Table 6.1 Protected areas in the Republic of Sakha Region and type and name Size (ha) Established Region and type and name Size (ha) Established Lena River basin Indigirka River basin Zapovedniks National nature park Delta Leny (Lena Delta) 1,433,000 1996 Momsky 2,175,600 1996 Olyokminsky 847,102 1984 Zakazniks National parks Saiylyk 700,000 1980 Momsky 2,175,600 1996 Verkhne-Indigirsky 700,000 1992 Sinyaya 1,467,517 1996 Khroma 523,000 1992 Ust-Viluisky 1,016,000 1997 Resource reserves Lenskie Stolby (Lena Pillars) 868,000 1995 Kytakyk 1,607,900 — Zakazniks Suntar-Khayata 631,000 1996 Ochuma 615,000 1982 Eselyakh 500,000 — Timirdikeen 520,000 1995 Sutoryokha 500,000 — Undyulyung 500,000 — Okhogino Lake 214,250 — Verkhne-Amginsky 500,000 1975 Tomporuk 285,600 1983 Kolyma River basin Khariyalakh 280,000 1969 Resource reserves Bolshoe Tokko 265,800 1983 Sededema 65,000 1995 Pilka 216,000 — Sylgy-Ytar 14,000 1984 SAKHA Dzhunkun 200,000 1987 Zhirkovo 11,000 1971 Ungra 200,000 1979 Troitskoe 5,100 1975 Tamma 177,200 1995 Dzherono 60,000 1969 Beloozyorsky 35,800 1974 Yana River basin Resource reserves Resource reserves Delta Leny (Lena Delta) 5,932,000 1996 Tuostakh 500,000 1997 WWF-Sakha (Charuoda) 1,372,000 1997 Omolon 332,500 1996 Belyanka 262,400 1997 Irianna 185,000 1974 Bes-Kyuel 108,000 1996 Kenkeme 93,632 1995 Alazeya River basin Prialdansky 46,000 1997 Resource reserve Kharbai 32,600 1996 Chaiguurgino 2,375,600 1982 Kele 30,000 1996 Anabar River basin Resource reserve Ternei-Tumus 1,112,000 1997 Note: Not all resource reserves are listed. Source: Sakha Ministry of Environmental Protection, 2000. 236 Ⅲ THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST Newell, J. 2004. The Russian Far East: A Reference Guide for Conservation and Development. McKinleyville, CA: Daniel & Daniel. 466 pages include Siberian crane, hooded crane, osprey (Pandion hali- are intended for nature conservation, and educational, aeetus), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), and peregrine falcon scientifi c, cultural, and recreational use. The development of (Falco peregrinus). natural resources within the parks is allowed in some areas, Delta Leny. This zapovednik protects the Lena Delta and provided it is compatible with the overriding purposes and has two major sections: Deltovy (1,300,000 ha) in the central the resource use is compatible with the principles of tradition- part of the delta, and Sokol (133,000 ha) in the Kharau- al nature use. Different types of zoning are allowed within lakhsky Mountains. Channels, bays, and lakes cover over half the parks, including: of the area. The vegetation is primarily tundra, with thickets Ⅲ Protected zones (Tyytyylybat sirder )—all industrial, agri- of willow along the riverbanks. There are about four hundred cultural, and recreational use is prohibited. vascular plant species, including twenty rare species such Ⅲ Sacred areas (Yityk sirder)—places of traditional spiritual- as Androsace gorodkovii, Corydalis gorodkovi, and Saxifraga ity and worship. lactea. The thirty mammal species found here include rein- Ⅲ Limited and active recreation zones. deer, snow sheep, arctic fox (Alopex lagopus), and Kamchatka Ⅲ Traditional nature-use zones (Torut sirder ). marmot (Marmota kamchatica). There are about seventy bird Ⅲ Enclosures and captive breeding zones for endangered species, including Bewick’s swan and Ross’s gull. Important wildlife. fi sh species include various whitefi sh (Coregonus, Prosopium, Ⅲ Protected historical or archeological zones. Stenodus) and sturgeon (Acipenser sibiricus). The zapovednik is working with World Wildlife Fund (wwf)–Russia to cre- The use of land, mineral, and biological resources is pro- ate a biosphere zapovednik to strengthen the protection of the hibited except in zones of traditional nature use. Each park entire Lena Delta. Activities of the zapovednik include moni- has its own directorate. Regulations vary for each park and toring the water quality of the Lena River and the Laptev Sea, determine particular zoning and protection regimes. tracking fi sh populations, studying effects of the diamond industry along the lower Lena, and studying soil composition National resource reserves (Erkeyi sirder). These reserves of the New Siberian Islands. are created to protect land, water, mineral, and biological resources, as well as the land of indigenous peoples, and to National nature parks (Ayan ayilgy). Administered by the allow for environmental education and ecotourism. There Sakha Ministry of Environmental Protection, nature parks is a variety of different zoning regimes, including protected zones, sacred lands, licensed resource-use zones, SAKHA seasonal protection of biological resources, and traditional nature use, determined by the regulations for each reserve. Interaction between landowners and users in each reserve is regulated by negotiated agreements. Tourism and recreation are regulated on a project-by- project basis and licensed. Protected landscapes (Uluu tuolbeler). These areas preserve unique landscapes. Recreation, tourism, and other limited activities are al- lowed. To establish a protected landscape, it is not