Baikal is the deepest lake on the planet, UNESCO heritage. lake baikal lake baikal world heritage project

Cultural criteria: vii, viii, ix, x
Year of inscription on the World Heritage List: 1996

One of the largest facilities in the world natural heritage is a gigantic area (8.8 million hectares), located in the south of Eastern Siberia, not far from the borders with Mongolia. In the center of this area, at an altitude of 456 m above sea level, is the water area of ​​Lake Baikal, and its outer boundaries are mainly delineated by the so-called "first catchment area", i.e. we are talking about a huge "bowl" bounded by high mountain ranges - Khamar-Daban, Primorsky, Baikal, Barguzinsky, Ulan-Burgasy, etc.

Baikal holds the world championship in several important parameters at once. So, this is the oldest freshwater reservoir on our planet - its age is usually determined at 25 million years. Further, Baikal, which occupies a huge ancient graben (tectonic fault), which belongs to one of the world's largest rift systems, is recognized as the deepest lake in the world - its maximum depth mark is 1620 m. Yes, and in terms of its overall size, Baikal is also one of the largest lakes in the world : it has a length of 636 km, and its water surface extends over an area of ​​3.15 million hectares (in Russia this is the most large lake, in the world - in 6th place). A gigantic volume is enclosed in Baikal fresh water- about 20% of all world reserves. The transparency of the Baikal waters is also amazing - individual objects are visible at a depth of up to 40 m. The lake is distinguished by the richest and most unusual freshwater life: out of several thousand species and varieties of plants and animals inhabiting this lake, 3/4 are recognized as endemic, which is an exceptionally high indicator by world standards. Among the endemics are such key elements of the lake ecosystem as the epishura crustacean, Baikal omul and seal (Baikal seal), as well as viviparous fish - golomyanka plus a number of rare forms of aquatic invertebrates (sponges, amphipods, etc.).

Baikal is a valuable fishing reservoir: out of 50 species of fish, 17 are of great commercial importance; this list, which begins with the most famous Baikal omul, also includes sturgeon, whitefish, grayling, ide, carp, etc.

Finally, Baikal is famous for its beauties, which attracts tourists from all over the country and from abroad to its shores, this is one of the most popular regions in Russia for ecotourism (animal watching, educational trails), as well as sports (mountain and water hiking) and fishing (gathering gifts from the taiga, hunting and fishing). There are many picturesque bays, there are excellent beaches, the coast is decorated with bizarre cliffs and rocky outcrops. Water excursions are carried out on the lake (including on several large cruise ships), and along the southwestern shore you can ride along the old Circum-Baikal Railway (1904), with a mass of tunnels and bridges, which is a real monument of engineering art. On the shores of Lake Baikal (which was discovered by Russian pioneers in the middle of the 17th century), traces of settlements from the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages, ancient burials were found, there are many interesting monuments of history and culture. At present, the Great Baikal Trail (GBT) is being designed around the entire Baikal.

A significant part of the Baikal coast is occupied by various specially protected areas, which form around the lake, as it were, a “reserved necklace”. This "necklace" includes three reserves - Barguzinsky (Buryatia, northeast coast, Barguzinsky Range, area 374.3 thousand hectares, created in 1916, has the status of a biosphere reserve), Baikalsky (Buryatia, South coast, Khamar-Daban ridge, 165.7 thousand ha, 1969, biosphere reserve) and Baikal-Lensky (Irkutsk region, northwestern coast, Baikal ridge, sources of the Lena River, 660 thousand ha, 1986). This is also two national parks- Pribaikalsky (Irkutsk region, the entire western and southwestern coast of the lake, the region of the Primorsky Range, including Olkhon Island and the sources of the Angara; 418 thousand hectares, 1986) and Transbaikal (Buryatia, eastern coast, Barguzinsky Range, Svyatoy Nos Peninsula , Lake Arangatui, Barguzinsky and Chivyrkuisky bays, Ushkany Islands, 267 thousand hectares, 1986). 1/10 of the territory of the Tunkinsky National Park, in Buryatia, also falls within the boundaries of the World Heritage site. The "reserved necklace" also includes a number of reserves and natural monuments, including two federal reserves - on Lake Frolikha and Kabansky (the latter - in the Selenga River Delta, a wetland of international importance, is protected under the Ramsar Convention). The natural environment of Lake Baikal is notable, firstly, because it performs the most important protective (buffer) function in relation to the water area. It is clear that the fate of the lake itself largely depends on the ecological state of the landscapes surrounding Baikal.

