Protected Natural Areas of Siberia and Mongolia: A Comparative Analysis

A large inland territory that includes Russian Siberia and Mongolia, as discussed in this article, has similarities in physical-geographical and socio-demographic parameters, as well as in the attitude to them as “resource colonies.” The Siberian and Mongolian components significantly differ politically, thus affecting the institutional and managerial characteristics and the formation of territorial nature conservation, which is implemented in the activities of specially protected natural areas. The article provides an analysis of the existing systems of protected areas in Siberia and Mongolia, as well as of their structure and legislative basis. The similarities and differences of the laws of Russia and Mongolia have been consistently considered: on land, on specially protected natural areas, and on territories of traditional nature management. The analysis of legislation revealed a difference between similar categories of protected areas and management features, as well as some aspects of law enforcement. Based on statistical information as of the beginning of 2021, summary tables of protected areas by category and by administrative units have been compiled. On the basis of databases collected by the authors and previously published thematic atlases, maps of protected areas have been compiled demonstrating their placement in Mongolia and Siberia. Despite the differences, a converging aspect was shown: the presence and planning of interstate transboundary protected natural areas. It has been concluded that the existing system of Mongolian protected areas is more effective. It is characterized by a greater representativeness of landscape diversity more evenly placement across administrative units of the country, developed in terms of areal indicators, more homogeneous in terms of representation of various categories of protected areas, and more peculiar due to the presence of transboundary protected areas between aimags. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is a positive exception in the Russian part of the system.