Russian reserve management: from the past to the future

The article deals with the historical background of the origin and development of conservation in Russia. The outstanding role of the Standing Environmental Commission of the Imperial Russian geographical society in the development of scientific principles for the formation of a geographical network of reserves and national parks in Russia is noted. The chronology of the main events in the history of nature conservation in our country is given. Three main directions of development of the state system of protected areas are analyzed. It is concluded that the development of a geographical network of protected areas of the USSR and Russia is one of the most significant achievements of Russian science in the 20th century.