Applying the Experience of International Legal Protection of Belovezhskaya Forest to the Development of the Baikal Region Environmental Activities

Abstract

The paper is structured by grouping environmental issues common to various World Heritage sites, including Belovezhskaya Forest and Lake Baikal. The paper highlights the problems of defining the boundaries of World Heritage Site (WHS); the WHS management practice; methods used in protection of the Belovezhskaya Forest to ensure the participation of the local population in the conservation of the WHS; issues of management and conservation of biodiversity on the territory of the WHS. In conclusion, the authors formulate proposals aimed at improving the conservation of Lake Baikal World Heritage site. In particular, it is concluded that among the immediate interests of the local population of the central ecological zone of the Baikal natural territory (especially those involved in the organization of the tourism business) is the popularization of the World Heritage protection regime, along with obstruction of the implementation of proposals to reduce the boundaries of the World Heritage site (including through the erroneous differentiation of the concepts «site» and «region» of the World Heritage). The prospects for using legal methods of interaction between public institutions and government authorities are indicated, including making proposals in accordance with the procedure established by law to improve the management of a World Heritage Site, as well as through the creation of advisory councils of local populations and indigenous peoples.