Government program to develop specially protected natural reservations in Belarus in 2015-2019

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko signed decree No. 367 on 24 July to approve the government program for developing the system of specially protected natural reservations in 2015-2019, the press service of the Belarusian leader told BelTA.

The document has been put together taking into account results of the research into the development of strategic avenues for enhancing the system of specially protected natural reservations. The research has been performed by the Science and Practice Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

As of 1 January 2014 the total area of specially protected natural reservations in Belarus was 7.8% of the country’s territory. The system of specially protected natural reservations comprises 1,213 reservations, including one wildlife sanctuary, four national parks, 85 wildlife refuges of national importance and 249 ones of municipal importance, 306 natural landmarks of national importance and 568 natural landmarks of municipal importance. In line with the program for Belarus’ social and economic development in 2011-2015 the area of specially protected natural reservations is supposed to reach 8.1-8.3% of the country’s territory by 2015.

As much as Br119.7 billion will be spent on implementing the government program. As a result of the program the effectiveness of administration of specially protected natural reservations will be increased through developing administration plans for 13 wildlife sanctuaries of national importance and through implementing already prepared administration plans for other specially protected natural reservations. There are also plans to restore ecosystems and natural complexes (dried swamps, flooded territories, overgrown open grasslands, territories subject to erosion) in an area of about 1,200ha.

Apart from that, there are plans to promote ecological tourism and the recreation of the population using specially protected natural reservations. At least 30 tourist routes and ecological trails will be developed. At least 20 new tourist camps and places of recreation will be accomplished in addition to the reconstruction of existing ones. The fulfillment of the government program is supposed to enable conditions for the sustainable development of areas where specially protected natural reservations function and to raise the awareness of the population about specially protected natural reservations in Belarus.