Altai Reserve. Photo: Pavel Filatov
An alarming bill has surfaced in the State Duma, proposing the potential clearance of numerous reserves and national parks in Russia to make way for real estate development. Originating from the authorities of Stavropol Krai, this is the second attempt by regions to push forward such a controversial bill, with Chuvashia having made a similar effort previously.
This proposed legislation seeks significant changes to federal laws that would impact not only Stavropol but the entire country. If approved, regional authorities would have the power to eliminate specially protected natural areas (SPNAs) or alter them in favor of “investment projects.” The specific criteria or nature of these projects are left unspecified in the document, leading experts consulted by The Insider to believe it was crafted with developers’ interests in mind.
The wording of the document is deceptively broad; if enacted, all reserves could be at risk, not just regional nature parks.
Key Points of the Bill
Specially protected natural areas (SPNAs) are categorized as either federal or regional based on their creators and managers. Regional SPNAs can vary widely in size - from a single ancient tree designated as a natural monument to vast expanses like Yakutia’s nearly 6 million-hectare resource reserve “Lena-Delta.”
Federal Law No. 33 “On specially protected natural areas” currently prohibits any activities on SPNA lands that could jeopardize their preservation. However, on August 10th, a bill was introduced in the State Duma seeking amendments to this law: officials are pushing for…
Article sourced from theins.ru