1. Russia and the Environment
Artwork: Ivan Shishkin

2. 5 Physiographic Regions:
Russian Plain
Urals
Central Siberian Plateau
Western Siberian Plateau
Mountain Rim

3. Climate
Severe continental climate
Much of land area is above 60N
Permafrost
Frozen seaports in the north

4. Russian, Transcaucasus, Central Asia’s Physiographic Regions

5. Russia’s 5 Natural Landscapes Types
1. Tundra- an Arctic wilderness where the climate precludes any agriculture or forestry. Permafrost and very short summers mean that the natural vegetation consists of mosses, lichens, and certain hardy grasses

6. Siberian Tundra

7. 2. Taiga- ecological zone of boreal coniferous forest
3. Mixed forest- wooded area comprised of a variety of tree species, both hardwoods and softwoods

8. 4. Steppe - semiarid, treeless, grassland plains
photo: H. Zeitler

9. example: Mountain in Vladivostok Region, Russia
5. Mountain Rim
example: Mountain in Vladivostok Region, Russia

10. Russian Environmental History
Soviet central planning placed strong emphasis on industrial output, with very little regard for environmental protection. Result is severe environmental degradation.
Resulting problems:
Overcutting of forests
Widespread use of pesticides
Heavy water pollution
Acid rain
Soil erosion
Desertification
Air pollution
Radioactive contamination

11. Areas of Environmental Degradation

12. Russian Environmental Degradation: Chernobyl

15. Lake Baykal
See your text for this story.

16. Russians in Two Different Landscapes
Film #1: The Steppes of North Caucasus
Film Questions:
What kind of climatic and physiographic characteristics exist in this part of Russia?
How do people make a living here?
How do they adjust to this climate and landscape?
What are some of the political and ecological challenges?

17. Film #2: Norilsk: Life in the Arctic
Film Questions:
What kind of climatic and physiographic characteristics exist in this part of Russia?
How do people make a living here?
How do they adjust to this climate and landscape?
What are some of the political and ecological challenges?
How are indigenous people impacted by this way of making a living?