Kronotsky State Biosphere Reserve (Russia)
The Kronotsky State Biosphere Reserve forms part of the
World Heritage site 'Volcanoes of Kamchatka' (total size
about 4.3 mil. ha) and lies in one of the most remote parts
of the Russian Far East on Kamchatka Peninsula, which divides
the Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean. The size of Kronotsky
State Biosphere Reserve is about 1 million hectare and it
is located on the mountainous shores of the Pacific Ocean.
The 'Volcanoes of Kamchatka' represent some of the most
pristine parts of the Kamchatka Peninsula and comprise a
remarkable collection of volcanic areas. More than 300 volcanoes
are found in Kamchatka, 29 being currently active (19 of
these are included in the World Heritage site), including
caldera, strato-volcano, somma-volcano and mixed types.
In addition there is a multitude of thermal and mineral
springs, geysers and other phenomena of active volcanism.
Kronotsky and Kurilskoe are two of the major lakes in the
area, both highly scenic and important fish spawning habitats.
Other geomorphologic phenomena can be observed, including
volcanic accumulation and erosion, inter-mountain hollows,
foothills and piedmont plains as well as coastal lowlands.
The Valley of the Geysers is an outstanding natural phenomena
with numerous hot geysers and springs.
The highest peak of the site is the Ichinsky Volcano in
Bystrinsky Nature Park. The Kronotsky Volcano in Kronotsky
State Biosphere Reserve reaches a height of 3,525m.
One of the challenges in the National Parks and Reserves
of Kamchatka is effective fire protection. Stable on-line
connection is vital in order to prevent fires (e.g. to reach
regional on-line weather forecast which is updated every
two hours) but also to communicate and respond in time to
fire warnings and emerging threats.
The newly installed email network, financed by the German
World Heritage Foundation, does allow to deal with fire
issues in a much more efficient way but also proves helpful
in other fields linked with the management of the Reserve
(e.g. monitoring and research, fauna/flora protection etc.).