When was the Russian Geographical Society established? Russian Geographical Society: History of Foundation. Honorary members of the Society

In 1912, the Imperial Russian Geographical Society (IRGO) established the Environmental Commission. Its creators were professors of Moscow and St. Petersburg universities, geographers, zoologists, and botanists. The commission worked until 1918. The main result of her activities was a plan to create a network of reserves on the territory of Russia. It was not destined to be fully realized, however, on the basis of this plan, already in Soviet time reserves were opened in many regions of the USSR. In the year of the centenary of the commission, the Russian Geographical Society resumed its work. This event was dedicated to the meeting of the Academic Council of the Russian Geographical Society, which took place in September this year in Orenburg. Let us turn to the origins of the environmental movement in Russia. Interest in nature at the end of the 19th century, especially in university circles, was great.

The cause and at the same time the consequence of it were a series of large geographical expeditions, numerous and very productive botanical and zoological studies. Not the last role in this process was played by the military, who conducted extensive research in Asia, the Caucasus, and the polar regions. At the same time, magnificent publications came out in rather large circulations, for example, Brehm's Animal Life, books by Buturlin, Sabaneev. In a word, society has already prepared for real work on nature protection. All that was needed was a concrete and feasible plan, people capable of developing and implementing it, as well as financial and administrative support. (Not much has changed in the past hundred years, hasn't it?) All these ingredients happily combined in the Geographical Society. Leading the new social movement outstanding domestic scientists stood up for natural monuments: botanist I. P. Borodin, anthropologist and geographer D. N. Anuchin, forester G. F. Morozov, St. Petersburg zoologist D. K. Solovyov, head of the Department of Zoology of Moscow State University G. A. Kozhevnikov, botanist of Kharkov University V. A. Taliev, geographer V. P. Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky and his brother entomologist A. P. Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky. They own the idea of ​​an ethical and aesthetic approach to the protection of wildlife and to conservation work. This direction was closest to the then intelligentsia. And this is very important, since it was the intelligentsia that provided the greatest support to the new movement.

In 1892, V.V. Dokuchaev expressed the idea of ​​the need to create special reserved stations. Unlike national parks in the United States, which were conceived as places for hunting, fishing, entertainment and recreation, Dokuchaev proposed that the site be reserved and “granted it for exclusive use” to indigenous species of flora and fauna. Dokuchaev’s idea was developed by natural scientists, whom we have the right to call “A mighty bunch of national nature reserves.” Today, after 100 years, it is very important to remember these remarkable figures of the Russian Geographical Society, whose ideas at the beginning of the 21st century became even more relevant, than at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was after this report by I.P. Borodin that on March 5, 1912, the Council of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society approved the Regulations on the Permanent Environmental Commission, in the second paragraph of which it was written: “The purpose of the commission is to arouse interest in the general population and the government to questions about the protection of natural monuments in Russia and to carry out in practice the preservation inviolability of individual sections or entire areas important in botanical and zoogeographical, geological and physical-geographical terms in general, the protection of certain species of plants, animals, etc.

Georgy Fedorovich Morozov (1867-1920) geographer and botanist, creator of the doctrine of the forest as a geographical and historical phenomenon. He was one of the consistent supporters of the geographical approach in organizing a network of reserves: “The allocation of protected areas should occur as systematically as possible with the position as the basis of the botanical and geographical division: protected areas should be located in each botanical and geographical area, representing in their totality a number of the most characteristic and most valuable scientifically the types of vegetation". Working in the commission, G. F. Morozov proposed to identify and protect the most valuable forest standards in different regions of Russia. Andrey Petrovich Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky (1866-1942), president of the Russian Entomological Society. One of the most radical supporters of the inherent value of wildlife. In his opinion, "freedom is necessary for nature, just as it is necessary for people." This freedom, in his opinion, should be provided by nature reserves: “Nature untouched by man gives him irreplaceable aesthetic pleasures, elevating his soul, we also have a great moral duty to nature, a filial duty to our mother.”

Veniamin Petrovich Semyonov-TyanShansky (1870-1942) geographer and statistician, founder and editor of the multi-volume publication Russia. Complete geographical description of our Fatherland" (1899-1914), one of the most active members of the Environmental Commission. It was he who summarized the proposals of its members and in October 1917 prepared a report "On the types of areas in which it is necessary to establish nature reserves such as American national parks." The report was accompanied by a map of the Northern Hemisphere, on which the already created US national parks and 46 national parks that need to be organized in Russia were plotted. V.P. Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky applied a purely geographical principle in the location of these protected areas. Calling the proposed objects on the model of the United States national parks, the scientist, in fact, had in mind reserves with their much stricter protection regime, restrictions on visiting and economic activity. Nevertheless, many of its members continued, to the extent possible, to offer their ideas to the new the leadership of the country. So, in 1919, G. A. Kozhevnikov addressed the Soviet government with a memorandum, which says: “The Russian Republic is faced with the task of global importance to preserve a number of animal forms that are not found anywhere outside our fatherland and beyond the fate of which with interest the scientific world of the whole world is watching. In judging this matter, it is useful to have an example before you. Western Europe and, in particular, the United States of America, which, in the interests of the public good, do not spare money for the protection of nature. The works of the classics of domestic nature conservation and conservation work remain in demand even after 100 years, causing controversy. A careful analyst will find many contradictions in them. Often, science was not free in its choice, which led and still leads to incorrect, ambiguous conclusions, tragic mistakes. The entire 20th century in the history of national conservation affairs is a kaleidoscope of contradictory decisions. Here are a few dates that marked the twists and turns in this story.

1898 - the private nature reserve Askania-Nova was created.

1916 - the first Russian state reserve Barguzinsky was created on Baikal.

1917 - V.P. Semenov-vym-Tyan-Shansky presented the first draft of the protected network of Russia.

1922 - G. A. Kozhevnikov's memorandum "On the needs of nature protection in the RSFSR" receives support from the People's Commissariat and the Academy of Sciences.

1930 - "purge" in Glavnauka, prominent figures of nature protection were dismissed and repressed. The first nature reserves in the USSR were opened, among them: Altai, Bashkir, Voronezh (1927), Galichya Gora (1925), Kandalakshsky, Kivach, Oksky and others .

1933 - The First All-Union Congress for the Protection of Nature of the USSR calls "to break the fetish of inviolability from reserves, to populate the whole country with useful fauna and to get rid of harmful ones." 1930-1940 - 42 new reserves were established.

1951 - 88 reserves were completely closed and the territory of 20 reserves was reduced. Of the 130 reserves, 40 have been abandoned. Their area has decreased by more than 11 times.

1960 - the total number of reserves reached 85. The law "On Nature Protection of the RSFSR" was adopted.

1961 - 16 forest reserves are closed, logging begins on their territory. The area of ​​reserves has been halved.

1962 - the Regulations on state reserves were adopted, their status as research institutions was restored.

1980s - the number of reserves in the USSR reached 200. The first national parks were created.

1988 - the Ministry of Protection is created environment USSR, and then the RSFSR.

2000 - abolished federal agency State Committee on environmental protection, which was directly subordinate to the reserves. There are seven of them, and I will allow myself to say a few words about each. At the same time, I note that in addition to answering the questions posed, we must take real actions, since the Russian Geographical Society has all the opportunities for this. And, believe me, not only because of administrative support, which, of course, is important, but also because our work resonates with many scientists, public figures, entrepreneurs. But back to the "seven" questions.

