Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve and Braslav Lakes will be included in the international ecological system 'Emerald Network'

The Standing Committee of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats has approved the nomination of 16 Belarusian specially protected territories proposed for inclusion in the Emerald Network.

The Standing Committee of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats has approved the nomination of 16 Belarusian specially protected territories proposed for inclusion in the "Emerald Network".

These include the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, national parks

"Belovezhskaya Pushcha", "Braslav Lakes", "Pripyatsky", "Narochansky", landscape reserves "Sporovsky", "Srednyaya Pripyat", "Zvanets", "Elnya", "Vygonoshchanskoye", "Osvseysky", "Olmanskiye Bolota", "Krasny Bor", "Lipichanskaya Pushcha", "Sinsha", "Shvakshty".

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Emerald Network» is an ecological network established within the framework of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats in the territories of countries not belonging to the European Union. Its organisation is driven by the need to preserve biodiversity. Habitat fragmentation, pollution, overexploitation of territories, and the creation of artificial landscapes increase the rate of biotope loss, thereby limiting the migration and dispersal of species. The organisation of the ecological network began in 1995 with the adoption of the Pan-European Strategy on Biological and Landscape Diversity. The first countries to join its creation were the member states of the European Union, which formed the ecological network «Natura 2000». The «Emerald Network» and «Natura 2000» provide a unified approach to the conservation of natural habitats on the European continent. Currently, 7 countries participate in the programme for the creation of the «Emerald Network»: Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova.

Sergey Lyashuk, "Vitebskiye Vesti"