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.).