Secondly, the natural environment of Lake Baikal is of great value in itself: after all, these are vast forests and swamps, the richest fauna and flora, exotic alpine landforms (glacial lakes and cirques, canyons, sharp ridges). The coast and foothills are mainly covered with steppes and forest-steppes, low mountains and middle mountains are covered with pine, spruce, larch forests, cedars and fir forests, above them they are replaced by elfin cedar, rhododendrons, mountain tundra and bald mountains.

The flora of the coastal zone of Lake Baikal is represented by more than 800 species of higher plants, including a number of endemic and rare forms (for example, in the Pribaikalsky National Park grow rare plants- large-flowered slipper, Turchaninov's meadow, incised violet).

Among about 50 species of mammals that live in the coastal zone in swamps, in the steppes and forest-steppes, in the foothill and mountain forests, as well as in the middle of high mountain char and tundra, the most typical are such as wild reindeer, deer, elk, musk deer, wild boar , Brown bear, wolf, fox, sable (including the famous Barguzin subspecies), ermine, Siberian weasel, squirrel, chipmunk, tarbagan marmot, otter and muskrat. Large rookeries of the Baikal seal are located on the Ushkany Islands, the total number of this animal in Baikal is now 60-70 thousand people.

And among the birds (of which there are about 250 species), we will mention, on the contrary, the rarest ones listed in the Red Book of Russia, such as: peregrine falcon, osprey, golden eagle, black crane and white-tailed eagle (the last two are also in the International Red Book). Large concentrations of waterfowl are observed in the area of ​​Lake Arangatui, and in winter - in the non-freezing sources of the Angara. This site on the UNESCO World Heritage Center website whc.unesco.org/en/list/754

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has included Lake Baikal in the list for the conservation of the unique gene pool of our planet, as the most outstanding example of a freshwater ecosystem. Baikal is the oldest (25 million years) and deepest (1700 meters) lake in the world. Its natural reservoir stores 20% of all unfrozen fresh water in the world.

The lake is distinguished by a variety of endemic species of flora and fauna, which are of exceptional importance for modern evolutionary science. In addition, there are many other natural values ​​​​for humanity in the protected reserve zone of the lake, including a picturesque view of coastal areas. The UNESCO Committee revised the boundaries of the protected area last year protected area, from which five urban industrial areas that threaten environmental pollution of the lake were excluded.

Currently, the State Duma of Russia is considering the adoption of a law to protect natural resources around Lake Baikal. Representatives of the UNESCO organization expressed their concern about many issues related to the integrity of the ecological balance of the lake, including the impossibility of chemical pollution in the entire area of ​​the territories adjacent to Baikal.

Located in the southeast of Siberia, Lake Baikal is natural environment habitats for several freshwater endemic species, the most prominent representative of which is the Baikal seal. The wide variety of plants around Baikal is explained by the climatic asymmetry of the lake, which spreads over a vast territory of 3.15 million hectares. In the western part, the lake is surrounded by coniferous forests and mountain steppes; in the eastern part, pine forests, and the northern shores are covered with deciduous trees.

The formation of geological structures in the lake basin occurred during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, however, some tectonic movements are observed even now, as evidenced by the many heat sources at the bottom of the lake. Baikal is considered a unique lake in the world due to biodiversity life forms in its waters and around the lake - 1340 animal species (745 endemic) and 570 plant species (150 endemic). About 10 species of animals that are on the verge of extinction live in the forests around Lake Baikal.

