Putorana Plateau
Country
Russian Federation
Inscribed in
2010
Criteria
(vii)
(ix)
The conservation outlook for this site has been assessed as "good" in the latest assessment cycle. Explore the Conservation Outlook Assessment for the site below. You have the option to access the summary, or the detailed assessment.
This site coincides with the area of the Putoransky State Nature Reserve, and is located in the central part of the Putorana Plateau in northern Central Siberia. It is situated about 100 km north of the Arctic Circle. The part of the plateau inscribed on the World Heritage List harbours a complete set of subarctic and arctic ecosystems in an isolated mountain range, including pristine taiga, forest tundra, tundra and arctic desert systems, as well as untouched cold-water lake and river systems. A major reindeer migration route crosses the property, which represents an exceptional, large-scale and increasingly rare natural phenomenon. © UNESCO
Summary
2020 Conservation Outlook
Finalised on
02 Dec 2020
Good
Current state and trend of VALUES
Good
Overall THREATS
Overall PROTECTION and MANAGEMENT
Full assessment
Description of values
A vast and diverse landscape of striking natural beauty
Criterion
(vii)
A vast, diverse and pristine landscape of striking natural beauty, the Putorana Plateau is pristine and not affected by human infrastructure. Its superlative natural features include an extensive area of layered basalt traps that has been dissected by dozens of deep canyons; countless cold water rivers and creeks with thousands of waterfalls; more than 25,000 lakes characterized by a fjord-like formation that is associated with a large variation in the relief. The immense arctic and boreal landscapes remain intact with carpets of lichens and forest that are unusual at such northern latitudes (World Heritage Committee, 2010).
Key part of continental migration routes of birds and mammals
Criterion
(ix)
Twice a year between 150,000 and 250,000 wild reindeers from Taymir Peninsula migrate along the valleys of the plateau to their winter habitats in the south (IUCN, 2010).This reindeer migration represents an exceptional, large-scale and increasingly rare natural phenomenon (SoOUV, 2010).The site is also a key summering, resting and staging area for bird migration between the Arctic and wintering areas, including many numerous species of shorebirds and waterbirds (UNEP-WCMC, 2011).
Complete spectrum of Arctic wildlife
Criterion
(ix)
The ecosystems of the site comprise rich arctic/subarctic fauna (38 mammal, 140 bird 36 fish and 1 amphibian species), including the endemic subspecies of Bighorn Sheep Ovis nivicola borealis, the largest seasonal population of reindeer Rangifer tarandus, as well as endemic and globally threatened avifauna including Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis (EN), Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus (VU), and potentially Hooded Crane Grus monacha (VU). There is also a rich ichthyofauna, including endemic and globally threatened species such as Lake Yesei Char Salvelinus tolmachoffi (EN), and the Humpback Whitefish Coregonus lavaretus pidschian (VU) (IUCN, 2012, UNEP-WCMC, 2011).
Rich mosaic of arctic ecosystems
Criterion
(ix)
Comprehensive set of ecological and biological processes associated with a dense mosaic of diverse arctic and subarctic ecosystems, including tundra, taiga and freshwater ecosystems. The bio-geographical location of the site on the border of the tundra and taiga biomes and at the transition between Western and Eastern Siberian floras, makes it one of only a few centres of plant species richness in the Arctic (World Heritage Committee, 2010). The plant communities that make up the property’s ecosystems count 569 species of vascular plants, plus many species of fungi, lichens, and mosses (UNEP-WCMC, 2011).
Assessment information
The remoteness, inaccessibility, lack of infrastructure and effective protection regime combine to effectively protect the values of the site against most of the current threats. Climate change will continue to influence ecosystems functioning, but is not expected to lead to dramatic impacts in the short or medium term.
Hunting and trapping
(Unsustainable hunting/poaching )
Other targeted species names
Putorana snow sheep (Ovis nivicola borealis)
Inside site
, Localised(<5%)
Outside site
Unsustainable hunting reduced the population of Snow Sheep in the 1960s to 1980s and is inferred to have affected other species as well. Hunting is now prohibited within Putorana State Nature Reserve (IUCN, 2010).
