Geographical Aspects of the Development of Russia's System of Natural Reserves

The year 2022 marks the 110th anniversary of the organization of the Standing Environmental Commission of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society (SEC RGS). Its fathers were the outstanding scientists of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences and of Russian universities I.P. Borodin, G.A. Kozhevnikov, V.P. and A.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shanskii, G.F. Morozov, A.I. Voeikov, Yu.M. Shokal'skii, and others. Figuratively speaking, the galaxy of these scientists made up the "Mighty Handful" of conservationists in Russia, which laid the foundations for a unique state system of reserves and other protected natural areas. The scientific geographical substantiation of this system is one of the outstanding achievements of Russian academic science of the 20th century. In the modern era, the relevance of the scientific support of conservation has increased immeasurably owing to the anthropogenic impact on the natural environment and global climate change. Protected areas have become irreplaceable standards, laboratories of nature, which V.V. Dokuchaev called scientific stations back in 1895. It is noteworthy that 125 years later this concept was suddenly simplified to fashionable market carbon grounds. This article gives the author's vision of the problem, formed by many years of practical experience in the creation of protected natural areas and the activities of the SEC RGS, restored in 2011.