1. Do all the islands and islets of wild nature preserved on the territory of Russia have the status of protected territories? What objects from the list of the Environmental Commission of 1917 are still waiting for their recognition?

Unfortunately, at present, the location of protected areas is determined not so much by a scientifically substantiated need as by the features geographical location, and mainly - the lack of economic interests and transport inaccessibility. In this regard, protected islands of wild nature are distributed extremely unevenly throughout the country. There are practically no reserves in the main agricultural zone of Russia. A negligibly small area is occupied by the standards of zonal steppe and forest landscapes, the special value of which was pointed out by V. V. Dokuchaev, I. P. Borodin, V. P. Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky.
Until now, such specially protected natural areas of the highest rank (with a strict regime for the protection of landscapes, flora and fauna, with developed scientific units) have not been created, such as the Khibiny Park, the Central Russian Upland Park, the Baraba forest-steppe park, the Ural Urem. But they were included in the list of the IRGO PPK in 1917. Or, for example, in 1943 the reserve of the Kungur caves was organized and then liquidated. Perm region. In addition, many nature reserves and national parks operate within significantly reduced boundaries compared to those that were originally designed. The most important task of our commission is to find out why in some physical-geographical and administrative-territorial regions of Russia there is no representative network of specially protected natural areas (SPNA), in including the highest rank. An example is the Urals, where key landscape areas are part of the existing reserves and national parks, but there are many that need to be created in order to cover the entire natural diversity of the region.

2. What habitats are rare species, especially those for which it is Russia that is responsible, those that served, serve or can serve as symbols of the country or its regions, are not yet provided with environmental protection measures?
I would like to draw your attention to three branded species of Russian fauna from the three main natural elements: water, air and land.
As for the aquatic environment, the Russian sturgeon and other species of anadromous sturgeons in the basins of the Black and Caspian Seas and the non-water ones in the Siberian rivers should certainly be in the first place in terms of importance. Despite the success of artificial breeding of sturgeon, over the past 20 years there has been a catastrophic reduction (by 20-40 times) in the natural population of Russian sturgeon, beluga, and ship in the Caspian Sea basin. Only by changing the conservation status of the transboundary Ural River and some other rivers of the Caspian basin, it is possible to preserve the recently former world's largest natural population of sturgeon in the North Caspian region. Among rare bird species, one should pay attention to the endemic of Russia and Eurasia, the red-breasted goose. Russia is fully responsible for the preservation of this species in the world fauna, since its entire range from the Arctic tundra to North Caucasus together with migration routes is located on our territory. To preserve the red-breasted goose, it is necessary to create a cluster reserve, including the habitats of this species in Taimyr, swamps Western Siberia, steppe lakes of the Trans-Urals, wetlands of the North Caucasus.
Another title species of the extinct fauna of Russia is a wild horse. The Russian Geographical Society allocated a special grant to support the Przewalski horse reintroduction project. At present, in the entire steppe belt of Eurasia from Hungary to Mongolia and China, only Russia has not really begun to reintroduce the Przewalski horse in its steppes. In the territory Orenburg region a plot of 16.5 thousand hectares has been prepared for the release of wild horses, and only the good will of the responsible employees of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the leaders of the Orenburg region is needed to make this project a reality.

3. Another important task of modern nature conservation is the harmonization of relations between environmental protection and recreational and tourist activities. The reserves were originally created not for tourism and tourists, but for protection and study natural objects. National parks, on the contrary, are intended primarily for organized recreation. It is impossible to mix and confuse these tasks. Reserves should not earn money through tourism. The legalization of ecotourism in the protected areas of national parks, especially in nature reserves, is a direct violation of the conservation regime, the results of which are sometimes catastrophic and always irreversible. It is impossible to force nature reserves to prove their right to exist through tourism. Nevertheless, it is possible and necessary to engage in tourism in specially protected natural areas, but this activity is permissible only in buffer zones and should not cover calm zones * and protected cores.

4. Important question which the commission will have to work on is the problem of integrating federal and regional systems of protected areas into the socio-economic development of territories. Wildlife islands, classic nature reserves should not economically justify their existence: their enduring value is already in what they are, in what they give us the realization that somewhere on Earth there are still corners with untouched nature. The usefulness of these territories cannot be assessed by market methods. They are practically priceless, like unique masterpieces of world art, architecture or archaeological sites, and are also irreplaceable in case of loss.

At the same time, being on the balance sheet of the state or a constituent entity of the Federation, sometimes in private ownership, natural heritage objects are included in the economic infrastructure of a particular region. Therefore, an untouchable niche should be allocated for these territories. They should be clearly marked on land management and district planning schemes, and any economic activity should be prohibited here. Nevertheless, reserves and especially national parks should play an important role in the economy of the region. Large regional reserves and national parks can be used as basic cores for creating natural reserve clusters. Transfer to national parks and reserves for direct management of nearby reserves, parks, natural monuments and other protected areas will allow spreading the culture of nature protection to neighboring landscapes, creating new protected areas with wildlife and increased natural diversity, and reasonably shifting part of the recreational and tourist load from the main core protected areas to other sites.

5. Our commission will definitely have to deal with the prevention and prevention of internal and external anthropogenic and natural-anthropogenic risks. Threats of fires, ecological autonomy of protected areas, voluntary decisions of administrative and economic bodies, looting and poaching, violations of the reserve regime and the use of scientific material for hunting and extraction of scientific material are always accompanied and accompany the daily activities of our reserves and national parks. But these same threats are even more dangerous for wilderness areas and unique landscapes that have not yet been taken under state protection. So, only in the last year, the Environmental Commission of the Russian Geographical Society had to deal with real threats associated with new options for the development of a phosphorite deposit in the territory of the planned national park of the Khibiny Mountains. Not so long ago, we prepared proposals for the creation of the Zapolyarno-Uralsky National Park in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Subpolyarno-Uralsky National Park in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. Both of these initiatives arose as a result of the construction of roads, the laying of a pipeline and the planned industrial development of the ore deposits of the Polar Urals. In the autumn of 2011, according to our representation, the President of the Russian Geographical Society resolved the issues of stopping the looting of the paleontological heritage of the Novosibirsk Islands. As part of the 2012 expedition, a group worked on this archipelago, which is currently preparing proposals for the creation of a national park on it. Even the status of natural world heritage sites (there are currently 10 of them in Russia) does not protect them from anthropogenic impact. There is no need to look far for examples: "Lake Baikal" operation of the BPPM and illegal construction on the coast; "Volcanoes of Kamchatka" prospecting and exploration works, plans for changing the boundaries of the object; "Western Caucasus" lack of buffer zone protection status, economic development projects; "Golden Mountains of Altai" pipeline construction plans, poaching; "Virgin forests of Komi" projects for the development of mineral deposits.

