TRANSBOUNDARY BIOSPHERE RESERVE “GREAT ALTAI”: FROM IDEA TO MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF BORDER REGIONS

Abstract

Russian-Kazakhstani Transboundary Biosphere Reserve “Great Altai” was officially designated in 2017, after 19 years of planning different transboundary initiatives in the Altai region. It includes Biosphere Reserves “Katunskiy” of Russia and “Katon-Karagai” of Kazakhstan with total area exceeding 1.5 million ha. According to the principles of the MAB Programme, for this area zonation, coordinating managerial structure and management strategy were developed. Joint activities are in place for more than a decade, but only two functions of the biosphere reserves (namely conservation and logistics) are being implemented effectively. Activities, targeted to sustainable development of local communities, are implemented in a more sporadic manner, because of gaps in national legislations. Nevertheless, the transboundary cooperation develops and attracts more participants: Directorate of Protected Areas of Mongolian Altai and Nature Reserve “Karatal-Zhapyryk” from Kyrgyz Republic. Thus the model of transboundary cooperation for conservation of natural and cultural values is suggested and tested in the Altai, demonstrating that UNESCO Biosphere Reserves could serve as triggers and test sites for implementation of the conservation, development and humanitarian initiatives.