Formation of a network of Khabarovsk City protected areas

Abstract

The process of forming a protected areas network is being held in Russian cities that are focused on sustainable development as well as abroad. The retrospective analysis of various levels of the protected areas network formation took place in Khabarovsk – large city in the Russian Far East. The first protected areas were organized in the Khabarovsk City in 1995. The next stage of rapid expansion and growth of the total area and the range of categories of protected areas began in 2014 and is currently ongoing process. The network of the protected lands of Khabarovsk includes 29 areas (585.45 ha): 5 areas (212.43 ha) of regional significance and 24 areas (373.02 ha) of local significance. The predominance of protected sites of local importance and variety of categories (natural monuments, natural park, park areas, nurseries, small public gardens and natural recreational complexes) is the main feature of the formation of the city’s protected areas network. The insignificant share of the protected areas in the total area of the land territory of the city (2.57 %) indicates the necessity for the areas expansion and landscape diversity. The variety of plants is noted in park areas, natural monuments and natural recreational complexes. The results may apply in: environmental planning of urban territory.