Protection of minerotrophic mires of South Western Siberia

Grant Agreement nr. WGP1 07 GPI 33

Agreement holder: Institute for Biology and Biophysics, Tomsk State University

Country/region: Russia, Asia

Activity period: 01/10/2001 – 30/06/2002

Objectives and results:

Conservation of representative parts of West Siberian minerotrophic peatlands which are among the most threatened and fragile mire types in the world:

1. Identification and designation of at least two new protected areas (zakazniki) on the Great Vasyugan Mire and in the river Ob floodplains with future perspectives as Ramsar and World Heritage sites.
2. Coordinate and foster local, regional and international partnerships of governmental and non-governmental organisations and agencies to implement such project.

Immediate objectives:

1. Prepare a set of official documentation for nomination of the part of the Great Vasyugan Mire (1 mln ha) and the Ob’ floodplain (50,000 ha) as protected areas (April 2002),
2. Arrange for the nomination certificate for Protected Areas of regional and federal level under Russian legislation (June 2002),
3. raise awareness and develop agreements with all relevant stakeholders on the sustainable land use, monitoring and protection status maintenance (April 2002).

Achieved:

1. The two areas have been defined (boundary delineation), and local consensus was build. Official designation is not yet accomplished due to administrative delays.
2. For the Vasyugan area, a working group was established (reps. of 14 Gos, NGOs, Community groups, and private sector) by Governor declaration. A similar group was formed for the Ob floodplains. Internationally, Global Forest watch, IMCG, Univ. of Utrecht, and WI were involved.

1. Official documentation was prepared for the Greater Vasyugan Mire system – 773001 ha zakaznik, and 498406 ha bufferzone. An agreement has been completed for the zakaznik proposal in Novosibirsk Oblast. Final agreement by the Tomsk Oblast was postponed until 1 October 2002. The agreements include many decisions regarding management of resources by many resource user groups, including hunters and foresters.
2. For the Ob area, no final delineation was accomplished yet, due to changes in local and federal administration. Draft agreements have been prepared.
3. Awareness on the international importance of the areas was significantly raised. Processes for Ramsar site designation have started.

This very ambitious project has not yet achieved its final goals. It has, however, been very successful in many ways, and steps are planned and being taken to also reach the ultimate goal of full establishment of these protected areas. Main achievements:

1. Reaching agreements on the need of establishment and sustainable management of a new major interregional protected area on the Vasyugan Mire and establishment of a half a million ha bufferzone, involving a large number of government agencies, including hard core economists and industry-oriented policy and decision makers, as well as NGOs, private sector agencies (incl. oil & gas, forestry, agriculture) and international scientists, is a tremendous achievement, confirming the serious intention of the government and guaranteeing the successful completion of the project.
2. Greatly enhanced awareness and consensus at all levels, both among GO decision makers, private sector, as well as the general public. In the Bakchar region, local people were worried about loosing their resource use rights, and through information campaigns via local media these worries have dissipated.
3. So far 12 official documents have been produced by the project. The work is continuing, also without GPI support, and many more documents products are needed and planned, including scientific publications based on all the background materials collected for the designation of protected areas.