The task of ensuring a favorable environmental situation in the regions has not lost its relevance for several decades. Its solution depends, among other things, on the formation and full functioning of the ecological framework. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the formation and functioning of the region’s ecological framework in the quantitative and qualitative aspects. As the object of the study, we chose the ecological framework of the Vologda Region – the region, the economy of a number of territories of which directly depends on the state of the ecological framework. We revealed that the ecological framework of the region in quantitative aspect can be considered formed: nodes (nuclei) occupy almost 3% of the territory, the part of the framework corridors represented by the non-native forest strips – 1.6%, buffer territories – 68% of the total area of the Vologda Region. At the same time, in the qualitative aspect it is impossible to give such an unambiguous assessment. Among the positive aspects, we noted that the reduction in the area of the ecological framework corridors did not affect the stocks of biological resources and, accordingly, species diversity. However, the negative aspects in the functioning of the ecological framework include14 unfavorable trends in the dynamics of the state of the framework buffer areas, namely, the reduction of the stock of wood resources in the predominant part of the forested area, as well as pollution of surface water bodies. The paper concludes with recommendations to address the identified problems and weaknesses in the ecological framework: expansion of the existing ecological framework with missing elements of “green” infrastructure, use of phytoremediation methods to improve the natural water quality, expanding awareness of government support measures for the eco-tourism development, expanding the network of forest seed centers and nurseries
Keywords
ecological framework, nodes, corridors, specially protected natural areas, green infrastructure, key ornithological areas