Terskij coast: conservation of virgin sub-arctic landscapes on the northwest of Russia

Stepan Kovalsky

Project "Terskij bereg - Terskij coast: conservation of virgin sub-arctic landscapes on the Northwest of Russia" will open a new page in sub-arctic conservation researches on the North-West of European Russia. Our preliminary data received from specialists of Kandalaksha State Reserve (Zapovednik), Kandalaksha, Murmansk obl. and Centre for Wildlife Conservation, Moscow, show that there is still a frontier site – the Vostochnaya Umba town (Murmansk obl.). It includes an old-growth spruce forest on its northern border, sub-tundral open woodlands and marsh-lands - an integral landscape with many rare and endangered plants and animals. However, the wood logging in Murmansk oblast is expending at an unprecedented rate. According to our data (from local and federal forest departments), this region will be deforested in about 20 years. Our project is aimed at the conservation of sites with a complete frontier landscape, including old-growth forests. We will carry out ecological, botanical and zoological research to provide distribution data, elaborate on the conservation status of the threatened and endemic species and to initiate detailed ecological studies of threatened species to facilitate the drafting of action plans and conservation strategies. We also plan to find more important sites with a complete frontier landscape, including old-growth forests. Finally we'll present the project for the local Reserve (Zakaznik) with its borders and regime of conservation to the Goskomprirody (Federal Nature Conservation Committee), its provincial branch (Murmansk Province Nature Conservation Committee) and Murmansk Provincial Administration for its realization. We work in informational contact with the Kandalaksha State Reserve. This project was approved by the Goskomprirody (Federal Nature Conservation Committee), its Provincial and Local Branches.