ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS DOI: 10.15838/esc/2015.4.40.10 UDC 364.25, 504.75, LBC (S)60,59 © Mikhailova G.V., Efimov V.A. Social Assessment of Specially Protected Natural Areas Galina Viktorovna MIKHAILOVA Ph.D. in Pedagogy Institute for Environmental Issues of the North, Ural Branch of RAS 23, Northern Dvina Embankment, Arkhangelsk, 163000, Russian Federation, [email protected] Valerii Antonovich EFIMOV Institute for Environmental Issues of the North, Ural Branch of RAS 23, Northern Dvina Embankment, Arkhangelsk, 163000, Russian Federation, [email protected] Abstract. Approaches to the consideration of functions of specially protected natural areas (SPNA) in the development of society seek to determine the size of the territory withdrawn from agricultural use for the purposes of nature conservation; these approaches also aim to evaluate money revenue gained from these territories. However, the influence of SPNA on public life is not reduced to the “monetization” of the territory. People who live near conservation areas and experience the advantages (disadvantages) of such neighbourhood should be the focus of the study of the social role of protected areas. The social role of SPNA in the life of local communities in the Arkhangelsk Oblast and the Karelia Republic was identified with the help of public opinion survey. In total 575 people participated in the survey. The research was carried out in the settlements located within the boundaries of Kenozersky and Vodlozersky national parks, and near Shilovsky Nature Reserve. When measuring the impact of conservation areas on the society of the neighbouring settlements, the authors define the axiological, emotional-and-psychological, activity- and-regulatory, economic, forecasting and integrated components. The research findings show that the residents acknowledge the conservation value of protected areas; many of the inhabitants of adjacent territories do not experience inconveniences in connection with the special environmental regime, they earn income connected to the operation of SPNA; there is a positive attitude towards the activity of SPNA. Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast 4 (40) 2015 151 Social Assessment of Specially Protected Natural Areas If these areas cease functioning, then one third of the respondents expect negative changes in their life. Specially protected natural areas contribute to the socio-cultural and spiritual development of the local community to a greater extent in comparison with its socio-economic development. The presence of SPNA on the territory of the municipality opens up opportunities for new types of economic activities, provides employment in the field of recreation and tourism. Key words: specially protected natural areas, social function of nature conservation areas, sociological surveys, environmental management, remote rural settlements. Specially protected natural areas The ratio of the area of SPNA and the (SPNA) are established in order to preserve area of the region is used as one of the key natural diversity, ensure environmental indicators of sustainable development of security and sustainable development of the territory. According to the international society. However, the establishment and convention, a strategic plan for preserving functioning of protected areas for the biodiversity for 2011–2020 assumes that benefit of nature and man can conflict with 17% of land and 10% of water areas will the need for economic development of the be allocated as protected natural areas natural environment to satisfy economic [9]. The share of the territory occupied by and other needs of society and its individual the SPNA of federal, regional and local groups. importance in Russia in 2014 amounted The International Union for Con- to 12% of the total area of the country. servation of Nature (IUCN), which comp- As a result of implementing the RF state rises 82 countries including the Russian program “Environmental protection” Federation represented by the Ministry for 2012–2020, this figure is expected to of Natural Resources and Environment reach 13.5% [2]. Russian experts argue (Minprirody) indicates that the aim that the share of protected areas cannot be of specially protected natural areas is universal or similar for different regions to conserve nature and the services it of the country. Quite obviously, the less provides to man: food, clean drinking attractive areas for resources, the fewer water, protection from natural disasters, obstacles for their inclusion in protected mitigation of climate change. In contrast, areas and vice versa [3]. However, such a biodiversity reduction and climate change directive instruction from the international can affect human well-being and the organization concerning the expansion availability of means of livelihood, because of protected areas in Russia’s regions natural capital is being destroyed and in practice becomes an incentive for global and local sustainability is being managerial decision-making on the creation undermined [9]. However, the need to of new protected areas. demonstrate evidence of significant contri- The contribution of SPNA to the revenue bution of SPNA to the economy and society part of the budget of the territory (country) remains an urgent issue to be solved. is another indicator of functioning of SPNA 152 4 (40) 2015 Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS Mikhailova G.V., Efimov V.A. that concerns the social and economic At the same time, the application of the sphere. When more than half of federal targeted commercial approach to the budget revenues in Russia comes from functioning and development of SPNA mineral extraction industries, the deve- undermines the foundations of this fragile lopment of a system of SPNA appears to branch of natural resources management, contradict the economic development contributes to the loss of the idea of objectives of the country and its regions. nature protection. As the analysis of world There are examples of initiatives put forward experience in building a network of SPNA, by representatives of the Committee on the focus on the rendering of recreational Natural Resources and Environmental services to the population, while important Protection of the Federation Council on to the economy, often does not contribute improvement of legislation concerning the to effective environment protection and creation, change of the boundaries and biodiversity conservation [7]. In Russia mode of protection of SPNA, and cases Protected areas such as national and of their abolition for the needs of subsoil nature parks are intended for regulated users. In this case, “part of the profits tourism. The goal of nature conservation from mineral extraction can be allocated in nature reserves and parks can not always to the development of SPNA, expansion be successfully combined with tourist of biodiversity, and replenishment of the activity in these areas. According to A. budget” [4]. Here we are speaking mainly M. Khomyakova, an expert at Russia’s about the Siberian, Far Eastern and Minprirody, the modern system of SPNA Northwestern federal districts, where the combines “nature conservation” and number of SPNA is the greatest (47, 25 and “rational nature management”, and shifts 13% of the territories, respectively) and the emphasis more and more toward strategic mineral reserves are concentrated. the latter. The dominance of the socio- The income from tourism in SPNA is often economic component in the concept for correlated with real money contribution of development of the system of SPNA leads these areas to the revenue part of the to erosion and further devaluation of the budget. Northern regions consider the original idea of establishment of protected recreation potential as a socio-economic areas [14]. development factor. Here we should note The recovery from the violators of the the positive experience of the Republic of sums charged under the claims for the Karelia, where in 2010 the gross income compensation of damage caused to natural from tourism amounted to 3.8 billion rubles objects is a rather controversial indicator a year, and one of the main tasks of the used by Rosprirodnadzor for assessing the Government of the Republic of Karelia is effectiveness of national parks. Organization to make the tourism industry one of the of protection of nature reserves and objects region’s three major industries along with is considered one of the main issues the timber and mining industries [12]. of SPNA; the website of the Ministry Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast 4 (40) 2015 153 Social Assessment of Specially Protected Natural Areas of Natural Resources provides a list of creating SP NA, and arise in the process of national parks that recovered the maximum formal participation in the environmental amounts claimed from the violators. Thus, protection. in 2006 there were six national parks, each When discussing the strategy of territo- of which recovered from 230 thousand rial development and demonstrating the rubles up to 1 million 800 thousand rubles, influence of SPNA on the implementation which amounted to 82% of all the amounts of socio-economic objectives, a key indicator claimed by the parks system. These national is the standard of living in the settlements parks are located in the Kabardino-Balkar adjacent to SPNA. However, the impact Republic, the Yaroslavl Oblast, Krasnodar of SPNA on the life of local communities Krai, Krasnoyarsk Krai, in Moscow and cannot be estimated