No wonder scientists call Baikal the “Galapagosses of Russia”, because the evolution of aquatic flora and fauna, which took place over a million centuries, is truly unique for this region. Tourists are happy to come to this remote corner of Russia, cut off from civilization, to admire the most beautiful landscapes. The hollow of a deep freshwater lake looks amazing at any time of the day, surrounded by mountains, northern forests, tundra and steppe meadows.

The Baikal region has about 1200 historical, architectural and cultural monuments, 100 of which are under state protection. Some of these monuments are sacred relics local residents. I really want to believe that the unique wonders of the Baikal ecosystem will be preserved for our descendants. Now the Russian government is taking many measures to address these global problems with the support of scientists from all over the world.

With the adoption of the Convention for the Protection of the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Planet, in 1972, the United Nations (Department for Education, Science and Culture) began to form the UNESCO World Heritage List, which includes the most significant objects of nature, history and culture, territories with outstanding global values ​​of natural resources and which require careful attitude, safety for posterity.

To be included in this list, you must meet at least one of four criteria:

The object presents outstanding examples illustrating the most important stages in the history of the Earth and remarkable geological processes;

The object provides exceptional examples to illustrate the most important ecological and biological processes of evolution and development of ecosystems and communities of living organisms;

The property includes outstanding natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic value;

The property includes the most important and significant natural habitats for the conservation of biodiversity, as well as species of outstanding universal scientific or conservation value.

Baikal is unique in this sense, it satisfies absolutely all the criteria of the Convention. Of the thousands of natural objects included in the World Natural Heritage List, a little more than a dozen meet all four criteria.

December 5, 1996, by decision of the 20th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in the Mexican city of Merida, Baikal, along with a coastal zone with a total area of ​​​​about 8.8 million hectares, was included in the UNESCO Natural Heritage List.

The total area of ​​the World Natural Heritage Site (UHPN) "Lake Baikal" is 88 thousand km2, of which 31.5 thousand km2 is the surface of the lake, and 19 thousand km2 is occupied by 3 reserves (Baikal-Lensky, Baikalsky, Barguzinsky) and 3 national parks (Pribaikalsky, Zabaikalsky and, partially, Tunkinsky).

5 urbanized industrialized territories are excluded from the Site: Baikalsk, Slyudyanka, Kultuk, Babushkin and Severobaikalsk.

The decision adopted by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee notes: “Lake Baikal is a classic case of a World Heritage site that satisfies all four natural criteria. The lake is located in the central part of the site. The features of the lake, hidden to a greater extent from the eyes of water, are of the main value for science and protection. The lake is surrounded by mountain-taiga landscapes and specially protected natural areas, mostly preserved in their natural state and representing additional value.

Lake Baikal is a limnological wonder and an area with the following excellent qualities:

The geological rift system that gave rise to Lake Baikal was formed in mesozoic period. Lake Baikal is the oldest and deepest lake on Earth. Various tectonic forces still continue their action, as evidenced by the outlets of thermal flows from the depths of the lake.

The evolution of aquatic organisms that has taken place during this long period has led to the formation of an exceptionally unique endemic fauna and flora. Lake Baikal is the "Galapagos Islands of Russia", is of exceptional value for the study of evolution.

The picturesque landscape around the Baikal basin with mountain ranges, boreal forests, tundra, lakes, islands and steppes provides an exceptionally beautiful environment for Lake Baikal. Baikal is the largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth (20% of all world reserves), which additionally characterizes it as a unique phenomenon.

Lake Baikal is one of the most biodiverse lakes on Earth, with 1,340 animal species (745 endemic) and 570 plant species (150 endemic). In the forests surrounding the lake, there are 10 species of plants listed in the Red Book International Union Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and a complete composition of typical boreal species is presented.

In addition to fulfilling one of the four criteria of the Convention, the desire of the country in which this site is located is necessary to protect and preserve it.

