Vital activities of ecovillages in Kuban region under the concept of sustainable rural development: a sociological analysis

The study discusses the phenomenon of ecovillages (environmental movement) in modern Russia. The paper examines the leading development trends for ecovillages located in the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation. The authors conduct an empirical study based on the available Russian scientific publications and narrative interviews with the members of ecovillages (organizers, founders, and settlements). The data obtained help describe the actors of ecovillages in the Krasnodar Territory and analyze the spheres and areas of their activities. The research determines the focus, specific nature, and traditions of Kuban environmental communities. Eco-residents’ lifestyles and activities have been investigated in relation to the implementation of priority government documents on rural development.