Track the process of emergence and development of threats of a natural and anthropogenic nature over the course of the 20th early XXI century can be on the example of Buzuluk pine forest. This unique forest is the largest pine forest in the world among the steppes in XIX early XX century became the school of domestic forest science and forest biogeocenology. Here G.F. Morozov and V.N. Sukachev worked out the doctrine of the types of forest plantations, and in 1917 V.P. Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky included Buzuluk forest in the project of the Nature Conservation Commission as one of the 45 national parks of Russia. The fate of the forest is tragic and instructive. Over the past two centuries, fires have occurred on 75% of its territory. The fires of 1831, 1879, and 1921 were especially devastating. In 1932, a state reserve was created on a part of the territory of the forest. Then the activity of the reserve was criticized, and in 1948 it was liquidated. Immediately begins a period of large-scale reforestation. As a result of improper forest management, 30,000 hectares of forests were planted, which, due to the overestimated density, turned out to be unviable. The situation was complicated by the fact that, in parallel with reforestation, clear felling of mature forests was carried out. In 1959, exploration and production of oil and gas was carried out on the territory of the forest by deep drilling - in total, about 200 wells were drilled, more than 20 of them commercial. The low culture of oil and gas production led to massive oil spills and fires. In 1973, under pressure from the scientific community, the first ban on oil and gas production was announced here. The oilmen left behind a network of pipelines, industrial waste, liquidated and mothballed wells, which pose a technogenic hazard. And only in 1994, by order of the Government of the Russian Federation, boron was included in the List of state reserves and national parks recommended for organization on the territory of the Russian Federation in 1994-2005. In 2007, the Buzuluk forest finally became a national natural park. But the dangers didn't end there. Oil and gas wells are still not brought to a safe condition. The area is still threatened by fires. Even during the Great Patriotic War an arsenal of weapons was brought to the center of the forest along a special railway line. In June 2012, this arsenal reminded of itself when artillery shells began to burst and scatter for several kilometers around.

6. The Commission will also have to deal with the development of new categories of protected natural areas, covering the landscape and biological diversity of the country. In 1918, the St. Petersburg zoologist D.K. reserve fund. Unfortunately, they have not found their application in Russia. However, in the USA, Canada, Great Britain and other countries there are many such categories - for example, protected landscape area, areas of exceptional natural beauty, scenic river, national river, etc. In Canada, 13 rivers with a total length of 3,000 km have received the conservation status of a “national river”. In the United States in 1993, 153 river sections with a total length of 18,000 km were protected by a special law. The so-called cluster PAs of linear (for example, along the path of migration) and cluster type are widely practiced in the world. In addition, in many areas, the nature protection regime may be seasonal. To conserve biodiversity (specific species of plants and animals), certain types of protective nature management are practiced, for example, grazing of livestock with a limited load, sparing haymaking. Naturally, these methods are unacceptable for classical nature reserves, peace zones of national parks.

7. One of the most important tasks of our commission is to raise the cult of the country's pristine landscapes and wildlife as the common heritage of all peoples. It would be right that the best samples of unique landscapes and wildlife of our Fatherland. Plots of pristine nature should become one of the central symbols of Russia and that national community, which we designate with the words "Russian people." Many of us are very afraid to use the concept of "national landscape" in relation to Russia. At the same time, if we want to save Russia, we need to declare a single national landscape and the best examples of preserved wild nature, "belonging to all together." But for this it is necessary to adopt the laws “On the national landscape”, “On the wild nature.” “All the best in nature belongs to everyone together” these words of the Roman writer Petronius, written in the 1st century AD, are worth remembering. Standards and unique specimens of wildlife, both reserved and not yet reserved, should be in the public domain.

(RGO), Imperial Russian Geographical Society (1850-1917), Russian Geographical Society (1917-26), State Geographical Society (1926-38), All-Union Geographical Society (1938-92), in 1992 the name Russian Geographical Society was restored. Scientific and educational organization, one of the oldest geographical societies in the world.

The network of departments of the Russian Geographical Society played an important role in organizing the work and popularizing local history knowledge. The first in 1851 with the assistance Governor General N.N. Muravyov-Amursky V Irkutsk the Siberian Department of the IRGO (SO IRGO, since 1877 - the East Siberian Branch (VSO) of the IRGO) was opened with subdivisions: Krasnoyarsk (1901) and Yakutsk (1913). On November 17, 1851, the military governor of Irkutsk, General K.K., was elected chairman of the department. Wenzel, the ruler of affairs (head) - Doctor of Medicine Yu.I. Stubendorf. In Western Siberia, the organization of a similar formation was preceded by an attempt to create Omsk a group of local historians (I.Ya. Slovtsov, P.A. Zolotov, A.I. Sulotsky and F.L. Chernavin) of the Society of Explorers of Western Siberia (1868-78). The West Siberian Department (ZSO IRGO) was founded with the active support of the Governor General N.G. Kaznakov in 1877, in 1901 its subdivision was opened in Barnaul(Altai) on the basis of the Society of Altai Exploration Lovers founded in 1891; in 1902 - in Semipalatinsk. The chief of staff is elected as chairman. West Siberian Military District General I.F. Babkov, ruler of affairs - teacher of Siberian geography cadet corps M.V. singers. In 1884 during Vladivostok the Society for the Study of the Amur Territory (OIAK) was created, headed by F.F. Busse, in 1894 it becomes a subdivision of the Khabarovsk with the active participation of the Governor-General S.M. Dukhovsky Priamursky department of the IRGO (PO IRGO). General N.I. is elected its chairman. Grodekov. Then the subdivisions begin to operate in Troitskosavsk And Chita(Zabaikalsky). In 1914, a sub-department headed by A.M. Bodisco opens at Nikolsk.

The title "imperial" gave the right to receive subsidies (2 thousand rubles a year for each department, from 1914 IRGO - 4 thousand rubles), free mail forwarding, assistance from the local administration in organizing and conducting expeditions, including the provision of armed convoys of Cossacks and sending military topographers to them. The governors-general were usually official patrons and honorary chapter chairs. They approved the results of the elections governing bodies, authorized the holding of meetings, the organization of lectures, the organization of expeditions, and so on. Their organizing function gradually turned into a controlling one. In the interaction of departments with subdivisions, scientific partnership prevailed over administrative dependence. A common form of contact with other scientific, educational, administrative structures was the exchange of publications. Thus, the ZSO IRGO has established such an exchange with more than 530 addressees in 85 cities of Russia and 18 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.

At the end of the XIX - beginning of the XX century. in the local formations of the IRGS, mainly service intelligentsia was represented with a predominance of officers, primarily topographers at the stages of the formation of departments - foresters, resettled officials, land surveyors, agronomists, statisticians, teachers of gymnasiums, etc. Political exiles. The Siberian administration, despite the restrictions of the "Regulations on police supervision" (1881), satisfied the petitions of the governing bodies of departments and subdivisions to involve exiled settlers in the work. An outstanding role in the daily work and expeditions of the WSO IRGS was played by YES. Clements, N.V. Vitashevsky, V.G. Bogoraz-Tan, F.Ya. Kohn, E.K. bakery, M.P. Ovchinnikov, I.I. Mainov, S.V. Yastremsky and others. The number of members of the Siberian divisions of the IRGO ranged from 168 people (ZSO IRGO in 1887), 110 (VSO IRGO in 1905), 100 (Transbaikal subdivision in 1908), to 12 people (Krasnoyarsk subdivision at the time of organization in 1901). The composition of scientific communities remained unstable, the number of employees from other cities gradually decreased, and ties within the teams were weak. Financing of departments and subdivisions was carried out at the expense of state subsidies, donations from local entrepreneurs (A.M. and I.M. Sibiryakov, M.K. Sidorov, V.P. Sukachev, HELL. Vasenev etc.), membership fees, income from public lectures and museum visits.

