THE POPULATION AND TRANSFORMATION FEAUTURES OF NATURAL LANDSCAPES OF THE UPPER PECHORA IN THE 15TH – 19TH CENTURIES

Abstract

Traditional nature management is a significant factor of forming modern landscapes. International literature holds huge amounts of material on different aspects of nature management history. In Russia this theme is not properly studied despite the fact that general theoretical concepts and verbal reconstructions of potential ecosystem cover have been developed. The forests in the Upper Pechora basin are part of a large intact forest landscape along the Western macroslope of the Northern Urals. Compared to Southern and Western areas the Upper Pechora became inhabited by Russians only in the early 19th century. Earlier there were only two population centers: Ust-Volosnitsa and Ust-Pozheg. The analysis of ethnographic literature shows that before the Russian colonization the Upper Pechora basin belonged to the Voguls (Mansi) from the 12th century. The economic complex of Voguls is attributed by researchers to the type of semi-settled taiga hunters and fishermen with rudiments of reindeer breeding. This type is widespread in the northern latitudes. Hunting, fishing and reindeer breeding were the main occupations of Voguls for many centuries. Berry-gathering and gathering of cedar pine nuts were of secondary importance. Hunting and reindeer breeding had the greatest ecological significance in the transformation of the natural environment of the Upper Pechora basin.

Keywords

• Boreal forests
• Northern Urals
• Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve
• History of traditional nature management
• voguls
• hunting
• fishing
• reindeer breeding