Temperature extremes
(Climate change )
Inside site
, Throughout(>50%)
Outside site
Climate change has already affected the ecosystems of the World Heritage site, with the larch tree-line ascending ca. 30-50 m over the last century, and changes in forest stand structure and productivity (Kirdyanov et al., 2012). While some studies have looked at already occurring and potential changes in forest-tundra vegetation composition associated with climate change, including tree-line advances (Kirdaynov et al., 2011), the extent and impact of climate change on the site’s values overall need to be further studied. Recent analysis of the age structure of Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr.) forests in the western part of the Putorana Plateau (Sukhie Gory Range) show changes in the structure and phytomass of tree stands in the upper timberline over the past centuries and forest expansion facilitated by the general change in climate conditions (Grigor'ev et al., 2019).
Air Pollution
(Air-borne pollution )
Inside site
, Extent of threat not known
Outside site
Air-borne pollution from smelting of the Norilsk Nickel Company (almost 200 km away from the World Heritage site) may have had a negative impact on parts of the vegetation of the site, particularly along its northwestern boundary and in the buffer zone (IUCN, 2010).
Recreational Activities
(Impacts of tourism outside the site )
Outside site
Visitation to the nature reserve is very limited and strictly controlled (437 people in 2005), while the buffer zone is visited by a few thousand tourists annually. More recent data is unavailable, however tourist numbers were growing rapidly at the time of inscription in 2010 (IUCN, 2010). Uncontrolled and unplanned development of tourism infrastructure has occurred in the buffer zone. Impacts inside the World Heritage site are likely to be minimal while tourism development outside the site is likely to indirectly affect its values, such as the reindeer migratory population (IUCN, 2010).
Avalanches/ Landslides
(Avalanches, floods and storms )
Inside site
, Not applicable
Outside site
Although avalanches, floods and storms pose a threat to some components of the site’s biota (UNEP-WCMC, 2011), they are part of the natural ecosystem dynamics, and hence of the site’s protected values.
Fishing, Harvesting & Controlling Aquatic Species
(Recreational and subsistence fishing )
Other targeted species names
Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus)
Outside site
Extensive recreational and subsistence fishing for Arctic grayling and other species occur in the lakes and streams of the buffer zone, some fishing also occurs within the Putorana State Nature Reserve. However, due to the remoteness of the site, lack of transport infrastructure and protection regime these activities pose a low threat to the values of the site (IUCN, 2010).
The altering of the legal conservation regime of Strict Nature Reserves in the Russian Federation to facilitate large-scale tourism development (Federal Law No. 365-FZ on “special economic zones in the Russian Federation”), makes the development of large scale tourism facilities at Putorana State Nature Reserve a potential threat, though not developments are currently being planned. Proposals to allow commercial hunting of the Putorana snow sheep in the site have raised concerns, however it is unknown whether such proposal were accepted.
Mining & Quarrying
(Mining )
Inside site
, Not applicable
The area is rich in nickel and potentially rare-earth elements (Nesterenko et al., 1988). No prospecting or exploitation for minerals is currently allowed or planned within the World Heritage site (IUCN, 2010), but the precedent-setting legal amendments aimed at the establishment of mining operations in other natural World Heritage sites in the Russian Federation suggests that mining remains a potential threat.
Recreation & Tourism Areas
(Large-scale tourism development )
Outside site
The recent weakening of the legal conservation regime of Strict Nature Reserves in the Russian Federation in relation to large-scale tourism development (Federal Law No. 365-FZ on “special economic zones in the Russian Federation”), makes the development of large scale tourism facilities at Putorana State Nature Reserve a potential threat, though not developments are currently being planned.
Hunting and trapping
(Commercial hunting )
Other targeted species names
Putorana snow sheep (Ovis nivicola borealis)
Inside site
, Localised(<5%)
A proposal was put forward by a hunting club to allow for limited commercial hunting of snow sheep within the reserve (Meduza, 2017). However, no information is available regarding the current status of this proposal. If permitted, commercial hunting of this endangered species, even if limited to very low quotas, could have significant negative impacts.
