Nature Conservation Areas as a Tool of Sustainable Natural Resource Management
A particular role in sustainable management of natural resources in general and forest systems in particular is given to the creation and development of nature conservation areas (NCAs) in order to preserve unique areas of the biosphere - land, water areas with corresponding layers of the atmosphere and lithosphere taken out of the traditional intensive economic turnover and aimed at preserving ecological balance and supporting an environment maintaining life and health of human beings. More and more forest areas around the world are given the status of protected areas and methods of natural resources management aimed at achieving sustainable development goals are being improved. Preservation of nature areas becomes a particularly topical issue considering that environmental problems associated with using forest raw material, mineral and fuel-and-energy resources are aggravated. Distribution of NCAs around the globe depends on the geographical position of a country, its level of social and economic development, peculiarities of the national economic policy, etc. According to the Convention on Biological Diversity natural conservation areas are to take up to 17 % of land and 10 % of water areas of the Earth by 2020. In Russia year 2017 is declared the Year of nature conservation areas. NCAs occupy about 12 % of the total area of the country but they are unequally distributed among the regions. A study of the situation, use and development of regional NCAs is carried out on the example of Irkutsk Oblast. NCAs take up about 3 % of its total area, which does not agree with the status of the region considering the value of Baikal as a World Heritage Site and condition of the territory around it characterized by the great diversity of species and ecosystems. Main problems typical of Irkutsk Oblast NCAs are almost the same as problems countrywide. In order to avoid risks of losing unique natural sites, biodiversity, nature systems in general, upsetting the ecological balance in the majority of regions of Russia, it is necessary to update regulatory framework concerning NCAs, elaborate a scientific basis of the reserve management and studies and develop a suitable ecological and economic policy implemented through the creation, use and development of nature conservation areas.