Ecora: An Integrated Ecosystem Management Approach

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Fig 1: ECORA’s three Model Areas: Kolguev Island (Nenets Autonomous Okrug), Kolyma River Basin (Sahka Republic/Yakutia), and Beringovsky District (Chukotka Autonomous Okrug)

NenetsAutonomous Okrug is one of the most sparsely populated regions of the Russian Federation. The resident population of Kolguev Island is approximately 450, the majority of which are Nenets (423 as of January 1, 2001). The main activities of the Nenets people are reindeer-breeding, hunting, and fishing. Oil fields cover approximately 10% of the island (500 km2). Industrial and municipal solid and liquid wastes are discharged directly into the environment without treatment leaving the village and adjacent territory littered and polluted. The quality of drinking water in the village is very poor. Habitat fragmentation and pollution associated with oil development on the island threaten the waterfowl and reindeer populations. Only a very small fraction of the oil revenue is invested locally, and there are no legal agreements between the oil companies and local peoples on resource development, compensation for damage to traditional nature use and island wildlife, or conflict resolution. Taken together, these have a damaging effect on the overall socio-economic fabric of the island community. Challenges addressed by ECORA on Kolguev Island include:

Environmental damage and the fragmentation of • natural ecosystems as a result of oil extractionThe loss of valuable wetlands and areas of mass nesting of waterfowl, including the species listed in the Russian Red Data Book and Nenets AO Red Data Book The loss of reindeer rangelands and traditional • nature use by the indigenous population The problem of regulating relationships between • indigenous population and oil companies The need to develop local businesses to help • relieve pressure on reindeer grazing grounds The lack of clean water and waste management • 5.2 Kolyma River Basin Model Area The Kolyma River Basin Model Area is located in the northeast of Yakutia within the Kolyma lowland and is approximately 87,117 km2 in size. The climate is extremely continental. It is a river basin ecosystem, featuring mountain and lowland tundra interspersed with forested river valleys and with a vegetation which is represented by Arctic and Sub-arctic tundra, tundra bogs, northern taiga light larch forests and intrazonal complexes of the valleys. The Kolyma River Basin is