necessary to take over the land or to pro- hibit current users from enjoying the resources. Regulations for each landscape vary, and they determine the protection regime. Natural monuments (Ayilba meneler). Standard regulations adopted by the republic determine the creation and protection of natural monuments. Reserved territories. Reserved territories pro- tect, sustain, and restore natural habitats. Lim- Tour Agency of the Republic of Sakha of Republic the of Agency Tour ited traditional natural resource use is allowed, Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) den along Sakha’s northern coast. but no industrial mining development. Republic of Sakha Ⅲ 237 Newell, J. 2004. The Russian Far East: A Reference Guide for Conservation and Development. McKinleyville, CA: Daniel & Daniel. 466 pages designated as a location in which dumped fuselages would Biodiversity hotspots be acceptable. However, the public is demanding an end to this practice, because conditions of this agreement have been 1. Vilyui River basin (forest and wetland) regularly violated. l. egorova, n. pavlov—In western Sakha, the rolling hills Large oil and gas fi elds have been explored in the Lena and valleys of the Vilyui River basin are covered with larch and Vilyui lowlands. Some of these, such as the Maas- and sparse forests. The northern part of the basin, where takhskoe, Urelyakhskoe, and Talakanskoe fi elds, are being the terrain is more rugged, with elevations of up to 800 m, commercially developed. Oil spills due to extraction and includes the Markoka, Markha, Tiung, and Tiukyan Rivers. exploration have polluted large areas, and many wells have The southern part of the basin includes tributaries of the Vi- been abandoned. One of the most serious ecological prob- lyui (Chona, Botuobuya, Ulakhan, Ochchugui-Botuobuya, lems in the region has been caused by the development of and others) and the Lena (Nuya, Dzherba, Biryuk, Blue, and Talakanskoe oil fi eld, for which a temporary oil pipeline from others). In January, the temperature drops to –55°c or –60°c; Talakan to Vitim was built along the bank of the Lena River. in July, temperatures reach 35°c. Winds from the west bring Built without the required environmental impact review, the moisture, and the climate is somewhat milder than that of pipeline is not capable of withstanding natural disasters. For central Sakha. example, it has no fi re prevention system, the fi re suppres- sion lane parallel to the pipeline is not wide enough, and the Threats. Diamond mining, oil and gas prospecting, gold pipeline area is fi lled with garbage. and coal mining, cattle grazing, and reindeer breeding are Forest fi res, logging, unsustainable agriculture, and degrading this vast river basin, all of which lies on sensitive uncontrolled hunting and fi shing have created additional permafrost soil. Diamond mining has had the most serious environmental problems. Since 1989, the Yakut Institute of impact, as highly mineralized waters, containing harmful lev- Applied Ecology has monitored public health and environ- els of strontium, bromine, lithium, and boron salts accumu- mental conditions in the Vilyui watershed. Results show that lated during the processing of kimberlite pipes, were stored public health and the environment are in poor condition. in cesspools. Subsequent fl oods washed this waste into rivers, including the Vilyui and Markha. Water quality studies by Existing protection measures. A portion of the Vilyui River scientists at the Institute of Applied Ecology of the North basin remains pristine; the northern territories in particular revealed that the thallium concentration in waters around are not well explored. In 1991, the Yakutia Council of Minis- SAKHA diamond mining ventures was two to three times higher than ters declared the republic a nuclear-free zone. Yakutia banned acceptable. Geochemical studies have shown that there are all nuclear testing, the use and storage of nuclear weapons unacceptable levels of thallium concentrations throughout or radioactive waste, and the construction of nuclear power most of the region. Water pollution by the diamond mining plants. Thanks to the Vilyui Committee and other nongov- venture, Russian-Sakha Diamonds, continues. ernmental organizations, in 1992, the Yakutia Supreme Soviet Vilyuiskaya Hydroelectric Power Stations No. 1 and No. and government adopted a resolution calling for the ecologi- 2 were built to meet the energy demands of the diamond cal restoration of the Vilyui River. In 1997, the government industry. The world’s fi rst power station on permafrost was created a committee to eliminate the effects of nuclear tests. constructed without consideration of the ecological impact. This committee is developing projects to reclaim territories Forests in the water reservoir were not logged, but fl ooded; an affected by the underground nuclear tests, Kraton-3 and estimated 3 to 8 million cu. m remain underwater. This has Kristall. Although the republic launched a government pro- caused tremendous phenol pollution, twenty-fi ve times above gram and identifi ed sources of fi nancial support, funds have acceptable levels in some years.