History Of Ecological Protection Of Lake Baikal From The19th Century To The Present Time

Environmental Protection gained global value about40years ago. Natural environment collapse, disturbance of the ecological balance, disappearance of vast numbers of animal species, environmental disasters making an impact on the survival of mankind, and other issues have become the most urgent problem of the international community. Using all scientific and technological resources, people started to take measures to defend the Earth, developed a special science aimed at a complex study of the Earth’s ecology; and each country seeks possible means to protect the environment and to shift to sustainable development.Lake Baikal (the Russian Federation) is a unique natural area, and notwithstanding the fact that similar natural areas were damaged, Baikal kept its primeval nature and was included in the United Nations World Natural Heritage List for "having an outstanding significance and universal value." Lake Baikal is located in the South of Siberia, it is the deepest and the largest freshwater lake all over the world, it contains about80percent of Russia’s and roughly20percent of the world’s freshwater reserves; this amount would be enough to be used by the whole world during40years. It has many species and an extremely rare freshwater fauna.Today people from all over the world come here to enjoy its beauty, they are very concerned about its past and future. It is quite natural that history of the lake’s ecological protection has become a classic case in the history of the world environmental protection. Giving Lake Baikal a status of a model sustainable development area will serve as a model not only for Russia but for the whole world.The Baikal region may be regarded as an area with a high level of eco-protection activity development, as it has two hundred years’experience of work in this field. Russia, the Soviet Union, and later the Russian Federation attached great importance to environmental protection, in the sphere of legislation a series of special laws was created; at present, there are nine National Parks and reserves established on the territory of the Baikal region. The author was born and grew up in the Baikal region; he feels the power and charm of Lake Baikal, therefore he chose the topic of history of Lake Baikal protection as a doctoral research.This paper is devoted to the research of history of Lake Baikal ecological protection starting from the19th century to the present time. Extensive historical data, monographs, general description of its geological, geographical, environmental, climatic, botanical, zoological, ethnic, cultural, economic and social aspects describe the essence of a historical development of environmental activity from the19th century till the present time. In-depth study of culture of the local population inhabiting the region, public organizations’activity, review of nature conservation laws relating to the Baikal region during the last20years are of special significance and help to make a complex research of the environmental situation in the region.Area of the research:Baikal natural territory (excluding Mongolia).Chronological time frame:from1805till2011.Basic contents:Chapter1is introduction. It includes the research base, definition of its goal and scientific significance, methods and scopes of study; the problem’s historiography, scientific novelty and specificity.Chapter2includes review of natural characteristics of the Baikal region: geographical location, description of drainage system, bio-ecological system and criteria according to which Lake Baikal was enlisted in the World Nature Heritage List, etc.Chapter3is devoted to the history of ecological protection of Lake Baikal; it includes history of environmental activity in Russia (from the10th century to2011); special significance is given to the modern ecological policy, and to the study of the lake by Russian and international scientists.Chapter4includes a brief review of traditions and customs of peoples inhabiting the Baikal region, as well as nature protection laws. Traditional culture is a history of relationships between human and nature. The chapter looks into ecological laws, international nature protection movement and ecological activity in Russia.Chapter5includes history of scientific researches of the Baikal region, socio-ecological aspects of Baikal’s problem, history of the national parks and reserves in the area, as well as connection between traditional culture and social ecology, and consideration of the Baikal region as a world model area of sustainable development.Chapter6is conclusion. It deals with the results of the research, theoretical and methodological propositions which can be used both in a scientific and environmental activity.