The establishment of a regional network of specially protected natural areas (SPNAS) as a factor in preserving biodiversity in industrially developed regions

Abstract

The Kemerovo Region, also known as Kuzbass, is one of the most industrially developed regions in Russia. It is home to the Kuznetsk Coal Basin, one of the largest coal deposits in both Russia and the world. The intensive development of the mining industry, the formation of open-pit coal mines, waste dumps, and the increasing areas of disturbed land have raised significant concerns about the preservation of the region’s biodiversity. Efforts to conserve biodiversity are being made through the creation of a regional system of specially protected natural areas, which includes 19 state nature reserves, 5 natural monuments, and 4 locally protected natural areas. The total area of regional and municipal specially protected natural territories in Kuzbass is 698,279 hectares, constituting 9.9% of the total regional territory.