Geospatial Database on Protected Areas of Baikal Region Ekaterina Tsybikova Transparent World, Russia SCGIS Conference, Monterey, 2007

Lake Baikal 1996: UNESCO Natural World Heritage site Age mln Depth – 1637 m 65% endemics

Problem Lack of adequate accessible spatial and descriptive information about protected areas of Russia, results in poor decision making and low public awareness

Main categories of Russian protected areas Probable IUCN categories Amount Strict nature reserves (zapovedniks) IaIaIaIa101 National parks II Federal-level wildlife refuges (zakazniks) Ib, IV, (IV)* 69 Nature parks II Nature monuments III, IV, (III)* Botanical gardens, arboretums - Nature resorts (healing landscapes) - in total: objects (a. 12% Russias area) * - values estimated by summing up all the territory of protected areas

Baikal Region: International protected areas: - UNESCO Natural World Heritage site - 2 biosphere reserves - 1 Ramsar site, 1 Ramsar Shadow list site Federal-level protected areas: - 5 strict nature reserves (zapovedniks) - 3 national parks - 4 wildlife refuges (zakazniks) Regional- and local-level protected areas: - 19 wildlife refuges (zakazniks) - a. 200 nature monuments and other objects

History: Atlas of Russias Intact Forest Landscapes (

Data sources - primary legislation (governmental acts, bills and other papers) - protected areas official documents - additional information spatial and attributive) - additional information (spatial and attributive)

Mapping. Strict Nature Reserves, National Parks and Federal-Level Wildlife Refuges of Russia (2005)

Mapping

Biosphere reserves

Wetlands: - one of the key types of planet ecosystems - serve a variety of hydrological and biochemical functions that are valuable to people Baikal Region Wetlands: Ramsar site: Selenga River Delta Wetland of Ramsar Shadow List: Angara River Delta

Web-based Information system Contents: - news - history of nature protection - publications - conferences proceedings - descriptions of PA - descriptions of Ramsar sites

Description of each protected area: - general information - history - geographic features - flora and fauna - research activities

Application - create protected area GIS - create protected area GIS - presentation and education materials - presentation and education materials - include in decision support system to help deal with conflicts occurring on protected area - include in decision support system to help deal with conflicts occurring on protected area

Application: Guides to national parks and zapovedniks of Russia

Application: Land-use decision- making The Kovikta gas pipeline: Socio-ecological The Kovikta gas pipeline: Socio-ecologicalmapping

Data now available and planned - biosphere reserves zoning (core, buffer, transition zone, biosphere polygon) - biosphere reserves zoning (core, buffer, transition zone, biosphere polygon) - zapovedniks and national parks buffers - zapovedniks and national parks buffers - Ramsar sites - Ramsar sites - Birdlife International sites - Birdlife International sites planned to complete: planned to complete: - nature monuments - nature monuments - territories of traditional land use - territories of traditional land use - important ethno-cultural objects - important ethno-cultural objects

Conclusion GIS is an effective tool for public awareness and decision support, for public awareness and decision support,but great efforts should be done to make data really work great efforts should be done to make data really work

and Society for Conservation GIS ESRI Conservation Program Transparent World International socio-ecological Union Biodiversity Conservation Center World Resource Institute Thank you! Ekaterina Tsybikova Transparent World, Russia