On the part of the leadership of the World Heritage Committee, the following requirements were presented to the Government of the Russian Federation:

1. Ensure final acceptance State Duma Law on Baikal;

2. Re-profiling the BPPM so that it ceases to be a source of pollution;

3. Reduce the discharge of pollutants into the Selenga;

4. Allocate additional funds to ensure the activities of nature reserves and national parks;

5. Provide and strengthen support scientific research and monitoring at Lake Baikal.

List of environmental measures implemented and already implemented by the management Russian Federation to meet the requirements of the leadership of the World Heritage Committee to the Government of the Russian Federation in connection with the assignment of the status of the World Natural Heritage:

2. Amendments have been made to the legislation regulating relations in the field of protection of Lake Baikal:

The boundaries of the water protection and fish protection zones of Lake Baikal are established by the Government of the Russian Federation;

State registration of objects that have a negative impact on environment Baikal natural territory;

On the Baikal natural territory, it is prohibited to build new economic facilities, reconstruct existing economic facilities without a positive conclusion of the state environmental review of the design documentation of such facilities, and in the central ecological zone this natural area - disposal of production and consumption waste of I - III hazard class;

The possibility of transferring forest fund lands occupied protective forests, to the lands of specially protected territories and objects during the creation of specially protected natural areas;

The Water Code of the Russian Federation, the Town Planning Code of the Russian Federation, the federal laws “On Ecological Expertise” and “On Fishing and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources” have been brought into line with the changes made to the Federal Law “On the Protection of Lake Baikal”.

For more details on the regulatory legal acts in accordance with which environmental protection measures are implemented, see the section "Laws".

3. In 2008, BPPM, at the request of Rosprirodnadzor, suspended the production of bleached pulp and switched to the production of less profitable unbleached pulp using closed water circulation technology, which completely eliminates the release of even treated wastewater into the lake. The plant stopped its work on December 25, 2013. On December 28, 2013, the Prime Minister of Russia signed a decree on the creation of the Zapovedniki Rossii expo center on the territory of the closed plant.

4. Since August 1, 1990, the Selenginsky Pulp and Paper Mill has stopped discharging industrial wastewater into the Selenga.

5. In 2008-2010, the International Research Expedition "Worlds on Baikal" was carried out, during which 160 dives were made on the Mir-1 and Mir-2 deep-sea submersibles. Following the results of the International Conference at the UNESCO Headquarters "Baikal - a World Treasure", an increase in the intensity and quality of scientific research in order to preserve the Baikal ecosystem was noted, the importance of the results of research International expedition "Worlds" on Baikal, which included scientists from 12 countries of the world; a significant contribution of this expedition to the development of Russian and world fundamental science, such areas as geology, geography, limnology, geochemistry, geophysics, biology, etc.; large amounts of data obtained during the expedition, allowing to significantly expand the understanding of the genesis of Baikal and modern processes occurring in it.

6. State funding for ensuring the protection of Lake Baikal and the Baikal natural territory is carried out with the help of the Federal target program"Protection of Lake Baikal and socio-economic development of the Baikal natural territory for 2012 - 2020", approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 21, 2012 No. 847. (See the section "Implementation of FTP measures").

Sources used in the preparation of the material:

Baikal studies: study guide / N. S. Berkin, A. A. Makarov, O. T. Rusinek. - Irkutsk: Publishing house Irk. state university, 2009

Volkov, S. On Baikal / Sergey Volkov. - M. : AST: AST Moscow, 2010. - 568 p.

Baikal (Irkutsk region, Buryatia)

The cleanest and, without a doubt, the most beautiful Lake Baikal, rightfully took its place in the list .

Baikal is one of the greatest lakes on the planet, a lake of "superlative degree": the deepest (1637 m) and the oldest (about 25 million years), containing the largest number of endemics (more than 1000 species) and representatives of flora and fauna (more than 2600 species ) living in fresh water bodies of the Earth. The lake has a unique in terms of volume (23.6 thousand cubic kilometers) and quality of fresh water (20% of the world).

The lake lies in the Baikal depression - a bottomless stone bowl, surrounded on all sides by mountains. Baikal is a lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, deepest lake planet Earth, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lake and coastal areas are distinguished by a unique diversity of flora and fauna. Many of Baikal's animals, birds and fish are endemic, meaning that they live only in this ecosystem and are not found anywhere else in the world.