The management plan which was developed for the re-nomination of the site in 2008 (Natural Heritage Protection Fund et al., 2008) was considered adequate at the time of inscription (IUCN, 2010).
No formal management effectiveness assessment has been carried out, but the overall management of the World Heritage site is considered effective (IUCN, 2010). Management of the site has further improved in the recent years (IUCN Consultation, 2017).
The site is a strictly protected State Nature Reserve, or “Zapovednik”, and its boundaries coincide with those of the Putoransky State Nature Reserve, established in 1987, and is surrounded by an extensive buffer zone of 1,773,300 ha (World heritage Committee, 2010). The boundaries of the site and its buffer zone are considered adequate although there are high-value natural areas currently outside the Putorana State Nature Reserve. Inclusion of these areas would considerably upgrade the values contained within the site (IUCN, 2010).
The regional government appears to support the preservation of the values of the site (Natural Heritage Protection Fund et al., 2008), but no detailed information about its integration into regional and national planning systems is available. Management of the site is integrated into the integrated management of strict nature reserves of Taymyr (http://zapovedsever.ru/).
Most of the indigenous Evenk and Dolgan people had left the area by 1982 (Montaigne, 2000). The only remaining village on the plateau - Khantaisky - is located outside the site’s boundaries and has 500 inhabitants who practice reindeer herding and other traditional natural resource use (IUCN, 2010). The management plan does not indicate how their interests are considered in the management of the Putorana State Nature Reserve (Natural Heritage Protection Fund et al., 2008).
Protection and management of the site is based on the “Special Law of the Russian Federation on Specially Protected Areas dated March 14, 1995” in general, and on the “Regulations on Putoranskiy State Nature Reserve, in redaction of the Order of the Ministry of Natural Recourses of the Russian Federation No. 66 dated 17 March 2005” (Natural Heritage Protection Fund et al., 2008). The legal framework is effective to protect the site and appears to be effectively implemented (IUCN, 2010). However, the Federal Law No. 365-FZ on “special economic zones in the Russian Federation”, passed since the inscription of the site, somewhat weakens the legal basis for effective conservation of protected areas, though it is currently not applied to this particular site.
Given the remoteness of the area and therefore low risk of intrusions, enforcement can be considered effective. On the other hand, staff numbers remain low for such a vast World Heritage site in order to ensure effective patrolling.
The only decision on this World Heritage site so far was Decision 34 COM 8B.8 on its inscription. This decision also requested the State Party to further develop and implement more detailed management schemes for sustainable recreational use and environmentally friendly tourism within the buffer zone (including monitoring), urged the State Party and to ensure protection of migrating reindeer inside and outside the World Heritage site, and recommended setting up long-term monitoring of climate change impacts on the site's ecosystems (World Heritage Committee, 2010). It is not clear to what extent these requests and recommendations have been met.
The site provides various natural resources, particularly fish and wild plants (UNEP-WCMC, 2011). No assessment of maximum sustainable yields has been carried out. Resource use does not significantly threaten the sites’ values.
The 2005 annual budget of the Nature Reserve was about 172,300 USD, mainly from the State Budget with additional contributions from local/regional budgets, donations and fines (UNEP-WCMC, 2011). This appears minimal considering the size of the site, but was considered marginally sufficient given the relatively limited effort needed to manage this remote site (IUCN, 2010). The site would benefit from an increase in funding, which would enable more effective management.
The staff number of Putorana State Nature Reserve in 2008 was 33, including 6 scientists and 12 rangers. This was considered insufficient to patrol the vast site, particularly in light of increasing tourism numbers. There were plans to increase staff by 50% (IUCN, 2010). However, the staff numbers appear to have increased in recent years (IUCN Consultation, 2017).
There is a dedicated educational and awareness raising programme at the reserve. The reserve’s educational and awareness raising programme includes development of booklets and brochures, as well as various communication, education and awareness raising activities have been carried out (State Party of the Russian Federation, 2012a). The activities of the reserve in this field have been considered highly effective (IUCN, 2010).
