The main goal of the Visioning Study for the Kurgalsky reserve and its future Management Plan is to enable the conservation of biodiversity at the species, population, and habitat level.

To this effect, Strelka KB experts proposed three key objectives:

The comprehensive analytical study is based on desk and field research performed by Strelka KB experts in cooperation with the Institute of Earth Sciences of St. Petersburg State University, the Department of Geography of Lomonosov Moscow State University, and Ecoproject CJSC environmental consultancy. The findings will lay down the basis for biodiversity conservation and enhancement measures.

The analytical study provided comprehensive insights into the distinctive characteristics, condition, and current use patterns of the reserve area, identifying the most vulnerable and valuable areas.

A habitat map is an integrated database of types, characteristics, and spatial distribution of the reserve's ecosystems.

The habitat map provides a basis for an ecological zoning plan. It is also instrumental in assessing the vulnerability of various areas, identify the ones in need of environmental rehabilitation and pinpoint the most valuable natural systems, notably open coastal complexes, old-growth forests, and wetlands.

Mapping allowed to differentiate:

The research allowed Strelka KB experts to compile an inventory of threats to the reserve's biodiversity, notably threats related to recreational and economic activities, biological threats as well as threats associated with global and external factors.

In the short term, the most serious threats to the reserve's biodiversity come from uncontrolled recreation. ATV racing, bonfires and unauthorized camping are causing considerable damage to vulnerable areas of the reserve. The most obvious and serious consequences include littering, soil trampling, vegetation destruction, endangering protected species, and increased fire risks. In a mid-term perspective, biological threats such as forest diseases and pests (specifically the bark beetle and spruce polypore) also pose a hazard to the biodiversity of the area. Insects, fungi and diseases affect valuable old-growth forests. In the long term, global climate change and rising sea levels endanger pine forests and coastal habitats.

These findings were instrumental in developing a targeted biodiversity conservation and enhancement action plan.

The overall impacted area covers 15,500 hectares, including:

In-depth information about the methodology, materials used and research findings can be found in Part 1 of the Visioning Study (see P. 40).

In-depth information about the methodology, materials used and research findings can be found in Part 4 of the Visioning Study (see P. 168).

A tailored action plan aimed at preservation and enhancement of biodiversity has been developed to cover all the diverse ecological zones of the Kurgalsky reserve.

The Visioning Study for the Kurgalsky nature reserve provides for a phased approach to the implementation of proposed measures. The tasks at hand fall into two categories: the priority ones should be tackled at once while the next steps require further revisions and fine-tuning based on the evaluation of priority measures. Regular monitoring procedures will be set up for evaluation purposes.

The short-term biodiversity conservation and enhancement measures are primarily aimed at mitigating threats related to recreational and economic activities. The action plan has a special focus on prevention of the special protection regime violations and promotion of responsible environmental behaviour facilitated by a basic environmental education infrastructure.

The next steps will provide for the achievement of biodiversity conservation goals. They will be aimed at redirecting visitor flows, promoting environmental education, and creating sustainable organized recreational sites.

The monitoring system is an essential management tool aiming to keep track of the developments in the reserve's ecosystems at the level of species, populations, and habitats, evaluate the effectiveness of the measures proposed in the biodiversity conservation and enhancement action plan and provide a scientific framework to improve and update the next steps.

The system comprises four types of monitoring including an overall performance evaluation and specialized studies corresponding to the goals and objectives of the future Management Plan.

The primary task of this monitoring programme is to keep track of the positive and negative developments within the boundaries of disturbed and endangered areas. The studies record the progress of eco-rehabilitation in disturbed habitats as well as increased or decreased threats to their biodiversity.

The monitoring programme is instrumental in assessing the efficiency of the measures aimed at preventing biological threats and violations of the special protection regime. The findings of the studies contribute to updates and improvements in the action plan.

The primary task of monitoring tourist activity is to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures aimed at curbing the negative impact of recreational activities upon the reserve's natural systems.

The monitoring programme is set up to record variations in the number of special protection regime violations and the nature of traces left as well as to assess the demand for the proposed facilities and amenities.

Sociological monitoring provides insights into the overall tourist traffic flow as well as its spatial distribution and assesses changes in visitor behaviour. The findings of sociological studies in combination with data on ecosystems impacted by uncontrolled recreation and information provided by tourist activity monitoring contribute to a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of the Management Plan.