Environment < Feature

Russian Far East Secures Major Land Protection

The 2,700-mile Amur River flows through vast tracts of pristine wilderness in the Russian Far East.

"The land has been protected at a time when many timber and mineral industries have taken a great interest in extracting the region's resources."

In a historic conservation measure early this summer, the government of Russia's Amur region put 1.8 million acres of the country's Far East under permanent protection from development. The six areas, together greater in size than the state of Delaware, are now off limits to most human activity. Some of the land has also been designated "areas of traditional use" for the indigenous Evenk peoples.

BAIDO member Pacific Environment, an Oakland-based non-profit, assisted in the five-year effort to protect the lands. The Amur Socio-Ecological Union (SEU), a Russian organization, led the way, and the Russian Far East branch of the Worldwide Fund for Nature also helped in the hard work of expeditions, mapping, public education, and advocacy.

David Gordon, Associate Director of Pacific Environment, said the designation brought much-needed attention to the "vast global treasure" of Russia's pristine hinterlands.

"While in America we're fighting to protect small swaths of what wilderness remains, across the Pacific there are still huge areas that have escaped development," Gordon said.

Of the six areas, five are wildlife refuges that allow a limited amount of human influence while protecting large habitat areas for flora and fauna. One area was designated a natural monument, which protects a particular species in a small area - in this case, vast forests of Siberian pine.

"At a time of unprecedented threat to the Russian taiga (or forest), this is an extraordinary day," said Svetlana Titova, Director of the Amur SEU, when the designation came through. "Hundreds of miles of the Amur forests will now be protected from interference from industry, and with minimal effects of man."

The designation was the single largest in the history of the Amur region, and one of the largest in the world. It came at a time when many timber and mineral industries have taken a great interest in extracting the region's resources. Amur has historically been an area of intense logging and mining by Russia, and more recently, by China.

The Amur River begins in Russia, flows for some 2,700 miles (4,320 km) along the Russia-China border and through the Far East, and empties into the Sea of Okhotsk. Unencumbered by dams, it winds through temperate forest, desert, and steppe. The Amur region in the Russian Far East is home to a wealth of Russia's biodiversity, including brown bear, roe deer, and Oriental White Stork.

Pacific Environment helps protects the living environment of the Pacific Rim by supporting over 100 grassroots organizations in Russia, China and Japan. It also works to reform international finance and trade agencies. For more information, contact David Gordon, 510/541-5334 or email dkgordon@pacificenvironment.org.