Although visitation of the reserve itself was very low at the time of inscription, the reserve offers several thematic helicopter excursions and can be visited by groups subject to a special permit. The number of visitors is limited (MoNRE of RF, 2012b). Tourism in the buffer zone of the site is increasing, but it is poorly planned and lacks interpretation elements. In general, sustainable development of tourism in and around the site would benefit from an integrated strategy (IUCN, 2010).
The lake waters are monitored biennially, vegetation communities and animal populations annually, and meteorological and hydrological conditions daily at two scientific stations inside the reserve (UNEP-WCMC, 2011). Regular monitoring has been carried out since 1997 (MoNRE of RF, 2012c). There is scope for extended monitoring, particularly regarding climate change impacts (IUCN, 2010), where recent studies have indicated ecological effects of climate change in the site (Grigor’ev et al., 2019).
Putorana State Nature Reserve conducts a wide range of research activities on snow sheep, limnology, meteorology, and botany, partly in cooperation with the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow State University and the Technical University of Dresden (Germany) (UNEP-WCMC, 2011) as well as organisations such as the Russian Society for the Conservation and Study of Birds n(ROSIP) (Romanov, 2018). The research results have been published in a number of monographs and scientific articles (State Party of the Russian Federation, 2012d). The site continues to present opportunities for researchers to develop understanding of Arctic ecosystems given the intactness of the site. Recently, isolated breeding populations of plain-tundra (long-tailed skuas, red-necked sandpipes) and arctoalpine (snow buntings) species were found far outside their previously understood zonal range on the Taimyr Peninsula (Romanov, 2018), and floral inventories have furthered understanding of the sites botanic values (Pospelova & Pospelov, 2018).
Assessment of the effectiveness of protection and management in addressing threats outside the site
Some Concern
Wild reindeer migration through the site is disturbed by infrastructure outside the World Heritage site, including pipelines etc. Therefore, development in the site’s buffer zone requires careful planning and should be conducted in a way that minimizes disturbances to the wild reindeer migration (IUCN, 2010). Current approaches to the infrastructure development do not appear to take the migration into consideration.
Assessment of the current state and trend of World Heritage values
Stable
Additional information
Importance for research
It is usually difficult to measure climate change impacts on ecosystems because these overlap with multiple other anthropogenic impacts (Kirdyanov, 2012). Putorana Plateau offers a near-pristine natural laboratory to study the effects of climate change, as a reference for other more impacted ecosystems (IUCN, 2010).
Cultural and spiritual values,
Wilderness and iconic features
The landscapes of the Putorana Plateau are ones of the most unusual, remote and pristine wilderness areas in Eurasia
Cultural and spiritual values,
Sacred natural sites or landscapes
The area of Putorana Plateau has high cultural, spiritual and livelihood importance to the Evenk and Dolgan indigenous peoples of the area, and could be managed more effectively for the enhancement of these benefits, as pointed out in the comments of ICOMOS on the nomination (IUCN, 2010).
Food,
Collection of wild plants and mushrooms
A large variety of wild plant and animal resources had been used in the property by the indigenous Evenk and Dolgan peoples until the 1980s (Montaigne, 2000). If managed in a sustainable and equitable way, wild resources from the site and/or its buffer zone could contribute to the local budget, support livelihoods of local people and create new incentives for the local community support of the site.
The site provides significant conservation and scientific benefits to the national and international conservation and scientific communities. The area of Putorana Plateau also has high cultural, spiritual and livelihood importance to the Evenk and Dolgan indigenous peoples of the area, and could be managed more effectively for the enhancement of these benefits.
References
| № | References |
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| 1 |
Cambridge Conservation Initiative and BirdLife International (2011). ‘Measuring and monitoring ecosystem services at the site scale’. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Conservation Initiative and BirdLife International. [Electronic reference] . [Accessed 17 July 2012].
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| 2 |
Grigor’ev, A. A., Devi, N. M., Kukarskikh, V. V., V’yukhin, S. O., Galimova, A. A., Moiseev, P. A., & Fomin, V. V. (2019). Structure and Dynamics of Tree Stands at the Upper Timberline in the Western Part of the Putorana Plateau. Russian Journal of Ecology, 50(4), pp.311-322
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| 3 |
IUCN (2010). ‘World Heritage Nomination – IUCN Technical Evaluation: The Putorana Plateau, Russian Federation – ID No. 1234rev’. [online] Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. Available at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1234/documents/ [Access… 17 June 2012].
