapovedniks and the level of regional economic development

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Gross Product Production (% of the total for Russia) per 1 million km2

Russia renders its main ecosystem services through supporting the functioning of natural ecosystem and PAs networks. There is a need to expand these networks and integrate additional ecosystems therein. By the year 2010, the area of PAs (IUCN Classification Categories I-IV) may be increased by 50 %.

In the ecoregions with preserved natural biodiversity, activities to develop the PAs networks is in the focus of another application for a GEF project which has been also prepared in Russia.

Area of Natural Ecosystems (ha per 1,000 population)

Annex 1. Priorities There is a need to introduce new tools to influence private business, economic and financial safeguards for nature conservation, including cadastral land assessment of PAs with due regard to the value of their biodiversity and ecosystem services. It is necessary to green the basic economic tools to influence business practices:

4.

Nature 20%

Credits, soft, targeted

Capital 16%

Global Wealth

Subsidies and donations Trade tariffs and duties Environmental insurance Suits, fines, revenues from selling confiscated goods Maecenasship and sponsorship

Man 64%

Increase the budget revenues from nature resource use

Nature 83-88% Russian Wealth Capital Man 7-10% 5-7%

Payments for resource use

Sources of proceeds to the Russian budget in 1998

Taxes and excise duties

Nature 13%

Capital 38%

Labour - 49%

The mix of sources of financing the costs of nature conservation in Russia in 1996-2001 (%) Proceeds from enterprises and other extra-budgetary sources

94%

Federal budget

1% 3%

2%

Foreign sources

Regional budgets Ratings of environmental costs in lead Russian companies Company

Rating of the costs

Norilsk Nikel Unified Energy System Diamonds of Russia-Sakha Kuzbasrazrezugol Rosneft Severstal Surgutneftegas Lukoil YUKOS Sidanko Gasprom RUSSIA on the average VAZ GAZ

16,48 15,62 11,48 9,59 7,57 7,55 5,63 5,34 4,93 3,88 3,57 1,00 0,37 0,17

Nature and Profit.

Manual for Children and Ministers on Environmentally Responsible Business.

43

Annex 1. Priorities

5.

Follow-up and up-building of efforts to preserve the unique ecosystem of Lake Baikal.

Managerial decisions Maintain and support the activity in all sectors of the society, involving resources of the Government of Russia, Subjects of the Russian Federation, and international donors to apply the approaches outlined in the Baikal Biodiversity Conservation Strategy.

Establish and support an inter-regional Baikal co-ordination council and restore the Federal Baikal Committee.

Resolve the problems with meeting the international commitments of Russia concerning Lake Baikal as a site of World Natural Heritage, and develop model of sustainable social and economic development of the areas within the borders of this site.

Financial decisions Financial compensation for global ecosystem services rendered by the Baikal natural area.

Financial mechanisms of supporting civil society initiatives: the programme of small grants, micro-credits, soft loans, investment in infrastructure ‌, including those for purposes of combating the poverty as a threat to biodiversity.

Orientation towards activities which cannot exist without "clean" Baikal (water bottling, tourism, sale of "Baikal" trade marks, etc.)

Support the re-focusing towards environmentally acceptable management practices.

A principal scheme of establishing an International Fund to be called Living Baikal

The Living Baikal Fund

%

Participation in the Baikal protection through buying securities of the Fund

Capital Gains Fixed Capital

Capital investment in environmentally admissible production operations and its return

Reimbursement for losses and financing of sanation of harmful production operations Preserve Lake Baikal as a World Natural Heritage site

Improve the state of the Baikal ecosystem

Image-related decisions Use the Baikal international "image" to promote the social and economic development of the region and to convert its global status from an investment restriction into an advantage for environmentally admissible activities.

The approval of the Baikal Purity mark by the Trade and Industry Chamber of the Russian Federation will allow to sell its ecologically-pure Russian and international products.

Use the Baikal region as a nation-wide testing ground for environmental education and fostering methods to be replicated.

44

Growing global attention to Baikal

(increasing number of publications) the Black Sea

Baikal

Annex 1. Priorities Developing the principles of information partnership among organisations and individual specialists based on an infrastructure of interactive co-operation and joint development of information products under the BioDat system.

