Great Andoma Watershed, biodiversity inventories in the Vologda Region

The Vologda State Pedagogical University and the Finnish Environment Institute have made a cooperation agreement within the development programme "Sustainable Forest Management and Conservation of Biological Diversity in Northwest Russia". Biodiversity inventory of Great Andoma Watershed is the first step in Vologda Region towards the planned GAP-Analysis project of the nature protected areas network in Northwestern Russia.

Biodiversity inventory of Great Andoma Watershed is the first step in Vologda Region towards the planned GAP-Analysis project of the nature protected areas network in Northwestern Russia. The inventory work is based on the research carried out by the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Vologda State Pedagogical University in the Andoma Upland area.

Here, at the "Atleka" height is the only place in Europe, where the water systems of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans as well as the continental Caspian Sea cross. Four regional protected areas have been established in the area with well preserved fragments of mid-boreal old-growth forests of over 180-200 years of age. The Andoma Upland is genetically and by its landscape similar to the Kirillovskaya Watershed and the Vepsovskaya Upland, where regional nature protected areas have been established as well.

In 2001-2002, the project has included inventory and evaluation of landscape, eco-system, flora and fauna diversity. The work was also focused on the assessment and analysis of the representativeness and gaps of the existing protected areas network and proposals for further improvement of the network. The project has been looking into the history of human settlement in the region and its cultural heritage.

Nine regional protected areas were studied under the project. The research confirmed the significance of these reserves as the reference examples of the nature of the Northwestern parts of Vologda Region. Over 300 rare and endangered plant species and 83 bird species have been identified. Six of these plants are registered in the Red Book of Russia. Thus, the monitoring work of nature protected areas was started in Volodga. The research work confirmed that the landscape approach forms one of the basis for GAP analysis in creating and developing a comprehensive protected areas network in Vologda Region. The work carried out so far has revealed lack of wetland and mire ecosystems within the protected area network. New protected areas are needed to secure the conservation of the congregating areas for migratory birds at the eastern coast of Lake Onega. These are some preliminary conclusions of the project, while processing of the field research data is still going on.

German A. Vorobyev
State Pedagogical University of Vologda

Top  |  Back  |  Home