The Siberian formations of the IRGO organized and conducted expeditions and excursions, coordinated the local history activities of the local intelligentsia and political exiles, published "Proceedings", "Notes", "Izvestia", "Materials", created museums and through them carried out multifaceted educational work. Biggest Contribution to the organization scientific research made by members of the IRGO who worked in Siberia: I.S. Selsky, A.F. Usoltsev, M.V. Zagoskin, N.N. Agapitov, G.N. Potanin, V.A. Obruchev, V.I. Vagin, N.M. Yadrintsev, V.K. Arseniev, G.E. Katanaev, P.L. Dravert, A.E. Novoselov, F.N. Usov, A.N. Sidelnikov, V.V. Sapozhnikov, Yu.A. Schmidt and others. A.P. Shchapov), Olekminsko-Vitimskaya ( P.A. Kropotkin), Yakut (Sibiryakov) historical and ethnographic expedition. In 1902, a special archival commission was formed under him under the leadership of N. Drozdov. A member of the ZSO IRGO in 1877 - 1918 carried out 103 expeditions, trips and excursions in the vast expanse from Dzungaria to the Gulf of Ob.

Along with research work The Siberian formation of the IRGO was engaged in active educational activities, mainly through the museums and libraries formed under them. So, in the funds of the Museum of the Higher Society of the IRGS in 1889 there were 9,048 exhibits, in 1913 - 24,878. Since 1889, the museum regularly held Sunday lectures and excursions for visitors. In the museum of the ZSO IRGO by the beginning of the twentieth century. there were departments: historical and archaeological, factory and handicraft and ethnographic, agricultural, hunting and fishing, meteorological, mining and mineralogical, forestry, botanical and zoological.

The department and subdepartment continued their core activities during the turbulent years of the socialist cataclysm of 1917-20. Their development went in the direction of deepening specialization, focusing on the implementation of the economic plans of the Soviet state. In the late 1920s the sections of geography, economics, geology and mining, experimental fruit growing and plant acclimatization, ethnological, historical, paleoethnological, Buryat-Mongolian, Yakut, school of local history, historical and literary; as part of the ZSO RGS - physical-geographical, biological and economic. In the work of societies, in addition to scientific works nikov, local historians-practitioners, teachers, schoolchildren, youth of national outskirts were involved. In the 1920s the Krasnoyarsk, Altai, Semipalatinsk and other subdivisions were separated into independent departments. In 1928, the number of members of the WSO RGS was 288 full members and 112 collaborators, WSO RGS - 130 and 18 members, respectively.

In order to coordinate the activities of departments of the Russian Geographical Society and other local history organizations in the mid 1920s. congresses were held in Irkutsk, Omsk, Barnaul, Krasnoyarsk and others. In December 1926, at the 1st regional research congress, it was decided to create a Siberian association of local history organizations (see. local history), which included departments of the Russian Geographical Society. The functions of the association were transferred to the established in 1925 in Novosibirsk Society for the Study of the Productive Forces of Siberia(OIS). In the spring of 1931, with the liquidation of the OIS and the arrest of its leaders, including the chairman of the ZSO RGS V.F. Semenov, the departments of the Russian Geographical Society actually ceased their activities.

Its renewal took place in the 1950s. The center of activity moved to regions where there was no developed system of professional research organizations: Altai Territory, Sakhalin And Kamchatka region. The departments continue publishing and forwarding activities. Employees of institutes take part in their work Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, regional universities and museums.

Lit .: Manassein V.S. Feature article historical activity VSORGO for 75 years of its existence // Izv. VSORGO. Irkutsk, 1927. V. 50, no. 1; Semenov V.F. Essay on fifty years of activity of the West Siberian Department of the State Russian Geographical Society. Omsk, 1927.

S.N. Ushakova, M.V. Shilovsky

Russian Geographical Society, later called the Imperial Russian Geographical Society.

In the first half of the XIX century. geographical societies were established in a number of European countries - in France, Germany, Great Britain. By this time, Russia had organized expeditions to explore Siberia, the Trans-Caspian Territory, and the remote eastern and northern outskirts of the country.

In 1843, under the guidance of the ethnographer P. I. Koeppen, a circle of statisticians and travelers began to meet regularly to discuss acute issues of the state of the economy in the country, draw statistical description. Later, the well-known naturalist and traveler K. M. Baer and the famous navigator, explorer of Novaya Zemlya, head round the world expedition 1826–1829 Admiral F. P. Litke.

In the spring of 1845, the question of organizing the Society began to be discussed. Soon after the royal decree was followed by a meeting of the founders, at which the first full members of the Russian Geographical Society were elected. On October 7 (19), 1845, the first general meeting of full members of the Russian Geographical Society was held in the conference hall of the Imperial Academy of Sciences and Arts, which elected the Council of the Society. F. P. Litke, opening the meeting, defined the main task of the Society as “cultivating the geography of Russia”.

When the Society was created, four branches were envisaged: general geography, geography of Russia, statistics of Russia and ethnography of Russia. According to the permanent Charter in 1849, the list of departments became different: departments of physical geography, mathematical geography, statistics and ethnography. In the early 50s. 19th century The first regional departments appeared in the Society - Caucasian in Tiflis and Siberian in Irkutsk. Then departments were opened: Orenburg, North-West - in Vilna, South-West - in Kiev, West Siberian - in Omsk, Amur - in Khabarovsk, as well as the Turkestan department in Tashkent.

The first chairman of the Society was the second son of Nicholas I, Grand Duke Konstantin. After his death, the Society was headed by Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich, and since 1917 the chairmen began to be elected.

The main task of the Russian Geographical Society has always been the collection and dissemination of reliable geographical information. Expeditions of the Society played an important role in the development of Siberia, Far East, Central and Central Asia, the World Ocean, in the development of navigation, the discovery and study of new lands, in the development of meteorology and climatology. World recognition was brought to the Society geographical discoveries, made by its members in the middle - end of the 19th century: the first study of the Tien Shan by P.P. Semyonov (1856–1857), long-term comprehensive studies of the interior regions of Central Asia by N.M. Pevtsov in 1890 of the Toksun depression and the compilation of a map of East Turkestan.

The society also paid great attention to such disciplines as ethnography, archeology, history, zoology, anthropology. Expeditions were organized by N. N. Miklukho-Maclay to study the life, way of life and religious beliefs of the Papuans of New Guinea, as well as the journey of G. Ts. Tsybikov, who was the first European scientist to penetrate the capital of Tibet - Lhasa.

In the middle of the XX century. A large complex of research was carried out by the Society in the Arctic and Antarctic under the leadership of M. M. Somov, A. F. Treshnikov, E. I. Tolstikov.

Since its foundation, the Russian Geographical Society has launched a wide publishing and educational activities: from 1846 to 1917, the Notes of the Russian Geographical Society were published, since 1865 the News of the Russian Geographical Society has been published, since 1952 - Geographical Collections. The scientific archive of the Society is the oldest and the only specialized geographical archive in our country, which contains unique documents of Russian travelers, scientists, diplomats.

Since 1956, the Russian Geographical Society has been a member of the International Geographical Union.