6.

Edit Place

Correct Unite

Order

Add

All together we have a deeper insight into the Nature while alone we are more frequently mistaken

Participate Communicate Contact Discuss

Assess Copy

The BioDat and Internet allow to meet informational and analytical needs of management in a fast manner

Requests

Put your dot

-yourself, -information, -partners, -colleagues, -allies, -clients, -projects, -job

Ministries and Agencies, Research and Higher Education Institutions, Non-Governmental Organisations

Orders

Draw your own map

Promotion of shared knowledge and understanding of complex living systems is an efficient form of participating in management processes

Information Analysis Reports The experience in providing information services for administration and management bodies shows that primary information should be analysed, the most important things singled out, and possible solutions outlined

Instructions 45

Annex 2. Key Project Documents and Materials 1. Первый национальный доклад "Сохранение биоразнообразия в России", М., Госкомэкологии России, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 1997, 170 с. The first National report of Russian Federation "Biodeversity conservation in Russia", Moscow, GEF Project "Biodiversity conservation", 1997, 170 p.

2. Глобальная инициатива в области таксономии и возможный вклад России в ее осуществление. Дарвинская Декларация. М., Госкомэкологии России, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 1998, 39 с.

3. Сохранение биологического разнообразия России. Правовая и нормативно-методическая документация. Авторы-составители: В.А. Орлов, К.К. Ковалев, В.И. Перерва. М.: Госкомэкологии России, Проект ГЭФ, ОкаЭкос, 1999, 470 с.

4. Сохранение биологического разнообразия: позитивный опыт. Редактор А.А. Тишков. М., Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 1999, 115 с.

5. Амирханов А.М., Тишков А.А. Национальная стратегия и национальный план действий по сохранению биологического разнообразия в России. Бюлл.: Использование и охрана природных ресурсов России, 1999, №5-6, с. 87-93.

6. Изучение и охрана разнообразия фауны, флоры и основных экосистем Евразии. М.: РАН…, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия". Материалы Международной конференции, г. Москва, 21-23 апреля 1999 г. , 381 с.

7. Мартынов А.С. Природа и люди России. Экология, религия, политика и действие. Т.2. М.: Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 1999, 132 с.

8. Общественный Договор о сохранении живой природы России. Декларация об общественном согласии в области сохранения живой природы России. Материалы 2-го Всероссийского съезда по охране природы (3-5- июня 1999 г., Саратов). ЭКОСинформ. Федеральный вестник экологического права. № 8-9, 1999.

9. Состояние биоразнообразия европейской части России. Под Редакцией А.Ю. Пузаченко. Москва, Изд. "Страховое ревю"., 2002,174 .

10. Международное сотрудничество в области сохранения биоразнообразия и вопросы гармонизации данных. "Страховое ревю", М., 2002, 67 с.

11. Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия": что дальше..? Под ред. А.С. Мартынова. Москва, НУМЦ, 2002, 69 с.

12. Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия". Крупнейший в последнее пятилетие инвестиционный проект по охране живой природы России. Буклет, 2002 г.

Component А 13. Стратегия сохранения биологического разнообразия России. Компонент А Проекта ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия". Редактор - Тишков А.А. М.: ЦПРП, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", М.: 1998, 62 с.

14. Национальная Стратегия сохранения биоразнообразия. РАН, МПР России, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 2001, 75 с. National Strategy of Biodiversity Conservation in Russia. RAS, MNR of Russia, GEF Project "Biodiversity Conservation", 2001, 73 p.

15. Национальный План Действий. Приоритетные направления. РАН, МПР России, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 2001, 24 с. National Action Plan for Biodiversity Conservation in Russia. RAS, MNR, GEF Project "Biodiversity Conservation", 2001, 73 p.

46

16. Основные положения Национальной Стратегии сохранения биоразнообразия России. Буклет. РАН, МПР, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", М., 2001.

National Strategy of Biodiversity Conservation in Russia. Major Provisions. RAS, MNR, GEF Project "Biodiversity Conservation", 2001.

