Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on the creation of specially protected natural areas of federal significance on the territory of the Crimea.

The list of Russian specially protected natural areas has increased by 5 state nature reserves – Kazantipsky, Karadagsky, Lebyazhyi Ostrov, Opuksky, Yalta Mining and Forest. Their total area is about 30,000 hectares. The new national status was also granted to the Crimean national park with an area of 34.5 thousand hectares and 2 nature reserves: Karkinitsky and Small Phyllophorus Field with a total area of over 66,000 hectares.

According to the head of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia Dmitry Kobylkin, the federal status will increase the financing, create additional opportunities for maintaining special protection in the territories. According to the Minister, the three specially protected natural territories – the Crimean National Park, the Karadag, and the Opuksky Spies, as well as the Karkinitsky Reserve, have the status of wetlands of international importance and are under the jurisdiction of the Ramsar Convention, which protects the habitats of waterfowl.

Today, on the Crimean Peninsula, there is a significant number of specially protected natural areas of different levels and regimes. At the same time, the most valuable natural complexes and objects are concentrated within the federal reserves.

Thus, the entire Russian modern system specially protected natural areas includes 110 state nature reserves, 56 national parks, 60 state nature reserves, 17 nature monuments and 67 dendrological parks and botanical gardens. The total area of federal protected areas is about 70.4 million hectares.