Currently, the Russian Geographical Society unites 27 thousand members on the territory of all subjects Russian Federation and abroad, and has 127 regional and local branches, branches and representative offices throughout Russia. The headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society is located in St. Petersburg. The largest regional branches of the Society are Primorsky and Moscow. In November 2009, the head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry S. K. Shoigu was elected president of the Russian Geographical Society.

The Russian Geographical Society is one of the oldest societies in the world and the only continuously operating public organization in Russia. The Russian Geographical Society was founded in 1845 by the highest order of Emperor Nicholas I. The idea of ​​​​creation belonged to the Grand Admiral F.P. Litka, and his student, the son of the emperor, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich became the first President of the society. The main task of the new organization was to gather and send the best young forces of Russia to a comprehensive study of their native land.
The founders and first members of the society were world famous officers, scientists, travelers, researchers - F.P. Litke, F.P. Wrangel, I.F. Kruzenshtern, V.P. Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky, N.M. N.N.Miklukho-Maclay, G.I. Nevelskoy, Russian geologists, naturalists, geodesists, linguists and philanthropists.

Since its foundation, the Russian Geographical Society has not stopped its work, and in different years It was called differently - Imperial, State, All-Union, and since 1992 it has had its original name - the Russian Geographical Society.
Under his auspices, monumental studies of European Russia, the Urals, Siberia, the Far East, Middle and Central Asia, the Caucasus, Iran, India, New Guinea, and polar countries were organized. Also, the tradition of the society has always been communication with the Russian fleet and sea expeditions, and famous Russian explorers-navigators (P.F. Anzhu, V.S. Zavoyko, P. Yu. Lisyansky, L.A. Zagoskin, F.F. Matyushkin, K.N. Posyet, G.I. Nevelskoy, S.O. Makarov).
In 1851, the first two regional departments of the Russian Geographical Society were opened: the Caucasian in Tiflis and the Siberian in Irkutsk. Then new departments are created: Orenburg, North-West in Vilna, South-West in Kiev, West Siberian in Omsk, Amur in Khabarovsk, Turkestan in Tashkent. They conducted extensive studies of their regions, organized expeditionary and educational projects. By 1917, the Imperial Russian Geographical Society already had 11 departments (including the headquarters in St. Petersburg), two subdivisions and four departments.
The Russian Geographical Society laid the foundations for the domestic nature reserve business, and within the framework of the Permanent Nature Conservation Commission, the ideas of the first Russian specially protected natural areas were born.
The work of the Permanent Commission of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society for the Study of the Arctic resulted in the world famous Chukotka, Yakutsk and Kola expeditions, the organization of the first International Polar Year, during which autonomous polar stations were created at the mouth of the Lena and on Novaya Zemlya.
With the assistance of the Russian Geographical Society in 1918, the world's first higher educational institution geographical profile - Geographic Institute. And in 1919, the first geographical museum in Russia was founded, the collections of which occupied the third place in Russia after the Hermitage and the Russian Museum.
In Soviet times, the work of the society changed: it was focused on small regional studies and large theoretical generalizations, the promotion of geographical knowledge was actively developed - the famous lecture hall named after Yu.M. Shokalsky.
And yet, until the early 2000s, there was a long period of stagnation in the history of the Russian Geographical Society. In November 2009, Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu was elected President of the Russian Geographical Society, and the Board of Trustees was formed from among the most significant persons in Russia (A.B. Usmanov, S.S. Sobyanin, V.Yu. Alekperov, A.B. Miller). The Chairmanship was assumed by the President of Russia Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. It's time for a renaissance glorious traditions XIX century. At the same time, the vector of work has changed significantly. If before the revolution the main task of the Russian Geographical Society was the discovery, annexation and study of new territories, now the priorities have shifted towards the development of domestic tourism, fostering love for the Fatherland. The main activities of the Russian Geographical Society are expeditions and research, education and enlightenment, nature conservation, book publishing and work with youth.
Today, the Russian Geographical Society has about 13,000 members in Russia and abroad. There are regional branches in all 85 subjects of the Russian Federation.
The regional branch of the Russian Geographical Society in the Republic of Bashkortostan was established in 1954, but in recent decades it has existed rather nominally and was listed as an outsider.
In September 2014, the Bashkir branch of the Russian Geographical Society was headed by Kamil Farukhshinovich Ziganshin, a writer, traveler, Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. Today, among the few regional branches, the Bashkir branch has the status legal entity. The regional branch has more than 120 full members, more than 180 candidates for members of the Russian Geographical Society, active work is being carried out in all areas of activity.
In 2015, the Russian Geographical Society received two grants:
1. Research expedition "From Ik to Yaik". Pupils of the gymnasium in Tuymazy with the leader I. Danilko traveled tens of kilometers, organizing various actions and research.
2. Tourist route "Paths of the Ural-Batyr" on the territory natural park"Iremel" with a length of 30 km, equipped with images and symbols of the epos "Ural-Batyr".
In 2016, the Russian Geographical Society received three grants:
1. "Ecogeography for the blind".
2. "Preservation and development of the unique natural industry of the Bashkirs - wild beekeeping, as the basis of a new type of tourism - honey tours" on the territory of the National Park "Bashkiria".
3. Media grant for the filming of the popular science film "The Cradle of Art - Shulgan-Tash Cave (Kapova Cave)". The film will reflect the discovery of 150 new drawings, the maximum age of which is 36 thousand years, and will become a video argument for the inclusion of the cave in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

IN last years The Russian Geographical Society has acquired dynamism in its work, new leaders and promising areas of activity have appeared.

In November 2009, S.K. was elected President of the Russian Geographical Society. Shoigu, a representative Board of Trustees was formed, the chairmanship of which was assumed by the President of Russia V.V. Putin.

Today, the Russian Geographical Society has more than 14,000 members in Russia and abroad, 85 regional branches in all regions of the Russian Federation.

The main activities of the Russian Geographical Society are expeditions and research, education and enlightenment, nature conservation, book publishing, work with youth.

In 2015, the 170th anniversary of the Russian Geographical Society is coming, about which many articles will be written and stories will be shown. The Academic Council of the Khabarovsk branch decided to remind the public about the decisive contribution of the members of the Russian Geographical Society to the return of the Amur Region and Primorye to Russia, the systematic study of the region by the expeditions of the Russian Geographical Society and other glorious deeds of its members.

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The Russian Geographical Society (RGS) was founded in 1845 by the highest order of Emperor Nicholas I. The idea to create the Society belonged to Admiral F.P. Litke, educator of the future first Chairman of the Russian Geographical Society, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich. The task of the new organization was "to gather and send the best young forces of Russia to a comprehensive study of their native land."

Among the founders of the Russian Geographical Society were famous navigators: Admirals F.P. Litke, I.F. Kruzenshtern, F.P. Wrangel, P.I. Ricord; members of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences: naturalist K.M. Baer, ​​astronomer V.Ya. Struve, geologist G.P. Gelmersen, statistician P.I. Koppen; prominent military figures (former and current officers General Staff): Quartermaster General F.F. Berg, cartographer M.P. Vronchenko and M.N. Ants; representatives of the Russian intelligentsia: linguist V.I. Dal and Prince V.F. Odoevsky.

Here is how the famous geographer, traveler and statesman P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky:

"Free and open to all who are imbued with love for their native land and a deep, unshakable faith in the future of the Russian state and the Russian people, the corporation."