17. Современное состояние биоразнообразия Нижегородской области. Нижний Новгород, Проект ГЭФ, 1999, Департамент по охране природы и управлению природопользованием Администрации Нижегородской области, Лаборатория охраны биоразнообразия при экоцентре "Дронт"., 1999, 66 с.

18. Подпрограмма "Сохранение редких и исчезающих видов животных и растений" Федеральной целевой программы "Экология и природные ресурсы России (2002 - 2010 годы). С. 121-132.

19. Методика государственной кадастровой оценки земель особо охраняемых природных территорий и объектов (Росземкадастр, 2002).

20. Обзор национальных приоритетов России в сферах деятельности, приоритетных для ГЭФ, и их регионального распределения на основе объективных индикаторов. Методические материалы для территориальных органов МПР России. М.Я. Яковенко, 2002.

21. Экономика сохранения биоразнообразия. Под ред.: С.Н. Бобылева. М.: Министерство охраны окружающей среды и природных ресурсов РФ, 1995.

22. Бобылев С.Н., Гусев А.А., Мартынов А.С., Тишков А.А. Экономика для защиты природы России. Буклет. РАН, МПР, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 2001, 12 с.

23. Экономическая оценка биоразнообразия. Под ред.: С.Н. Бобылева и А.А. Тишкова. М.: ЦПРП, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 1999, 112 с.

24. Экологические проблемы и товаропроизводители: обзор фактов и примеров на российском и мировом рынках. Авторы-составители - Перерва В.И., Мартынов А.С., Тишков А.А. М.: Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия, 1999, 48 с.

25. Гусев А.А. Может ли экономика спасти природу? Экономические механизмы сохранения биоразнообразия. М.:РАН, МПР России, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 28 с.

26. Сохранение биологического разнообразия России. Правовая и нормативно-методическая документация. Авторы-составители: В.А. Орлов, К.К. Ковалев, В.И. Перерва. М.: Госкомэкологии России, Проект ГЭФ, ОкаЭкос, 1999, 470 с.

27. Методы оценки ущерба биоресурсам. Сборник нормативно-методических документов и их аналитический обзор. М.: Госкомэкологии России, ЦПРП Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообраия", АО "Окаэкос", 2000, 240 с.

28. Новый взгляд на богатство народов. Индикаторы экологически устойчивого развития. Авторы: Дж. Диксон, Ж. Бэккэс, К. Гамильтон, А. Кант, Э. Латц, С. Педжиола, Ж.Х. (Перевод с английского). М.: ЦПРП Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия" , 2000, 175 с.

29. Мартынов А.С., Артюхов В.В., Виноградов Г.В. Куда направлять средства? Бюлл. Использование и охрана природных ресурсов в России, №8, 2000, с. 83-95.

30. А. Мартынов, Н. Доманова, Д. Люри, Е. Симонов, А. Тишков. Сколько стоит живая природа? Пособие для детей и министров. М.: 2000, 31 с. (A.Martynov N. Domanova, D. Luri, E. Simonov, A. Tishkov. What price of living nature?

Annex 2. Key Project Documents and Materials A guide for children and ministers. Moscow, 2000, 31 p.)

31. Мартынов А., Рыжова Н., Рыжов И. Природа и/или прибыль? Пособие для детей и министров. М.: РЭФИА, НИА-Природа, 2001, 36 с.

32. Система финансирования охраны живой природы в России. Анализ и базы данных по экологическим проектам. М.: Изд. Дом "Страховое ревю", 2002, 151 с.

33. Финансовые источники, механизмы сохранения биоразнообразия в России и международный рынок экосистемных услуг. Анализ и методические рекомендации. М.: Институт проблем рынка РАН, ЦЕМИ РАН, МПР России, НИЦ "Экопроект", Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 2002, 48 с.

34. Методические рекомендации по созданию фондов поддержки сохранения биоразнообразия. М.: Институт проблем рынка РАН, ЦЭМИ РАН, МПР России, НИЦ "Экопроект", Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 2002, 48 с.

35. Новые финансовые механизмы сохранения биоразнообразия. Под ред.: Е.В. Рюминой и Г.А. Моткина. М., Институт проблем рынка РАН, 2002 , 210 с.

