The expansion of ski resorts will cause irreparable damage to the site " Western Caucasus", this conclusion is contained in the decision of the 42nd session of the Committee World Heritage UNESCO held in Bahrain.
Draft decision of the 42nd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on the Western Caucasus site (42 COM 7B.80), according to World Fund experts wildlife(WWF) generally reflects existing threats to its Outstanding Universal Value. In particular, the Committee expressed serious concern about the transfer of land plots from Sochi national park and the Sochi Nature Reserve for rent to companies associated with the Rosa Khutor ski resort for the purpose of its further development. One part of these sites is located directly on the border of the World Heritage Site, while the second goes far up the Mzymta River valley, effectively threatening the ecological integrity of this territory.
In addition, the Gazprom company plans to build ski infrastructure on the Grushevoy Ridge, a unique territory on the border of the site, which in 2008 was protected from the construction of Olympic facilities thanks to the personal intervention of Vladimir Putin.
WWF welcomes the Committee's appeal to Russian Federation with a call to prevent the construction of tourist infrastructure facilities on specially protected natural areas(SPNA) due to the risk of negative impact on the Western Caucasus World Heritage Site. The risk assessment must be carried out in accordance with the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It should be noted that for the first time, the decisions of the World Heritage Committee include not only the heritage site itself (the Caucasus Nature Reserve), but also the protected areas bordering it. This acknowledges that Negative influence the object is affected, among other things, by projects implemented outside the boundaries of the Caucasus Nature Reserve in the adjacent territories.
« Our concern about the extensive development of ski resorts in the Krasnaya Polyana area was finally noticed by the World Heritage Committee, as evidenced by the decision adopted at the end of the Commission,- speaks Igor Chestin, Director of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). - Without a doubt, the expansion of resorts will completely destroy the upper reaches of the Mzymta, where there are valuable habitats and a migration corridor for many species of animals, while the main part of the Caucasus Nature Reserve will gradually fragment, losing its significance. We expect that the Committee’s decisive position will become a barrier to further destruction of the unique ecosystems of the Russian Caucasus. The expansion of resorts is already taking place, while an assessment of what is happening has not yet been given. There is no up-to-date and scientifically based information on their impact on the environment either for projects already underway or for those planned.» .
WWF Russia \ Sergey Trepet
Gazprom and Rosa Khutor have repeatedly demonstrated publicly design solutions for further expansion of their territories, including at the expense of the territory of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve. De facto, the construction of resorts is already actively underway. In addition, recently the Ministry of Affairs North Caucasus Plans for the construction of a highway were announced Mineral water- Adler, which can pass through the territory of the Caucasus Nature Reserve. In this case, the Western Caucasus risks becoming almost completely cut off from the rest of this region. mountain system.
WWF Russia and Greenpeace Russia made a joint statement at the session that plans to build resorts and infrastructure on the territory of the Western Caucasus World Heritage Site, as well as in adjacent areas, threaten its outstanding global value. Environmentalists appealed to the members of the World Heritage Committee with a request to take the measures provided for by the World Heritage Convention and prevent the implementation of these projects.
WWF welcomes the adoption by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) of the document "Sport and Biodiversity guide", which regulates the work of the sports sector in the context of its impact on nature and assessment of its environmental potential, as well as the inclusion in the reports of several World Heritage sites ("Western Caucasus" in Russia , Pirin National Park in Bulgaria), which are under threat due to the construction of large sports facilities. The document was developed as part of an agreement between the IUCN and the International Olympic Committee aimed at preserving and restoring biodiversity in Olympic sites, as well as maintaining nature as a key factor in conservation healthy image life.
UNESCO World Heritage sites are sites created by nature or man that have cultural, historical or environmental significance for humanity. The Western Caucasus site was included in the World Heritage List natural heritage UNESCO in 1999. It includes the Caucasian State Reserve, the Bolshoi Thach Natural Park, the natural monuments “Buiny Ridge”, “Upper Reach of the Tsitsa River” and “Upper Reach of the Pshekha and Pshekhashkha Rivers”.
The Caucasus Nature Reserve is the main part, the core, of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site (nomination “Western Caucasus”) (UNESCO World Natural Heritage Certificate dated December 4, 1999) November 30, 1999. The nomination “Western Caucasus” was adopted at the XXIII Session of the World Heritage Committee UNESCO Heritage Site in Marrakesh (Morocco), becoming the fifth Russian site to be awarded this status. The nomination unites the territory of the Caucasus State Natural Biosphere Reserve, the Bolshoy Thach Natural Park, the natural monuments “Buiny Ridge”, “Upper Reach of the Pshekha and Pshekhashkha Rivers” and “Upper Reach of the Tsitsa River”, reaching a total area of 301,068 hectares, of which 103,267 hectares are located on the territory Republic of Adygea. The inclusion of a number of protected areas of the Western Caucasus in the World Natural Heritage List is recognition of the uniqueness natural complexes this region.
