The article emphasizes the special purpose of heritage sites located in specially protected natural areas (SPNA). Historical memory of the interaction between man and nature is preserved and our understanding of the authenticity of heritage is expanded due to these objects, as true authenticity can only be achieved through the cultural and natural landscapes, that contain heritage sites, for many years they remained unaffected by intensive human activity or were used for traditional environmental management – hunting, fishing, grazing, farming and other activities not associated with a destructive impact on natural landscapes. The leading role of protected areas is most noticeably manifested in connection with the preservation of sacred, ethnographic and archaeological heritage, monuments of traditional environmental management, ethnology, historical communications, and examples of traditional economic and socio-cultural activities. The article raises the question of the need to establish close contacts between bodies for the protection of cultural heritage and nature conservation, as well as institutions subordinate to them, primarily nature reserves, national and natural parks, museum reserves and estate museums.