Since its foundation, the Russian Geographical Society has not stopped its activities, but the name of the organization has changed several times: it had its modern name in 1845-1850, 1917-1926 and from 1992 to the present. It was called "Imperial" from 1850 to 1917. In Soviet times it was called the State Geographical Society (1926-1938) and the Geographical Society USSR(or the All-Union Geographical Society) (1938-1992).

Over the years, the Russian Geographical Society was led by representatives of the Russian Imperial House, famous travelers, explorers and statesmen. The chairmen of the Russian Geographical Society were the Grand Dukes Konstantin Nikolayevich (1845-1892) and Nikolai Mikhailovich (1892-1917), and the Vice-Chairmen were F.P. Litke, M.N. Muravyov, P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, Yu.M. Shokalsky. Since 1931, the Society was headed by the Presidents: N.I. Vavilov, L.S. Berg, E.N. Pavlovsky, S.V. Kalesnik, A.F. Treshnikov, S.B. Lavrov, Yu.P. Seliverstov, A.A. Komaritsyn, S. K. Shoigu (2009 - present).

The Russian Geographical Society has made a major contribution to the study of European Russia, the Urals, Siberia, the Far East, Middle and Central Asia, the Caucasus, Iran, India, New Guinea, polar countries and other territories. These studies are associated with the names of famous travelers N. A. Severtsov, I. V. Mushketov, N. M. Przhevalsky, G. N. Potanin, M. V. Pevtsov, G. E. and M. E. Grumm-Grzhimailo, P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, V.A. Obruchev, P.K. Kozlova, N.N. Miklukho-Maclay, A.I. Voeikova, L.S. Berg and many others.

Another important tradition of the Russian Geographical Society was the connection with the Russian fleet and sea expeditions. Among the full members of the Society were famous marine explorers: P. F. Anzhu, V. S. Zavoyko, L. A. Zagoskin, P. Yu. Lisyansky, F. F. Matyushkin, K. N. Posyet, S. O. Makarov and others.

During the imperial period, members of foreign royal families were elected honorary members of the Society, for example, a personal friend of P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky Belgian King Leopold II, Turkish Sultan Abdul Hamid, British Prince Albert, famous foreign explorers and geographers Baron Ferdinand Richthofen, Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen and others.

The largest benefactors who sent significant funds to support the Society were: merchant P.V. Golubkov, tobacco manufacturer Zhukov (one of the most prestigious awards of the IRGO - Zhukovskaya) was named after him. A special place among the patrons of the Russian Geographical Society is occupied by the gold miners Sibiryakovs, who financed a number of expeditionary and educational projects.

In 1851, the first two regional departments of the Russian Geographical Society were opened: the Caucasian in Tiflis and the Siberian in Irkutsk. Then departments are created: Orenburg, North-West in Vilna, South-West in Kyiv, West-Siberian in Omsk, Priamursky in Khabarovsk, Turkestan in Tashkent. They conducted extensive surveys of their regions. By 1917, the IRGO consisted of 11 departments, including the headquarters in St. Petersburg, 2 sub-departments and 4 departments.

In Soviet times, the work of the Society changed. The Russian Geographical Society has focused on relatively small, but deep and comprehensive regional studies, as well as large theoretical generalizations. The geography of regional branches has significantly expanded: as of 1989-1992, the Central Branch (in Leningrad) and 14 republican branches worked in the USSR Civil Defense. In the RSFSR, there were 18 branches, 2 bureaus and 78 departments.

The Russian Geographical Society also laid the foundations of the national nature reserve business, the ideas of the first Russian protected areas were born within the framework of the Permanent Environmental Commission of the IRGS, the creator of which was Academician I.P. Borodin.

The most important event was the creation of a permanent commission of the IRGS for the study of the Arctic. The world-famous Chukotka, Yakutsk and Kola expeditions became the result of her work. The report on one of the Arctic expeditions of the society interested the great scientist D.I. Mendeleev, who developed several projects for the development and research of the Arctic. The Russian Geographical Society became one of the organizers and participants of the First International Polar Year, during which autonomous polar stations were created at the mouth of the Lena and on Novaya Zemlya.

With the assistance of the Russian Geographical Society in 1918, the world's first higher educational institution of a geographical profile was created - the Geographic Institute. And in 1919, one of the most famous members of the Society, V.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, founded the first geographical museum in Russia. During its heyday, its collections were ranked third in Russia after the Hermitage and the Russian Museum.

In the Soviet period, the Society actively developed new areas of activity related to the promotion of geographical knowledge: a commission was established in the corresponding direction, an Advisory Bureau was opened under the leadership of L.S. Berg, the famous lecture hall named after Yu.M. Shokalsky.

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In the second half of the 19th century, members of the IRGS made a great contribution to the comprehensive study of the Russian Far East.

In the first years of the work of the Amur expedition, due to the strict observance of the secrecy regime, few people knew about the patronage of the leadership of the Russian Geographical Society. Some publications mention that N.N. Muravyov and G.I. Nevelsky, in expanding his horizons on the history of Russian-Chinese relations of past centuries, was provided by A.P. Balasoglo. But further it was not specified that he was a member of the Russian Geographical Society.

The famous scientist A.I. Alekseev claims that N.M. Chikhachev, G.I. Nevelskoy, N.K. Boshnyak and some other members of the Amur expedition took part in the work of the Siberian branch of the IRGS. In particular, Chikhachev and Boshnyak were compiling a Russian-Gilyak-Mangun-Tungus dictionary. Chikhachev submitted maps of his campaigns and their descriptions to the departments of the Society.

At N.N. Muravyov had enough connections and grounds for membership in the Russian Geographical Society. When you get acquainted with various documents about his activities, you involuntarily become convinced of his broad outlook, a sense of the new, and a deep study of various problems. Here is one example.

In a letter to Count L.A. Perovsky dated September 25, 1849 N.N. Muravyov informed that, returning from a field trip to Kamchatka, he read the book "Notes of the Geographical Society" and found there a very curious article about the merits of Peter the Great in terms of spreading geographical knowledge about Eastern Siberia and the Amur River. But it contained inaccuracies. As the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia N.N. Muravyov considers it his duty to clarify misunderstandings and for review he encloses an article for the collection of the Russian Geographical Society. Count L.A. He explains to Perovsky that the question under consideration has a political significance, and he does not dare to send the article directly to the Geographical Society, but considers it his duty to submit it to him first for review. Further, he focuses Perovsky's attention on those provisions of the article with which he does not agree.

Even a simple list of studies carried out in the 50s and 60s of the 19th century in the Amur region and Primorye shows the effectiveness of the concerns of the scientific community about the study of the Pacific coast of Russia. Siberian expedition of the Russian Geographical Society, begun in 1855, research of the Amur region by R. Maak (1855-1859), G. Radde (1857-1858), F. Schmidt (1859-1862) and their companions, description of the Ussuri River, compiled by M. Venyukov (1858), who later became the secretary of the Society, the expedition of A. Budischev (1860-1867), the journey of N. Przhevalsky (1868-1869) made with the assistance of the Society, the Chukotka expedition - these are the “Far Eastern aspects” of the activities of the Russian Geographical Society .

Your contribution to the study of the distant outskirts Russian Empire submitted by the Siberian Department of the IRGO. In 1854, the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia N.N. Muraviev made his famous rafting on the Amur, described in the 3rd book of the Notes of the Siberian Department (1857). Subsequently, N.N. Muravyov-Amursky became an honorary member of the IRGO.