36. Принципы и методы экономической оценки земель и живой природы: Аналитический справочник. Под ред.: Нестерова О.А., Тишков А.А. Сост.: А.С. Мартынов. М.: Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", Институт экономики природопользования, 2002, 101 с.

37. Экономические механизмы разведения диких животных в неволе. М.: Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", Институт эеономики природопользования, ЗАО "Ока-Экос", 2002, 52 с.

38. Экономика сохранения биоразнообразия. Под ред.: А.А. Тишкова. Научные редакторы-составители: С.Н. Бобылев, О.Е. Медведева, С.В. Соловьева. М.: Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", Институт экономики природопользования, 2002, т.т. 1 и 2.

39. Сохранение биологического разнообразия гор России. А.М. Амирханов, А.А. Тишков, Е.А. Белоновская. М.: МПР России, Институт географии РАН, Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", 2002, 75 с. (материалы к национальному докладу по биоразнообразию гор Российской Федерации).

Component В 40. Охраняемые природные территории. Компонент В проекта Глобального Экологического Фонда "Сохранение биоразнообразия". Редакторы Е.А.Шварц, Л.Н.Алейникова. Москва. Диалог - МГУ, 1998.

41. Охраняемые природные территории. Компонент В Проекта Глобального Экологического фонда (Global Environment Facility) "Сохранение Биоразнообразия Российской Федерации". Москва, Диалог-МГУ, 1998 г, 60 стр.

42. Степаницкий В.Б. Научно-исследовательская деятельность российских заповедников- взгляд из Управления. Доклад на совещании "Анализ многолетних рядов наблюдений и компьютеризация ведения "Летописи природы" в государственных заповедниках и национальных парках. Пущино-на-Оке, 3-9 декабря 1997 г.

43. Степаницкий В.Б. Современное состояние и проблемы организации службы охраны в государственных природных заповедниках. Выступление на совещании директоров заповедников в заповеднике "Чазы". Шира, сентябрь 1998 г.

44. Шварц Е.А. История, особенности, состояние и

проблемы реализации компонента В. "Охраняемые природные территории" проекта Глобального Экологического Фонда "Сохранение биологического разнообразия Российской Федерации". Информационный бюллетень для заповедников и национальных парков. №24-25, 1998г., с.33-34.

45. Подпрограмма "Поддержка особо охраняемых природных территорий" Федеральной целевой программы "Экология и природные ресурсы России (2002 - 2010 годы). С. 107-120.

46. Основные направления развития и организации деятельности государственных природных заповедников Российской Федерации на период до 2010 года. М.: МПР России, 2001, 37 с. (одобрено Всероссийским семинаром-совещанием директоров государственных природных заповедников, 24 ноября 2000 г., п. Красная Поляна, Краснодарский край).

Component С 47. Декларация целей, задач и основных принципов стратегии сохранения биоразнообразия экосистемы озера Байкал. Группа управления Проектом ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", под ред. Л.С. Катковой. - Иркутск, 1999, 28 с., Declaration of objectives, tasks and main principles of Lake Baikal Ecosystem biodiversity conservation strategy. GEF Project Implementation Group. Ed.: L. Katkova, Irkutsk, 2000, 28 p 48. Стратегия сохранения биоразнообразия экосистемы озера Байкал. Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", Байкальский компонент. - Москва: Ойкумена, 2001, 48 с. Lake Baikal Ecosystem Biodiversity Conservation Strategy. GEF "Biodiversity Conservation Project". - Moskow: Oykumena, 2002, 48 p.

49. План действий по сохранению биоразнообразия озера Байкал. Проект ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия", Байкальский компонент. - Москва: Ойкумена, 2002, 32 с.

50. Красная книга Иркутской области: сосудистые растения. Под ред А.М. Зарубина. Иркутск: Изд-во "Облмашинформ", 2001, 200 с.

51. Савенкова Т.П. Охраняемые природные территории бассейна озера Байкал. Атлас. - Иркутск: Изд-во "Оттиск", 2002, 96 с., 228 ил.

52. Аннотированные списки фауны озера Байкал и его водосборного бассейна: в 2-х томах.- Новосибирск: Наука, 2001.- т.I: Озеро Байкал, кн. 1.-832 с.

