Ecotourism without damage to nature: we learned how specially protected areas are managed in Belarus

The most effective mechanism for preserving biological and landscape diversity is the formation and sustainable functioning of specially protected natural areas. This was stated at a press conference in the House of Press by Alexander Tchaikovsky, Director General of the Scientific and Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Bioresources, sb.by correspondent reports.

Specially protected natural areas are no longer considered exclusively as a tool for conservation of nature. An integrated ecosystem approach is of great importance, in which OPTs become the centre of sustainable development to ensure the conservation of biological diversity.

- Our system of specially protected natural areas is quite diverse and extensive, the speaker noted. In the structure of the OPT, forest ecosystems make up 58 percent, swamp ecosystems - about 20 percent, meadow ecosystems - 17 percent and inland water ecosystems - about 5 percent.

Today, one of the areas supported by the state is the development of ecotourism. The country has more than 300 ecological trails, almost a third of which are located in specially protected natural areas.

- The development of tourism should not cause damage to natural complexes and facilities, and all tourist activities can be implemented only within the framework of permissible recreational loads, which are established on the basis of developments and scientific grounds when declaring or transforming specially protected natural areas, the speaker recalled.

The integration of the ecosystem approach into the management of OPT in Belarus is implemented through management plans. These are strategic planning documents that determine the list of necessary active protection measures for the conservation of biological and landscape diversity and ecological systems. In 2018, the law “On Specially Protected Natural Areas” was adopted, where management plans received the status of a mandatory document. As of January 1, 2025, the Republic of Belarus has developed 42 management plans for specially protected natural areas.

Management plans for nature monuments are being implemented and developed. So, this year, a plan for the management of natural monuments “Krasnoselsky Maldives” (Volkovysk district) and “Snovsky Park” (Nesvizh district) is being developed. First of all, the designated documents set such a goal as the sustainable use of territories for the development of tourism, provided that valuable natural complexes and facilities are preserved.

- Work on the improvement, arrangement and construction of tourist facilities within the boundaries of specially protected natural territories should be carried out on the basis of the management plan, Alexander Tchaikovsky emphasized.

When developing management plans, recreational use of the territory, economic activity, hunting and forestry, historical and cultural potential, the local population and its settlement in these territories are necessarily taken into account. This balances interests between conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.

The management plans provide for special measures to regulate tourist flows, arrange ecological trails, recreational places, and monitor the state of ecosystems under the influence of all recreational loads. All recreational activities in specially protected natural areas are carried out on a scientific basis and in strict accordance with environmental legislation.

- Our specially protected natural areas are also scientific platforms where fundamental and applied research of biological and landscape diversity is carried out, the speaker added. Modern methods are used: genetic, geoinformation technologies, including using satellite images. Ministry of Natural Resources: about a third of the territory of Belarus is under special environmental protection