Published on: 2026-11-05
Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation – Fond Zapovednoe Posolstvo –
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The plenary session of the business forum “Human. Nature. Time,” organized in Moscow as part of the 10th Anniversary International Gathering of Friends of Protected Islands (30.10-5.11), was dedicated to the future of specially protected natural areas (SPNAs), public support, and cross-sector interaction.
The forum, organized by the “Protected Embassy” foundation, gathered participants from Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Abkhazia. The event included 93 representatives from 53 state nature reserves, national and nature parks, several regional specially protected natural areas, as well as 25 business companies, 20 non-profit organizations, scientific and educational institutions. In total, the forum brought together over 200 participants, joined by another 300 delegates of the Gathering from all corners of the country and nearby abroad. The event took place at the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys University of Science and Technology.
The plenary session was opened by the president of the “Zapovednoe Posolstvo” foundation, director of the “Zapovedniki” Eco-center NatalьI am Danilina. She invited everyone to discuss how to use the 110th anniversary of the founding of the first state nature reserve in Russia to consolidate the efforts of all those interested in the sustainable development of the federal and regional networks of specially protected natural areas, in forming an effective, resilient reserve system capable of withstanding numerous challenges. “Many discussions at the Forum sections focused on the role of specially protected natural areas in biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, and their environmental education activities, without which effective nature protection is impossible. Attention was given to projects dedicated to the contribution of specially protected natural areas to socio-economic development, although, unfortunately, the economy was clearly given insufficient attention. And this is one of the reasons for the lack of regard for specially protected natural areas as a special nature conservation sector. Today, we only conventionally call the network of specially protected natural areas a system. We still need to build a reserve system in which all specially protected natural areas and stakeholders interested in supporting them are interconnected and enhance the effectiveness of nature conservation, working together to preserve it.”There are prerequisites for this: it is necessary to unite the efforts not only of environmental specialists but also of everyone willing to help — businesses, the non-profit sector, educational and scientific institutions, volunteers, and local residents,” emphasized Natalia Danilina.
Deputy Chairman of the Board — Managing Director of the Presidential Nature Fund Innokenty Dementyev he thanked the forum organizers: “Thank you for the opportunity to bring together representatives of protected areas and business on one platform. Few manage to do this: usually, they gather separately. Here everyone is together — and thanks to such communities, joint projects and initiatives are created.” He noted that the protected area system is simultaneously a showcase of our country and a stronghold for the preservation of endangered species of animals and plants, and also mentioned that the Presidential Nature Fund supports projects of specially protected natural areas, NGOs, and citizens aimed at achieving the necessary systemic changes.
Spoke about economic motivation Andrey Sharonov, CEO of the National ESG Alliance. According to research within the UN system, 52% of global GDP cannot be produced without the involvement of natural factors: “For every second company, the business model would physically not work without the use of nature.” At the same time, humanity’s investments compare as 30 to 1 in favor of nature’s degradation: we still take much more from nature than we give back. Through regulation and voluntary commitments, Sharonov explained, businesses are increasingly beginning to compensate for what they take from nature, and to confirm this, he cited vivid examples of projects implemented by business in partnership with protected natural areas.
The state circuit of the system was presented by Olga Krever, the deputy director of the Roszapovedtsentr, — on behalf of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, she congratulated the forum organizers on the anniversary Rally and noted that its team has been successfully working with protected areas for thirty years. The guidelines for the protected area system for the coming years, in her opinion, were set by the recently concluded 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, where recommendations directly related to protected areas were adopted: the construction of protected area systems based on the principles of representativeness and connectivity, as well as the development of other effective forms of territorial protection. This resonates with the draft national biodiversity conservation strategy developed by the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, which is currently undergoing final approval by the Government of the Russian Federation.
Natalya Chukhraeva, The deputy head of the Department of Environmental Management and Protection of Moscow spoke about the principles of preserving the capital’s specially protected green areas and the important role that science, particularly the Russian Academy of Sciences institutes, plays in this: the largest green areas within the MKAD ring road have been studied — ecosystems, biotopes, biodiversity, and recreational loads are being determined. In 2025, thanks to ecosystem DNA analysis, discoveries were made in taxonomy: species thought to be extinct were found, and new ones were identified. Starting this year, Moscow plans a biodiversity conservation program for the next 20 years, integrating environmental protection goals into urban policy, transport, and infrastructure. An example of a scientific approach is the “Moose ID” project in the Moscow part of the Losiny Ostrov National Park: telemetry of moose, including measurement of cortisol levels, allows recreation to be organized without conflicts between people and animals. “Any measures planned for the future are based on the slice of knowledge we receive from the scientific community,” explained the speaker.
The nonprofit sector in the protected area system of the future is one of the most important pillars, she is confident Elena Topoleva-Soldunova, director of the Agency for Social Information and chairman of the Public Chamber’s commission on the development of civil society. NGOs attract considerable resources, conduct educational programs for staff of specially protected natural areas, defend their interests, and work with the population. The sector has a separate role — communication: NGO websites, podcasts, and blogs are often more authoritative in presenting information about protected areas than traditional media. “NGOs are the most important channel for education and informing about the reserve system,” Topoleva noted.
The plenary session established the main direction: the key to the sustainability of the protected area system lies in the cooperation of all interested parties. On the eve of the 110th anniversary of the protected area system, this is no longer a wish for the distant future, but an immediate agenda.
FOR INFORMATION
10-y The International Gathering of Friends of Protected Islands is taking placel in Moscow from October 31 to November 5, 2026. In 2027 will be cancelto study 110 years since the creation of the first state nature reserve — Barguzinsky: this date is also considered the “birthday” of the entire protectedoh systemsy Russia. The theme of celebrating the 110th anniversary became the red thread in the events of the jubilee Rally.
*The 10th Gathering of Friends of Protected Islands is organized by the Movement “Friends of Protected Islands” together with the Charitable Educational Foundation “Protected Embassy” and the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization of Additional Professional Education “Ecological Educational Center “Reserves” with the support of the Presidential Nature Foundation and the Presidential Grants Fund. Partners include Roszapovedcenter of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, the Department of Natural Resource Management and Environmental Protection of the City of Moscow. General partner: ANO “Energy of development“. The Gathering of Friends of the Protected Islands thanks the hospitable venues of the Palace of Pioneers at Vorobyovy Gory, NITU MISIS, the International Wildlife Festival “Golden Turtle,” the Zoological Museum of MSU, and the State Darwin Museum.
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