53. Байкал - проблемы и пути решения/ Участникисоставители Каткова Л.С., Мартынов А.С., Мирутенко М.В., Рыжов И.Н., Тишков А.А. - Иркутск, 2002, - 22 с.

54. Доржиев Ц.З., Намзалов Б.Б. Байкал. Мир живой природы: фотоальбом. - Санкт-Петербург: Изд-во "Иван Федоров", 2001.-136 с, 211 илл.

55. Думова И.И. и др. Частные и общественные выгоды и потери сохранения биоразнообразия в Байкальском регионе.-Иркутск: Изд-во Института географии СО РАН, 2002.-77 с.

56. Ландшафтное и биологическое разнообразие бассейна реки Хилок: опыт изучения и управления.Новосибирск: Изд-во СО РАН, 2002.- 308 с.

57. Обзор результатов Байкальского компонента Проекта ГЭФ "Сохранение биоразнообразия: цифры и факты".-Иркутск, 2002.-19 с.

58. Юридическая ответственность за экологические правонарушения в Байкальском регионе (Под ред. Буянова Р.В., Никитина С.В. Москва, 2002.-139 с.

47

Annex 3. Structure of Russian Counterpart Funding under the Project in 1997-2003 Financial Source

Funding Period

Thousand US Dollars

Major Outcomes

Federal Targeted Program Comprehensive Federal 1997-2000 Program for Lake Baikal Protection and Rational Use 2001-2002 of Natural Resources in the Baikal Basin

620

Federal Targeted Program Conservation of the Amur 1997-2000 2001 Tiger

170 60

Establishment of 11 poaching control teams, and two tiger protection zakazniks; and tiger population monitoring

Federal Targeted Program Public Support of State 1997-2000 Zapovedniks and National Parks till 2000 2001-2002

2200

Establishment of 15 new SPNA covering an area over 2.5 million ha; and support of the GEF Project implementation in 82 zapovedniks and 19 national parks

Federal Targeted Program Environment and Natural 2002 Resources (Subprogram Support of Specially Protected Nature Areas in Russia)

115

Scientific support of biodiversity conservation activities : 5 projects in elaboration of actions supported by the GEF Project

Federal Targeted Program Environment and Natural 2002 Resources (Subprogram Conservation of Rare and Endangered Animal and Plant Species in Russia)

95

Scientific support of biodiversity conservation activities: implementation of specific tasks under the National Action Plan

Federal Research and Technology Program Research 1997-2000 and Design in the Priority Areas of Civil Science and Technology (Subprogram Biological Diversity)

840

A Project-consistent scientific support of biodiversity conservation activities: implementation of specific tasks under the National Action Plan (a special resolution by the Subprogram Scientific Council)

Federal Research and Technology Program Research 2002 and Design in the Priority Areas of Science and Technology for 2002-2006

150

Scientific support of biodiversity conservation activities: implementation of specific tasks under the National Action Plan

Assistance in the preparation and implementation of 1997-2002 Regional Biodiversity Conservation Strategies and Action Plans

350

Cofinancing of the GEF Project activities in the context of Regional Action Plan preparation and implementation (establishment of new SPNA, publication of the Red Books, environmental education, etc.)

Funds received by SPNA from regional sources

1997-2002

1300

Support of the GEF Project actions aimed at enhancing protection, research and environmental education

Cofinancing in the context of the Small Grants Program implementation in the Baikal Region

2001-2002

11500

Support of the GEF Project actions aimed at the development of the SPNA regional network (10 new SPNA were established), preparation of biodiversity inventory, ecotourism development, and promotion of environmental education and awareness

Cofinancing of conferences, workshops and forums

1997-2001

100

Contribution through the allocation of funds to rent premises, cover participants' traveling costs, publish materials, etc.

Russian donor contributions to SPNA support

1998-2002

170

Support of the GEF Project actions aimed at enhancing protection and environmental education and awareness

Russian counterpart funding under the Project

1997-2002

970

Payment or reimbursement of mandatory taxes and charges due to the state budget in relation to the procurement of goods, works and services

Total

155

1600

20395

Assessment of the current status of Lake Baikal biodiversity; selection of unique ecosystems for SPNA development; and estimate of landscape capacity for tourism development, etc.