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| 4 |
IUCN (2012). ‘The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species’. [online] Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ [Accessed 17 July 2012].
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| 5 |
Kirdyanov, A. V., Hagedorn, F., Knorre, A. A., Fedotova, E. V., Vaganov, E. A., Naurzbaev, M. M., ... & Rigling, A. (2012). 20th century tree‐line advance and vegetation changes along an altitudinal transect in the Putorana Mountains, northern Siberia. Boreas, 41(1), 56-67.
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| 6 |
Meduza. (2017). Охотничий клуб бывшего спецназовца ФСБ попросил у вице-премьера Хлопонина разрешение на отстрел пятерых баранов из Красной книги. [online] Available at: «В интересах науки»https://meduza.io/slides/ohotnichiy-klub-byvshego-spetsnazo…. (Accessed 27 August 2017)
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| 7 |
Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation (2012a). ‘Putoranskiy State Nature Reserve:Acticities on ecological education and building stakeholder support‘. [Electronic reference] . [Accessed 17 July 2012]. (In Russian)
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| 8 |
Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation (2012b). ‘Putoranskiy State Nature Reserve: visiting the reserve ‘. [Electronic reference] . [Accessed 17 July 2012]. (In Russian)
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| 9 |
Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation (2012c). ‘Putoranskiy State Nature Reserve: study and monitoring of natural processes and interrelationships‘. [Electronic reference] . [Accessed 17 July 2012]. (In Russian)
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| 10 |
Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation (2012d). ‘Putoranskiy State Nature Reserve: research ‘. [Electronic reference] . [Accessed 17 July 2012]. (In Russian)
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| 11 |
Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation (2012e). ‘Putoranskiy State Nature Reserve: rare and threatened species – Snow Sheep Ovis nivicola‘. [Electronic reference] . [Accessed 17 July 2012]. (In Russian)
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| 12 |
Montaigne, F. (2000). ‘Remote Russia: Expedition to the Putorana Plateau’. National Geographic 11/2000. [Electronic reference] . [Accessed 17 July 2012]
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| 13 |
Natural Heritage Protection Fund, Direction of the “Putoranskiy” State Nature Reserve, Dresden University of Technology, et al. (2008). Nomination of the Putorana Plateau (Russian Federation) for inscription on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. Moscow: Natural Heritage Protection Fund. [Electronic reference] . Accessed 17 July 2012.
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| 14 |
Nesterenko, G. V., Kolesov, G. M., Tikhonenkov, P. I. (1988). ‘Rare-earth elements in basalts of the Putorana Plateau.’ Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR 300(3): 689-693. (in Russian)
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| 15 |
Romanov, A. (2018) Birds of the Mountains of Northern Eurasia Project Report. Russian Society for the Conservation and Study of Birds named after M.A. Menzibra (ROSIP), Faculty of Geography of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov and Putoransky Nature Reserve.
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| 16 |
UNEP-WCMC (2011). The Putorana Plateau, Russian Federation. UNEP-WCMC World Heritage Information Sheets. [online] Available at: https://yichuans.github.io/datasheet/output/site/putorana-p… 17 July 2012].
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| 17 |
World Heritage Committee. (2010). ‘Decision 34 COM 8B.8’. Natural Properties-Putorana Plateau (Russian Federation). In: Report of decisions of the 34th session of the World Heritage Committee. [online] Paris, France: UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Available at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/3988 [Accessed 17 July 2012].
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| 18 |
Zapovedniki Taymyra website (2017). http://zapovedsever.ru/ Accessed 27.08.2017
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| 19 |
Поспелова, Е. Б., & Поспелов, И. Н. (Pospelova, E.B. & Pospelov, I.N. ) (2018). Флора сосудистых растений севера среднесибирского плоскогорья. Растительный мир Азиатской России, 2(30), с. 21–28.
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