The purpose of the Law is regulation of relations in the field of organization, protection and use of protected natural territories. The main tasks of the Law are conservation of typical, unique, valuable objects and complexes, genetic fund of plants and animals, prevention of negative influence of human activity to the nature, studying the natural processes, monitoring of natural environment, improvement of ecological awareness and education (art. 2). Protected natural territories are sites of land and (or) water area (aquatoriums) of priority ecological, scientific, cultural, aesthetic, recreational and sanitary-treatment significance, which have been completely or partially, permanently or temporarily withdrawn from economic exploitation. Protected natural territories constitute the unified ecological system designed for ensuring biological and landscape diversity as well as maintaining ecological balance (art. 4). Protected natural territories depending on their target purpose and regime shall be classified into the following categories: 1) state reserves; 2) complex (landscape) sanctuaries; 3) natural parks; 4) state natural monuments; 5) territories for conservation, reproduction and restoration of separate natural objects and complexes; 6) protected landscapes; 7) territories for management of separate natural resources (art. 5). The protected natural territories are generally accessible for citizens, except for the cases, established by the present Law. For the purpose of protection of rare and endangered species of plants and animals, environment of their growth and habitat, the access of citizens to the separate parts of protected natural territories can be limited or forbidden by state bodies, legal and physical persons under whose authority these territories locate (art. 8). The activity of legal and physical persons on reserved land sites, which threatens conservation of designated for protection natural objects and complexes should be limited or prohibited. Granting for ownership and use of these land sites or for rent to legal and physical persons is allowed only if there is a positive conclusion made by state environmental audit (art. 12). The natural parks are protected natural territories designated for conservation and use in nature protection, recreational, scientific and cultural purposes of the natural objects and complexes, which have special ecological, cultural and aesthetic value (art. 23). For the purpose of steady economic and social development of territories the state biosphere reserves can be created – that is protected natural territories designated for conservation of a biological diversity, rational use of natural objects and complexes. The state biosphere reserves can be included in the international network biosphere reserves and participate in global monitoring of natural environment (art. 44).
Law on protected natural territories.