Locals and many in Russia traditionally call Baikal the sea. Butto no matter how much one would like to call this majestic reservoir of fresh water a sea, it is still a lake, which is surrounded on almost all sides by picturesque mountains and hills of extinct volcanoes.

The lake stretches from northeast to southwest for 632 km in the form of a giant crescent. The width of Baikal ranges from 24 to 79.5 km. There is no other lake so deep on earth. The bottom of Lake Baikal is 1167 meters below the level of the World Ocean, and the mirror of its waters is 453 meters higher.

The water in the lake is so transparent that individual stones and various objects can be seen at a depth of 40 m. Such transparency of water can be observed after the ice has melted: usually in early spring, the water of Lake Baikal becomes bright blue. In summer and autumn, when the water warms up, microplankton and algae begin to develop in it in small quantities: naturally, at this moment it is already quite difficult to distinguish pitfalls at a depth of 40 meters, but the transparency is amazing even at these times of the year. True, its color changes: it does not turn into muddy green, on the contrary, it becomes soft turquoise.

Immerse yourself in the gentle and purest waters of Lake Baikal ... - a dream! True, a dream only for those who know very little about this lake. The thing is that the water here does not warm up even in summer above +9 degrees Celsius. Only in small and shallow bays can one expect that the water will warm up to +16 under the sun. Therefore, swim in Baikal and see undersea world through the crystal-clear water is possible only in a wetsuit. In winter, the water mirror is almost completely covered with thick ice, so thick that in the 19th century sleepers were installed on the ice and steam locomotives were transported across Lake Baikal with the help of horses. The ice on the lake is an amazing sight: during severe frosts, cracks pass through it, the length of which is sometimes 30 (!)

There is a legend that the father of Baikal had 336 rivers-sons and one daughter - Angara, they all flowed into her father in order to replenish his waters, but now his daughter fell in love with the Yenisei River and began to carry her father's water to her beloved. In response, Father Baikal threw a huge piece of rock at his daughter and cursed her. This rock, called the Shaman-stone, is located at the source of the Angara and is considered its beginning.

Baikal is not even an ecosystem, it is a whole world, a world in which everything exists in harmony with each other. It is impossible not to listen to the words of P.N. Kozlov, who writes that when a person communicates with nature, he becomes purer, his soul becomes whole and sensitive.

Lake Baikal is one of the most beautiful and picturesque places not only in the Asian part of our country, but on the whole planet. This ancient lake (its age is approximately 25-35 million years), lying in a rift basin, is located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia. It is the largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth, 22% of all the purest and most transparent water in the world and 85% of Russia are concentrated here. The volume of water is 23 thousand km 3 (these are the five Great Lakes in the United States taken together). In addition to the value of huge reserves of fresh water, which, due to its low mineralization (100 g/l), can be safely equated with distilled water, it should also be noted that Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and since 1996 has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Geographical position

Lake Baikal, which has the shape of a crescent elongated from southwest to northeast, is located almost in the very center of the Eurasian continent, in Central Asia, in the southern part of Eastern Siberia. The ancient rift basin of glacial origin, in which the lake basin is located, lies in the Baikal mountain region, surrounded by high peaks of mountain ranges and hills overgrown with dense forests (the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia in the Russian Federation).

Characteristics of Lake Baikal

The area of ​​the lake is 31.7 thousand km 2, this is the seventh place in the world after the Caspian Sea-lake, lakes Victoria, Taganika, Huron, Michigan, Upper or the area of ​​the countries of Belgium or the Netherlands. The lake has a length of 636 km, it is widest in the center (81 km), the narrowest is near the delta of the Serenga River (27 km).

The average depth of the lake is 744.4 m higher than the maximum depths of many lakes in the world, its maximum depth, measured by Soviet scientists Kolotilo and Sulimov in 1983, was 1640 m, which made Baikal the deepest lake in the world.

