A 14,086 hectare nature reserve will be created in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland (the Baltic Sea), on islands and in the adjoining internal and territorial waters of the sea of the Russian Federation. The reserve will preserve exemplary island ecosystems of the Eastern Baltic while the region is intensively explored. The decision will provide the legal foundation for taking special measures to protect the ecosystems as well as the facilities in the nature reserve.
Reference
The proposal was submitted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in keeping with the Federal Law On Specially Protected Nature Areas.
The creation of the Ingermanlandsky State Nature Reserve in the Leningrad Region was approved as per the Plan for Implementing the Concept for the Development of Specially Protected Natural Areas of Federal Significance to 2020 (approved by Government Directive No. 2322-r of 22 December 2011) and the Plan for Marking the Year of the Environment in Russia in 2017 (approved by Government Directive No. 1082-r of 2 June 2016).
Taking into account the proposals received during the public discussion, the name of the state reserve was changed to the Vostok Finskogo Zaliva State Nature Reserve (hereinafter referred to as the reserve). The name reflects the location of the reserve.
The resolution signed by the Government provides for the creation of the Vostok Finskogo Zaliva State Nature Reserve to include 14,086 hectares in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland (the Baltic Sea), on islands as well as in the adjoining internal and territorial waters of the sea of the Russian Federation.
The reserve consists of nine isolated sectors belonging to the Vyborg and Kingisepp municipal areas of the Leningrad Region.
The creation of the reserve aims to preserve exemplary island nature complexes of the Eastern Baltic while the region is intensively explored, to preserve places of the highest concentration of migratory birds and nestling of aquatic and semiaquatic bird species as well as whelping and herding of seals and ringed seals, spawning of valuable wild fish and to maintain the biodiversity on the islands, including to preserve rare and extinguishing flora and fauna species plus to create conditions for education tourism. The special measures to protect the islands within the nature reserve will provide for the conservation of the ringed seal population in the Gulf of Finland, which is now no more than 100.
The materials of a comprehensive ecological survey as well as the inspection of the area, which provide grounds for designating the reserve a federal nature protected area, have gone through public hearings and have received a positive response in a state environmental report.
The decision will provide the legal foundation for taking special measures to protect the ecosystem and facilities within the nature reserve.