January 11 - Day of Reserves and National Parks of Russia: History and Traditions

Every year on January 11, the Day of Reserves and National Parks is celebrated in Russia. The holiday is designed to remind about the important role of these areas for the preservation of biological diversity and unique natural resources of our country. In 2025, the date falls on a Saturday. On the history of its establishment and traditions of celebration read in the material "Izvestia".

Day of reserves and national parks of Russia - 2025: the history of the holiday

Day of reserves and national parks was established in Russia in 1997 on the initiative of a number of environmental organizations. The significant date was timed to the creation on January 11, 1917 on the territory of the North Baikal district of Buryatia the first protected natural area of the state scale in Russia - the Barguzin sable reserve.

In 1986, by the decision of UNESCO, it was granted the status of a biosphere reserve and was included in the international network of biosphere reserves. And in 1996, along with the Baikal and Baikal-Lena reserves and the Transbaikal National Park, it became a part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site "Lake Baikal". Today it covers an area of about 370 thousand hectares, stretching from the shore of Lake Baikal to the main crest of the Barguzin ridge.

The creation of the Barguzin Reserve was the beginning of systematic work on nature protection, but the idea of such activities originated in our country long before that day.

In Russia of XV-XVIII centuries there were special "frontier strips" - frontier forests. From the decree of 1638 it followed "that in the reserved frontier forest no man for beekeeping (forest beekeeping) and for fishing, and beaver, and otter hunts ... did not go". Its violators faced the death penalty. In addition, many territories were specially protected for the needs of royal hunting, which indirectly contributed to the preservation of flora and fauna.

Peter I made a great contribution to the further formation of the ideas of nature conservation. On November 19, 1703 he signed a decree on the establishment of "reserved areas" and the declaration of "reserved trees", aimed at protecting forests as a strategic resource for shipbuilding.

The document required "to take care of preserving forests and in all places, wherever possible, to plant and return good and other necessary things".

During the reign of Peter I, the first steps were taken to make an inventory of certain biological objects, game records, description and mapping of protected trees and oak plantations. He also signed a decree in 1722, which prohibited hunting beavers in rivers, where their population had significantly decreased.

In the XIX century these measures were expanded. The decree of the Senate of November 10, 1832 ordered to allocate to the inviolable reserve from the forests of state peasants "custom groves", which were called "reserved". Their protection was entrusted to volost boards.

Also in this period, the development of a scientific approach to nature protection activities began, Russian scientists began to study ecosystems, developing methods of rational nature management. This is how the idea of protected areas was born.

Thanks to the initiatives of scientists of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and Russian universities Vasily Dokuchaev, Ivan Borodin, Alexander Morozov, Grigory Kozhevnikov, Veniamin Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky and Alexander Formozov, the foundations of modern domestic protected areas were laid, which were realized already in the XX century.

In 1912, the Permanent Nature Protection Commission of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society was established, which prepared and sent dozens of expeditions to various regions of the country to study the territories of future reserves, including Kamchatka, Baikalia, the Volga Delta, Pechora taiga, the Northern Urals, the Sayan Mountains and others.

The result of this work was the project of a network of protected areas, which included 46 natural objects, presented by Semenov-Tyan-Shansky at the Scientific Council of the Russian Geographical Society in October 1917. It was realized by the middle of the XX century already in the USSR.

After the October Revolution, the institutionalization of nature protection activities began, and in the 1920s the Astrakhan, Ilmensky, Caucasian, Voronezh, Kondo-Sosvinsky, Kronotsky, Kedrovaya Pad, Belukha Nature Park and many others were founded.

Under the leadership of Nikolai Vavilov and other scientists, systematic research on biodiversity began. Legislative acts regulating the protection of forests, water bodies and animals were adopted.

In the 1940s-1960s, after the Great Patriotic War, nature protection received a new impetus. The role of academic institutions in the development of conservation policy was strengthened.

The 1980s saw the establishment of the first national parks. In 1983, Sochi National Park was founded, followed by Losiny Ostrov and Valdai Park. Attention began to be paid to the interaction between man and nature and the development of ecological tourism.

Protected natural areas of modern Russia

In modern Russia, state nature reserves and national parks belong to specially protected natural territories of federal significance.

Reserves are areas of land or water space within which the entire natural complex is completely and permanently withdrawn from economic use and is protected by the state.

They also include scientific and research institutions, which are assigned the specified territories. In nature reserves all activities that disturb natural complexes or threaten their preservation are prohibited.

National parks are territories (water areas) where landscapes and unique natural objects are protected. Unlike nature reserves, tourists are allowed on their territory, and economic activity is allowed on a limited scale.

At present Russia ranks first in the world in terms of the size of protected areas - about 13% of the country's area. In Russia there are 107 reserves, 70 national parks, 63 wildlife sanctuaries, 75 botanical gardens and 22 natural monuments of federal importance.

Protected are the populations of rare representatives of the animal world: the Amur tiger, the Far Eastern and Fore-Asian leopards, the snow leopard, the bison, the Siberian crane, the saiga, Przewalski's horse, the polar bear and other representatives of fauna.

Traditions of celebrating the Day of Reserves and National Parks on January 11

On January 11, Russian nature reserves, national parks and cultural centers hold educational events, excursions, lectures and exhibitions dedicated to nature conservation and biodiversity, aimed at raising public awareness of this work.

Volunteers and employees of nature protection areas organize clean-up days, cleaning of territories and other activities aimed at nature protection.

On their professional holiday, employees of nature reserves, national parks, ecologists receive congratulations, the best of them are awarded certificates and commendations for their contribution to nature protection. Solemn meetings and festive events are held in the collectives.

Who and how to congratulate on the Day of Reserves and National Parks

On this day, employees of nature protection areas, foresters, ecologists, ecologists, guides, scientists, volunteers, eco-activists and employees of organizations working in the field of ecology are congratulated. "Izvestia" prepared several examples of how to do this:

"Dear employees of nature reserves and national parks! We congratulate you on your professional holiday! Your work is a huge contribution to the preservation of Russia's unique nature, its richness and diversity. May it bring joy and inspiration, and your labor will be appreciated. We wish you good health, prosperity and new achievements for the benefit of nature!"

"We congratulate you on your professional holiday - the Day of Reserves and National Parks! Your love for nature and selfless labor deserve the deepest respect. May you always be surrounded by harmony, support of colleagues and loved ones, and every day bring inspiration and joy!"

"Dear employees of nature reserves and national parks! Your work not only helps to preserve Russia's nature, it also inspires hundreds of people to protect its riches. We wish you success and energy, let nature thank you with its beauty!".

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of celebrating World Pet Day in Russia and other countries.