The lake lies in a glacial rift basin and is surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. The length of the coastline is 2 thousand km, the western coast is rocky and steep, the eastern one is more gentle, the mountains are located tens of kilometers from the coast. The water area of ​​​​the lake has six bays (Barguzinsky, Chivyrkuisky, Proval, Posolsky, Cherkalov, Mukhor), two dozen bays (Listvennaya, Peschanaya, Aya, many closed shallow bays called sory. The only river flows out of the lake - the Angara, flows into more than 336 rivers and rivulets, among the large ones one can name the Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, Snezhnaya, Kichera, etc.

Temperature regime of water

The water, due to its low mineralization, is remarkable for its amazing purity, transparency (it can be seen at a depth of up to 40 meters), and oxygen saturation. In spring, the water is especially transparent and has a rich blue-blue color, in summer, as a result of the development of organic matter, the transparency decreases and the waters acquire a blue-green tint. The average annual temperature of the water surface is about +4°С, in summer the water is +16, +17°С, in the sors it reaches +22,+23°С.

Baikal is almost completely covered with ice (1-2 meters) from January to May (with the exception of a small area 15-20 km at the source of the Angara). One of amazing riddles lake Baikal is the appearance in winter period huge dark rings on the ice, which are visible only from a height. Presumably, they are formed as a result of the release of methane from the depths of the lake, and this contributes to the formation of huge steams with a diameter of hundreds of meters with a very thin layer of ice.

Winds on Baikal

The distinguishing features of Baikal's climate are its winds, they blow almost always, their maximum speed wind - 40 m/s. There are more than 30 names of the winds blowing there: north-western wind - mountain wind, north-eastern wind - barguzin, verkhovik), south-eastern - shelonnik, south-western - kultuk, sarma - wind blowing in the center of Baikal. They blow mainly along the coast, on which there are practically no places to hide from such a piercing and strong wind.

Nature of Lake Baikal

The flora and fauna of the lake is diverse and unique. Oxygenated water allows a large number of living organisms to live here, more than 2600 species and subspecies of aquatic inhabitants live here, most of them are endemic. More than 58 species of fish live in the water column, such as omul, grayling, whitefish, taimen, Baikal sturgeon, lenok, golomyanka (a unique fish consisting of 30% fat).

The coast is covered with more than 2,000 species of plants, about 2,000 species of birds nest here, a unique marine mammal lives here - the Baikal seal, in the mountainous part of the Baikal region - the most little deer in the world - musk deer.

(Olkhon - the largest island of Lake Baikal)

The northeastern coast of the lake is part of the protected area of ​​the Barguzinsky State Natural biosphere reserve Since 1996, Baikal has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Settlements and cities

Large cities located a few tens of kilometers from the lake are Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude (130 km east of the lake) and Severobaikalsk (in the northern part of the lake coast). From Irkutsk (70 km from Baikal), the closest to the oldest Baikal settlement at the headwaters of the Angara - Listvyanka, it is over three hundred years old. The tourist infrastructure is well developed here and there is the Lake Museum dedicated to the history of Baikal, its flora and fauna. Also in the village there is a nerpinarium, where they show an exciting water show with the participation of Baikal seals and the legendary Shaman-stone, a reserved rock at the source of the Angara, ancient shamanic rites were held here in ancient times.

Climate and seasons

(Clear water of Lake Baikal in summer)

Eastern Siberia lies in a temperate sharply continental climate zone However, the huge masses of water contained in Lake Baikal have a special effect on the climate of the coast and due to this, unusual microclimate conditions are formed with warm mild winters and cool summers. The water masses of the lake act as a huge natural stabilizer and make winters warmer and summers cooler than, for example, in the same Irkutsk, located at a short distance from the lake (70 km). The air temperature in summer can reach up to +35°C.

(Transparent ice on Lake Baikal in winter)

In winter, the waters of Lake Baikal are fettered by incredibly transparent and smooth ice. The temperature above the surface of the lake in the middle of winter is about -21°С, and on the coasts it is 5-10 degrees higher, on average -10°С - 17°С. Due to low evaporation cold water from the surface of the lake, clouds are very rarely formed here, so the area of ​​​​Lake Baikal is characterized by a high total duration of sunshine, cloudy and cloudy days are infrequent.