Mount Yangantau in Bashkortostan can become site for first UNESCO Geopark in Russia

UFA, 7 June 2017. /Bashinform News Agency, Gulfiya Akulova/. The creation of Geoparks in Russia was discussed within the framework of the International Environment Forum, which is being held in Ufa at the VDNKh-Expo complex these days. Salavat or Burzyan districts may be chosen as a site for its creation.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission of the Russian Federation for the UNESCO Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Grigory Ordzhonikidze announced its version of the location of the first Russian Geopark - the Salavat district of Bashkortostan, Mount Yangantau. There are 31 specially protected natural territories - five state nature reserves and 26 natural monuments, a geological monument - "Mechetlino Geological Section" on the designated territory. There one of the most popular Bashkir sanatoriums - "Yangan-Tau" is located, which took the first position in the Top 100 Russian health resorts in the rating of investment attractiveness.

Also at the "Russian Reserves - Developing Through Protection" plenary session, Grigory Ordzhonikidze, proposed to expand the territory of the "Bashkir Urals" biosphere reserve, including a habitat of the Burzyan wild hive bee into it, in order to prevent a possible reduction of its population.

Besides, the first real estate property in the country was constructed under the "green standards" of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia in the territory of the reserve. Now it houses an information and service centre. In particular, eco-friendly technologies were used in its construction, and houses were built of modern energy-saving materials, electricity generated from solar panels, heat from heat pump and recuperation system.

The special UNESCO program, which provides for the creation of the Global Network of National Geoparks, has been implemented since 2002. The new brand "Global Geoparks of UNESCO" was ratified by 195 states within the framework of the 38th session Of the General Conference of UNESCO in 2015, including Russia. Today, more than 100 sites in 30 countries have the status of the UNESCO Geoparks. Bashkortostan can become the first Russian region where UNESCO Geoparks will be opened.