In 1855 R.K. Maak, on behalf of the Siberian Department, made a study of the Amur up to Mariinsk, and in 1859 he studied the Ussuri valley. All these journeys have been described in detail.

In the first two decades of the second half of XIX For centuries, studies of the Amur region, Primorye and Sa-khalin, mastered by the Russian people, were more intensive. They were a good school for the formation of a significant number of prominent Russian scientists and travelers of the Russian Geographical Society. The vast expanses of the Far East fully corresponded to the breadth and scope of Russian scientific thought.

Khabarovka, formed in 1858, becomes the starting point for further throws of Russian detachments and expeditions into the unexplored expanses of the region. Here, the necessary help was provided to scientists and travelers-discoverers before their campaigns.

After the signing of the Aigun (1858) and Beijing (additional) treaties (1860) on the border of Russia with Qing China, the routes of several scientific expeditions moved from the Amur region to the Ussuri basin and Primorye. The goal of many expeditions was to study Primorye in order to compile geographical map edge in preparation for the future demarcation of the border. The first expedition in the summer of 1858 was headed by the captain of the General Staff M.I. Venyukov. Of all the Russian geographers of his time, Venyukov was the most politically literate! In the huge scientific work done by professional scientists in the Far East, M.I. Venyukov had the honor of the scientific physical and geographical discovery of the Ussuri region, that is, a significant part of the modern Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, and the establishment of the actual non-subordination of this part of the Ussuri basin to Qing China. The last circumstance should be emphasized, because the feudal rulers of China have always exaggerated the territorial greatness of their empire.

In early June 1858, the military geographical expedition of M.I. Venyukova started from Khabarovka. In the process of research, the expedition members made a topographic survey of the Ussuri River, for the first time through the Sikhote-Alin went to the bays of St. Vladimir and St. Olga, gave the first scientific description of the interior of the Ussuri Territory. M.I. Venyukov pointed to the exceptionally important role for Russia of the Amur Territory - this great road to the Pacific Ocean, which connected the West with the East. Recall that the Amur in the hierarchy of the greatest rivers of the planet ranks ninth in length (2,824 km, and with tributaries - 4,444 km). The settlement and development of the region had, according to modern concepts, geopolitical significance for Russia. About the Far Eastern period of his life, Captain M.I. Venyukov left scientific and artistic essays, according to which more than one generation studies many issues of the development of the Far East.

An invaluable contribution to the mapping of the region was made by the figures of the IRGS, the famous military topographers P.A. Gamov and A.F. Usoltsev. They are part of the Ussuri expedition of K.F. Budogossky in the summer of 1859 walked from the mouth of the Ussuri to Posyet Bay in South Primorye and conducted astronomical observations to compile topographic map, which became the basis for the signing of the Beijing (additional) treaty in November 1860 on the border between Russia and Qing China. P.A. Gamov during the expedition collected collections and information about the indigenous and alien population. A.F. Usoltsev later for 8 years was the ruler of the affairs of the Siberian department of the IRGS. He was awarded a small gold medal of the IRGO in 1877.

In 1860-1861, the writer-fiction writer S.V. undertook a journey to the Far East on the instructions of the IRGO. Maksimov as a member of an ethnographic expedition who visited all Russian settlements in the Amur region. In June - July 1860, on the corvette "America" ​​with the military governor of the Primorsky region, Rear Admiral P.V. Kazakevich, he visited the South Primorye. He left his impressions of the Far East, including Khabarovka, in the book “To the East. A trip to the Amur (in 1860-1861). Travel notes and memoirs”, which went through two editions (1864, 1871). This is a true story about the first Russian settlements in the region, a serious study of their everyday and economic way of life.

In 1867-1869 of the General Staff Captain N.M. Przhevalsky was sent by the IRGO to the Far East in order to collect statistical information about the settlement, the development of crafts, trade and other data characterizing the economic development of the Amur and Primorye by the Russian people, mainly the Ussuri Territory. In addition, the Siberian Department of the Society ordered him to study the flora and fauna of the region, collect botanical and zoological collections, and conduct meteorological observations.

Travel route N.M. Przhevalsky ran through Khabarovka, the village of Busse on the Ussuri, Lake Khanka, Posyet Bay on the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan, the Razdolny post, Vladivostok, the Sikhote-Alin ridge. For two years, he visited areas where no scientist had previously been. Przhevalsky traveled more than 3 thousand kilometers, a significant territory was put on the map, meteorological observations were made, and extensive material was accumulated on the peoples inhabiting the south of the Far East.

The Przhevalsky detachment happened to take part in the so-called "Manzov" war in 1868, including acting together with the detachment of Lieutenant Colonel Ya.V. Dyachenko. Przhevalsky and his Cossacks had to escort the captured Khunhuzes to Vladivostok. For participation in the defeat of the hunghuz gangs, Przhevalsky was promoted to captain and appointed senior adjutant of the headquarters of the troops of the Primorsky region in the city of Nikolaevsk-on-Amur.

Returning to St. Petersburg, N.M. Przhevalsky on the basis of the extensive material collected in 1870 published the book "Journey in the Ussuri Territory". In it, strictly scientifically and at the same time in a vivid artistic form, he described the rich nature of the region and the life of the local population. From the southern tip of Lake Khanka to Posyet Bay, Przhevalsky went along a new route, and the path from the bay to the mouth of the Tadushi (Mirror) River, along the coast Pacific Ocean, was passed not by sea, as many of his predecessors did, but by land, along difficult forest paths. He was able to determine the fate of many settlements Primorsky region, including predicted a great future for Khabarovka.

A great deal of work on the study of the forests of the Amur region and Primorye was carried out by the expedition of A.F. Budischev. The head of the expedition is the captain of the corps of foresters A.F. Budischev in 1859 was commanded by the Ministry of State Property at the disposal of the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia with instructions to conduct a route-reconnaissance survey of forests in the South Ussuri Territory, the basin of the river. Ussuri, the Lower Amur region and along the Pacific coast. The expedition equipped for this purpose, in addition to A.F. Budischev, included topographers, member of the IRGO A.G. Petrovich, Korzun, Lubensky. In Primorye alone, the total length of the route was 2,000 versts, forest lands have been described for 1,250 versts.

In 1864, based on the materials collected by A.F. Budishchev compiled the first map of the forests of the Amur and Primorye. The decision on the Budishchev map about the location of the mouth of the Ussuri River is not without interest. It is indicated at the village of Kazakevicheva, where this river flows into the Amur channel that flows here. On this issue, researchers of the 19th century were unanimous. In his book, A.F. Budischev has repeatedly noted that the village of Kazakevicheva is located at the mouth of the Ussuri. Astronomer P.A. Gamov in 1859 also identified the mouth of the Ussuri River near the village of Kazakevicheva. R.K. Maak in his "Journey through the Ussuri River Valley" wrote that the Ussuri flows into the side branch of the Amur at Kazakevichev. You can also refer to G.E. Grum-Grzhimailo, who reported that “on the right mountainous bank of the Ussuri, at its very mouth, the village of Kazakevicheva is located” (“Description of the Amur Region”. SPb., 1894, p. 163).

