Preservation of Unique Natural Territories of the North of Russia: from the History of the Creation of the Natural Heritage Site “The Virgin Forests of the Komi Republic”

The Virgin Komi Forests, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site spanning the Pechora-Ilych Reserve and Yugyd Va National Park, represent one of Europe's last expanses of primary forests. This study reveals how Soviet-era scientific efforts, driven by industrial development pressures, successfully preserved over 200 natural monuments across the Komi Republic between the 1940s and 1980s. Leveraging archival sources, it highlights the pivotal role of USSR Academy of Sciences researchers in balancing conservation with resource management, culminating in the establishment of Yugyd Va National Park as a landmark scientific achievement.

Filippova, T. P. (2020). Preservation of Unique Natural Territories of the North of Russia: from the History of the Creation of the Natural Heritage Site “The Virgin Forests of the Komi Republic”. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 539(1), 12011. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/539/1/012011