The work on nominating the Caucasus Nature Reserve was carried out by scientists from the Caucasus Nature Reserve, activists from the German Nature Conservation Society (NABU), and employees of the Maikop State Technological Institute with the active support of Greenpeace Russia (the headquarters of scientists worked for 3 years). As defined in Article 2 of the World Heritage Convention, natural heritage includes the following: natural monuments consisting of physical and biological formations, or groups of such formations, which form part of the outstanding world heritage from an aesthetic or scientific point of view; geological and physiographic formations and clearly defined zones constituting the range of endangered species of animals and plants that represent an outstanding global heritage from the point of view of science or conservation of natural features; natural sites or clearly designated natural areas that are part of the world's outstanding heritage for reasons of science, conservation, or natural beauty.
The basis for inclusion of such areas in the World Natural Heritage List is its compliance with one or more of the criteria listed below, as well as certain integrity conditions formulated in the text of the Convention. The nomination “Western Caucasus” fully complies with all four criteria, namely: It represents a clear example of reflecting the main stages in the history of the Earth, including traces of ancient life, serious geological processes that continue to occur in the development of forms earth's surface, significant geomorphological or physiographic features of the relief. All important geological periods of folding of the Caucasus are represented on the territory of the nomination. The only Triassic anticline of its kind in the area between the Bolshaya Laba and Belaya rivers has no equal in its severity in the Caucasus. A unique geomorphological formation - the Abadzekh gorge in the upper reaches of the Tsitsa River, is a natural vertical section, reaching 1 km in depth and 10 km in length, it characterizes the location of the main geological levels of the Caucasus. The varied topography of the Western Caucasus reflects the movement of an ancient glacier. Thus, trough valleys, moraines, mountain swamps and lakes are common here. Another feature is the rich representation of all karst manifestations of limestone massifs in the northern part of the TVPN. Rich representation of rock outcrops of different ages and composition: from ancient Precambrian and Lower Paleozoic strata to Jurassic, Cretaceous and Paleogene deposits, it also has important paleontological significance. Provides a clear example of important and long-term ecological and biological processes occurring in the evolution and development of terrestrial, riverine, coastal and marine ecosystems and plant and animal communities.
The entire diversity of ecosystems of the Western Caucasus, forming a single natural-territorial complex, has been preserved in their pristine state. Thus, the processes of evolution and speciation occurring here have a large scientific significance not only as an exemplary path of natural development, but also for the regeneration and conservation of similar ecosystems in Eurasia. Historical development The lands, the diversity and peculiarities of physical and geographical conditions, a unique complex of environmental factors have formed a unique diversity of species with a rich representation of relics (primarily Tertiary time), regional and local endemics. The Caucasus is a unique center of speciation, which has no equal in Europe and Western Asia. The reason for this is, among other things, the intersection of several biogeographical regions in the Caucasus.
On the territory of the nomination there are several local centers of evolutionary genetic form and speciation, for example: the Fisht-Oshten mountain cluster, the Bolshoy Tkhach mountain massif. The high genetic differentiation of many species common here, located at the edge of their distribution or far from their main range, as well as populations in isolated biomes, have significant evolutionary potential. Includes unique natural phenomena or an area of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic value. Includes natural habitats of great conservation importance and significance biological diversity, including endangered species habitats that represent an outstanding global asset from a scientific and conservation perspective.
The nomination “Western Caucasus” is an integral environmental territory that has never been subject to significant human impact. In terms of its size, it has no equal not only in the Caucasus, but also among the mountainous regions of Europe and Western Asia; contains living spaces necessary for the conservation of many endangered, rare, endemic and relict species of plants and animals, represents a natural and unmodified habitat for the most vulnerable large mammals- mountain bison, Caucasian red deer, Western Caucasian tur, Caucasian brown bear etc. The protection and restoration of the number of mountain bison living freely in nature can be presented as one of the important tasks of the nomination. Although the native Caucasian bison were exterminated in the 20s of the twentieth century, after 50 years of selective hybridization and action natural selection, today we can talk about a successful example of the restoration of animals that occupied an empty ecological niche. In connection with such significance of the Caucasian Nature Reserve on a planetary scale, conservation work should be developed here at the proper level - protection of the territory, Scientific research and ensuring support for the activities of the reserve team by all segments of the population.
