Development of the geographical network of preservation territories

This paper is concerned with some issues related to the methodology of territorial nature conservation as the subject for geographical study and analysis of specially protected natural territories (SPNT) in the country’s territorial organization. It is shown how the evolution, spatial coverage and the rhythm of global raw-materials markets (furs, timber, grains, ecosystem services, etc.) could influence the spatial development of the SPNT system in Russia as well as the emergence of the asymmetry in their location, and the periodicity of their establishment. An outline is given to the humanitarian and raw-materials components of territorial nature conservation, the spatial vectors and a change of motivations at different stages (since the early 20th century till the present) of the formation of the geographical network of SPNT in Russia. An analysis is made of the results from implementing the documents of national strategic planning in territorial nature conservation. The conclusion is drawn about a high degree of fulfillment of the first plans envisaging the deployment of the geographical network of SPNT (1917 and 1957) and a relatively low effectiveness of the programs of the establishment of SPNT in the last several decades.