25 July, Minsk /BELTA correspondent/. By Decree No. 367 of 24 July, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko approved the State Programme for the Development of the System of Specially Protected Natural Areas for 2015-2019. This was reported to BELTA by the press service of the Belarusian leader.
25 July, Minsk /BELTA correspondent/. By Decree No. 367 of 24 July, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko approved the State Programme for the Development of the System of Specially Protected Natural Areas for 2015-2019. This was reported to BELTA by the press service of the Belarusian leader.
The document was developed taking into account the results of the research work "Development of strategic directions for the development of the system of specially protected natural areas" carried out by the State Scientific Production Association "Scientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Bioresources".
As of 1 January 2014, the total area of specially protected natural areas (SPNAs) in Belarus constituted 7.8% of the country's area. The SPNA system includes 1,213 sites, including a reserve, 4 national parks, 85 reserves of republican significance and 249 of local significance, 306 natural monuments of republican significance and 568 of local significance. By 2015, according to the Programme for the Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Belarus for 2011-2015, it is planned to increase the area of SPNAs to 8.1-8.3% of the country's territory.
The costs for the implementation of the state programme amount to Br119.7 billion. As a result of its implementation, it is envisaged to increase the efficiency of SPNA management by developing management plans for 13 republican reserves and implementing the developed SPNA management plans. It is also planned to restore natural complexes and ecological systems (drained wetlands, waterlogged territories, overgrown open meadows, erosion-prone areas) over an area of approximately 1,200 thousand hectares.
In addition, it is planned to create conditions for the development of ecotourism and public health improvement in SPNAs, develop and equip at least 30 tourist routes and ecological trails, reconstruct existing and equip at least 20 new tourist campsites and recreation areas. As a result of the implementation of the state programme, it is expected to create conditions for the sustainable development of districts within which SPNAs operate, as well as to increase the level of public awareness about the specially protected natural areas of Belarus.-0-
News of Belarus (BELTA)