Located west of the meridional line passing through Mount Elbrus. The part of the Western Caucasus from Anapa to Mount Fisht is characterized by low-mountain and mid-mountain relief (the so-called North-Western Caucasus), further east to Elbrus the mountain system takes on a typical alpine appearance with numerous glaciers and high-mountain landforms.
In a narrower understanding, which is followed in mountaineering and tourism literature, only part of the Main Caucasus Range from Mount Fisht to Elbrus is considered to be the Western Caucasus. On the territory of the Western Caucasus - Caucasian Nature Reserve
It is difficult to find in our country, and throughout the world, a piece of nature endowed with such rich flora and fauna as the Caucasian State biosphere reserve- the oldest nature reserve in Russia. It is located on the northern and southern slopes Western Caucasus.
The Western Caucasus is a rich treasury of biodiversity, which has no analogues in Russia. It has international reference significance as an area of untouched nature that has preserved pristine landscapes with unique flora and fauna.
The territory of the Western Caucasus and the Caucasian Reserve in particular is a typical mountain landscape and is characterized by altitudes from 260 to 3360 m above sea level. The basis of its relief is the Main Caucasus Range, stretching from northwest to southeast. The westernmost peaks - Outl (1856 m), Huko (1906 m) - barely escape the forest belt and bear small subalpine meadows. Starting from the Fisht-Oshten massif, with the peaks Fisht (2867 m) (pictured on the right), Oshten (2808 m), a typical highland landscape is developed, which continues further to the eastern border of the reserve. The Fisht-Oshten massif is closely adjacent to the Lagonaki plateau (pictured on the left), which is a system of mid-mountain leveled ridges with extensive subalpine and alpine meadows developed on a karst limestone massif. After a slight decrease, called by biogeographers the Colchis Gate, the Main Caucasian Range begins to rise from the first three-thousander - Mount Chugush (3238 m) and then carries the peaks of Pseashkho (3256 m), Aishkha (3015 m), Akaragvarta (3141 m), etc.
The reserve area has a complex geological structure, which is characterized by a radial distribution of rocks of different ages and composition. In its axial part, the most ancient crystalline rocks come to the surface; they are successively bordered by strata of limestone, sandstone and shales that are more recent in origin. Some areas of the reserve, mainly located in the Maykop region, are karst landscapes with a very large number of caves. So, on the Lagonaki Highlands there are over 130 of them, among which the Bolshaya Azishskaya and Nezhnaya caves are very popular among tourists. Glaciers are also not uncommon in the reserve. There are about 60 of them in total, and the total area is 18.2 sq. km. They are usually small in size, and the area of the largest of them, located on the town of Pseashkho, is 1.8 sq. km. About 2% of the reserve's territory is covered by rivers and lakes. The rivers are typical mountain streams with frequent waterfalls, narrow rocky gorges, gorges and canyons. Numerous lakes give a special uniqueness to the mountain landscape of the reserve. There are more than 120 of them.
The reserve is located on the border of temperate and subtropical climatic zones. Warm and humid climate in the lowlands it is subtropical in nature with positive average temperatures in January (+4.2o) and high average temperatures in July and August (+20 and 21). In the mountains, snow cover lasts 5 or more months. Summer is moderately warm (average July temperatures range from 16 to 22), annual precipitation is 700-1200 mm, the maximum occurs in early summer. Mountainous terrain causes an altitudinal climate zone, which determines the zone distribution of landscapes and their integral components - soils and vegetation. For every 100 m rise above sea level, the temperature drops by 0.5. Soils vary from subtropical yellow soils in the foothills to primitive mountain soils in the highlands. The main landforms of the reserve are brown mountain-forest and mountain-meadow.
Reserve " Western Caucasus"covers an area of almost 175 square kilometers in the western part of the Greater Caucasus Range in the upper reaches of the Belaya and Malaya Laba rivers, where the conditional natural and climatic border of the Eurasian continent passes.
The central zone (almost 280 thousand hectares) is formed by the territories of Karachay-Cherkessia, Krasnodar region and Adygea. They are adjacent to the high-mountainous landscapes of Bolshoy Tkhach, the upper reaches of the Pshekha and Pshekhashkha rivers, the Buiny Ridge, and the upper reaches of Tsitsa. The landscape structure of the Western Caucasus is created by several parallel mountain ranges stretching from northwest to southeast. The elevation difference varies from 250 meters to 3600 meters above sea level. The highest peaks: Akaragvarta, Tsakhoa, Chugush.
