The role of landscape planning for the creation of UNESCO Baikal Geopark

Abstract

In 1997, Lake Baikal was included in the List of World Heritage Sites. This resulted in the complication of management activities in the Central Ecological Zone. The Law on Lake Baikal protection, by-laws, statements and orders prescribe numerous limitations and do not promote the sustainable development of the Baikal Natural Territory. The idea of UNESCO geoparks is oriented essentially to the sustainable development of territories, comprising unique sites. The main task of land use planning in the central ecological zone of Lake Baikal is to keep Lake Baikal as a natural World Heritage Site and a strategic drinking water resource, taking into account the interests of the population living there. Institute of Geography of SB RAS performed landscape planning of Olkhon District with the establishment of development sites, but these plans are still not realized. This causes conflicts between Pribaikalsky National Park and the local population. A successful development of Basic Sites of Baikal Geopark on the territory of Olkhon District is aimed to solve numerous local problems oriented to the results of landscape planning.