For the study of the Far Eastern forests A.F. Budischev was awarded a small gold medal of the IRGO, but did not have time to receive it, as he died suddenly in 1868 from an unknown illness. He was buried in the village of Kazakevicheva.

This year we will have the opportunity to gratefully remember A.F. Middendorf (200th anniversary of his birth on August 18 (6), R.K. Maake in connection with the 190th anniversary of his birth and the 160th anniversary of his journey along the Amur. Let's not forget about the 160th anniversary of the completion of research in the Khabarovsk Territory of the Amur expedition of G.I. Nevelsky (1855).

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Taking into account the scope of the article, we will present you only the most authoritative researchers of our Department, members of the Academic Council.

An expert in anthropogenic dynamics natural ecosystems and ecological adaptation of regional nature management Ravens B.A., Director of IVEP and Chairman of the KhSC FEB RAS, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Biological Sciences in June 2012 was elected Chairman of the Khabarovsk regional branch Russian Geographical Society.

Back in the last century, in the conditions of the development of active and multidirectional economic activity, environmental issues became a number of priority tasks. B.A. Voronov and colleagues actively participated in the development of regional programs for sustainable development territories, handling various wastes, environmental protection and others aimed, among other things, at ensuring the environmental safety of the region. Now they are being put into practice and "work" for the interests of the Khabarovsk Territory.

Since 2009, a group of scientists led by Voronov B.A. has been monitoring the environmental block of the Strategy for the socio-economic development of the Far East and the Baikal region for the period up to 2025, which provides for the development of a number of research areas in the field of nature management and conservation ecosystem diversity.

In recent years, scientists at the IVEP FEB RAS have done a lot of work to study the causes and find ways to eliminate transboundary pollution of the Amur River. The analytical center for collective use is additionally equipped with high-precision modern equipment. At a qualitatively new level, the study of the Amur and other water bodies is being carried out in terms of chemical, virological and microbiological indicators.

On the recommendation of scientists, the government of the Khabarovsk Territory showed perseverance, and the Chinese side built new treatment facilities, improved technologies, and even stopped a number of hazardous industries, including in cities not far from Khabarovsk. In recent years, the quality of water and fish in the Amur and Ussuri have improved.

B.A. Voronov is the author and co-author of more than 450 scientific papers, including 22 monographs. By the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation in 1997 he was awarded the title of "Honored Ecologist of the Russian Federation", was repeatedly awarded by the leadership of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the administrations of the Far Eastern regions of Russia with diplomas, diplomas and letters of thanks.

Member of the Permanent Environmental Commission of the Russian Geographical Society. At the XV Congress of the Russian Geographical Society (November 2014) he was awarded the title of "Honorary Member of the Russian Geographical Society" and elected to its Academic Council.

Expert on national history, Professor Dubinina N.I., author of more than a hundred articles, teaching aids and monographs, including - about the Amur governor-general N.L. Gondatti, P.F. Unterberger, N.I. Grodekov, for which she was awarded the title of laureate of the prizes. VC. Arseniev (Vladivostok) and laureate of the Khabarovsk Territory Governor's Prize. In 2011, the book "The Far East of Jan Gamarnik" was awarded the gold medal of the 15th Far Eastern book fair"Printing Yard" (Vladivostok).

N.I. Dubinina - Honorary Worker higher vocational education of Russia, Honored Worker of Science of the Russian Federation, was awarded several government awards, was awarded honorary titles.

In autumn 2012 (in the Year Russian history and its anniversary) was awarded the high award of the Government of the Khabarovsk Territory - the badge of honor "For Merit" named after N.N. Muravyov-Amursky.

Medical Geography Expert, Dr. medical sciences, Professor, Honored Doctor of the RSFSR, Zavgorudko V.N. last year explored the Kuril Islands.

The honored traveler of Russia, the organizer and participant of expeditions to search for thermal springs, many times made solo trips to study the possibility of human survival in extreme conditions Far Eastern taiga. This is climbing the mysterious Mount Ko, crossing the Sikhote-Alin with access to the Tatar Strait, rafting on mountain rivers, expeditions to hard-to-reach places in the Khabarovsk Territory - hiking, skiing, water. Indispensable conditions were loneliness, lack of warm clothes, tents, sleeping bags, weapons, means of communication, food. He developed and published hundreds of recommendations, wrote the book “I must survive in the taiga”, collections documentaries. For his personal contribution to ensuring the safety of the population in the Far East, by order of the Minister of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation, he was awarded the badge "For Merit".

Economic Geography Expert Zausaev V.K., doctor of economic sciences, professor, director of the Far Research Institute of the Market under the Ministry for the Development of the Far East of the Russian Federation. For more than twenty years he has been successfully managing the institute and believes that one of its main tasks is to find solutions to the problem of the formation of a permanent population in the Far East region and the development of strategic plans for the development of both individual entities and municipalities.

He is sure that the Far East needs large global projects. Such as the cosmodrome in the Amur Region, the "technocity" based on Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the logistics oil and gas center in De-Kastri, powerful metallurgy in the Jewish Autonomous Region, petrochemical and oil refining plants on Sakhalin, aquaculture in Primorye.

Expert on the physical geography of the Far East, Doctor of Geographical Sciences Makhinov A.N. for about thirty years he has been studying the history of the formation of the relief and the transformation of the natural territories of the Far East. A well-known specialist in the field of geoecology, the dynamics of channel and floodplain processes.

For his great contribution to the development of science and many years of fruitful work in 2013 he was awarded the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree.

A.N. Makhinov is the author and co-author of more than 350 scientific papers, including 11 monographs. The results of his research are widely used in various research and production, design, educational and public organizations. Over the past 10 years, under his leadership, more than 30 important national economic studies of an applied nature have been carried out. Among them, work on the assessment of the impact major cities on the water quality of the Amur River (2003), ecological state the Amur River in the area of ​​the Khabarovsk water hub in connection with the implementation of a set of works to protect the left bank from erosion (2003-2004), assess and prevent negative consequences contamination of the Amur during an explosion at a chemical plant in the city of Jilin in China (2005-06), engineering and environmental surveys along the route of the ESPO oil pipeline (2008-09) and many others.

Expert on the problems of botanical geography, geobotany and floristry, Doctor of Biological Sciences Schlotgauer S.D., Head of the Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, IVEP FEB RAS, in 2011, by decree of the President of Russia, she was awarded the Order of Friendship for her great contribution to the development of science and many years of fruitful activity.

Its main scientific interests associated with the study of problems of botanical geography, geobotany and floristry. explored vegetable world highlands of the Okhotsk region. S.D. Schlotthauer discovered new types of plants. In the mountains of Dzhugdzhur, she found a wide group of saxifrages. In August 2011, during an expedition to explore the buffer zone of the natural protected reserve "Botchinsky" on the coast of the Tatar Strait, she for the first time revealed a unique boundary of interpenetration of nemoral, boreal and Pacific Ocean floras. It's open there the new kind vascular plant "Pacific gooseberry".

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In 2014, these reputable scientists “For active work for the benefit of the Khabarovsk regional branch of the All-Russian public organization “Russian Geographical Society” and in connection with the 120th anniversary of the formation of one of the oldest public organizations Far East” were awarded with Certificates of Honor of the President of the Russian Geographical Society S.K. Shoigu.

Filonov Alexander Mikhailovich, retired colonel, scientific secretary of the Khabarovsk regional branch of the Russian Geographical Society