Within the Western Caucasus Nature Reserve there are about 80 small glaciers, 130 mountain lakes of various sizes, ages and origins (the largest are Inpsi, Kardyvach, Bezmolvya). The rivers of the northern part of the reserve flow into the bed of the Kuban and out into the Sea of Azov (Bolshaya Laba, Belaya, Malaya Laba, Zakan, Damhurst). Rivers on the southern slopes of the Western Caucasus flow straight into the Black Sea (Mzymta, Khosta, Sochi, Shakhe).
The territories of the Western Caucasus are located at the junction of temperate and humid subtropical climate zones. The climate of the southern foothills and the coastal zone of the Black Sea is subtropical, and the cold air masses, coming from the north, are delayed by mountain peaks, causing precipitation to fall in mountain gorges. The air temperature depends on the altitude above sea level and drops by half a degree Celsius for every 100 meters of rise.
Vegetation cover, like the type of soil, changes from one to another as you climb uphill (descent). The foothill part of the Sochi National Park, stretching from Psou to the Ashe River, is characterized by an abundance of oak and hornbeam groves and chestnut. The highest zone Sochi Park(from 500 to 1500 meters) form fir, spruce and beech forests. At an altitude of 2 thousand meters, the spruce forest gives way to subalpine vegetation of a pine forest. Another 300 meters of height form open spaces of rhododendron thickets, birch and willow groves of subalpine meadows. The kingdom of alpine meadows stretches up to 3 thousand meters. The closer to the ice caps of mountain peaks, the poorer the vegetation, the lower the temperature and the thicker the air.
The flora of the reserve includes more than one and a half thousand plant species, 17 of which come from these places (hogweed). A third of the flora and fauna of the Western Caucasus is endemic and relict (endangered). Several types of tree-like vines grow in the forests of the subalpine zone (ivies, wild grapes, honeysuckle, nightshade and others).
The fauna of the Western Caucasus is extremely diverse. Among the local inhabitants there are many listed in the Red Books. The most numerous group of the reserve's population are rodents and small species of animals (badgers, nocks, otters). Artiodactyls (bison, deer, roe deer, chamois, aurochs, wild boars) are slightly less common. The borders of the Western Caucasus and the Sochi Park in particular serve as an important transit point on the route of migrating migratory birds. The waters of mountain rivers are inhabited by more than two dozen species of river trout.
The length (GKH) in this section is about 440 km. The highest peak of the Western Caucasus is (4046 m).
To the east of the Kardyvach mountain cluster lies the state border of the Russian Federation: first with Abkhazia, and then with Georgia. The adjacent territory is a border zone, which requires a pass to visit.
Districts
Approximately half of the Western Caucasus (215 km) from Anapa to the Lagonaki Plateau is covered with forests. The belt of subalpine meadows appears here only on the tops of the highest mountains. In this part of the Western Caucasus in Goryachy Klyuch area Children's (school) walking tours are often held. To the west railway, which crosses and connects Tuapse with the flat regions of the Krasnodar Territory, the peaks do not exceed 1000 m in height. The highest are Tkhab (921), Pochepsukha (910), Agoy (994).
Sources
Encyclopedia of tourists. 2014 .
See what “Western Caucasus” is in other dictionaries:
Western Caucasus- Western Caucasus. Dombay. Peak Belalakaya, 3861 m ... Wikipedia
WESTERN CAUCASUS- WESTERN CAUCASUS, part of the Greater Caucasus mountain system, west of Elbrus. Height up to 4046 m (Dombay Ulgen). In the axial part are the Main, or Vodorazdelny, and Bokovoy ridges. Glaciers. Cuestas are developed on the northern slope, karst on the southern slope... ... Russian history
Western Caucasus- part of the Greater Caucasus mountain system (See Greater Caucasus) to the west of the city of Elbrus. The highest point of Dombay is Ulgen (4046 m). In the axial part there are the Main or Vodorazdelny ridges (made of crystalline rocks) and Bokovoy (mainly made of sedimentary rocks... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Western Caucasus- Western Caucasus, part of the Greater Caucasus mountain system, west of Elbrus. Height up to 4046 m (Mount Dombay Ulgen). In the axial part there are the Main, or Vodorazdelny, and Bokovoy ridges. Glaciers. On the northern slope of Z.K., cuestas are developed, on ... ... Dictionary "Geography of Russia"
