URBAN ZONING AND RECREATIONAL USE
OF TERRITORIES OF THE ESTABLISHED WATERPROTECTION ZONES (WPZ) OF THE RIVER VUOKSA
Natalia Gutmana Tatjana Markovab Ljubov Smirnovac
a,b
RosNIPI of Urbanistics, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
c
Design Institute “Lenvodproekt”, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
INTRODUCTION
«Urban zoning and recreational use of territories of the established waterprotection
zones (WPZ) of the river Vuoksa» is the Spatial Planning part of the international
cooperation «VUOKSIAGAIN» project developed by Design Institute “Lenvodproekt” as the
next stage of the project «VIVATVUOKSIA», executed in 2002-2003. The Spatial planning
part was developed during 2005-2006 by Russian State Research and Design Institute of
Urbanistics. The Neva-Ladoga Basin Water Administration of Ministry of Natural Resources
of the Russian Federation was the customer of the project. The project was financed by
Finnish Ministry of Environment.
The purpose of organization WPZs – decrease of water pollution due to an
establishment in their territory of a special mode of economic and other kinds of activity.
The aim of the work was to investigate modern land and water use inside the WPZs
and to establish rules and regulations for further using of these territories in according to
sustainable development of this territory and in compliance with current legislation and
standards of the Russian Federation and Subject Federation “Leningrad Oblast’(LO)”.
According Russian legislation construction of dwelling houses, summer cottages nearer than
100 m from the shoreline, using fertilizers and chemicals, grazing of cattle and ploughing of
soil, the felling of a forest, etc. are restricted or prohibited inside of the WPZs.
One of the main directions was making apparent the territorial zones for various kinds
of recreation bearing in mind the preservation nature functions of river-side territories and
river water and limited using shore belts. Another important task was trying to reduce the
damage influence on environment and water resources from human activity by spatial
planning methods.
Stages of the project:
studying and analysis of modern land and water use on the WPZ of Vuoksa;
estimation of the effects of anthropogenic pressure on the status of environment;
revealing valuable natural complexes for the recreational purposes and for protection;
working up the recommendations on development of settlements, maintenance of
traditional kinds of economic activities, creation of new workplaces in sphere of
recreation, tourism and services, maintenance of the small business enterprises;
 development of a transport and engineering infrastructure;
 presentation of the project results in the official organizations and in the
Administrations Municipal Districts (MD) of LO;
 Dissemination of the project results by presentations at the conferences and
International Exhibitions and in media.
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The River Vuoksa follows from a southeast extremity of Lake Saimaa, on 13-th km
crosses frontier, proceeds in a southeast direction across Karelian Isthmus and runs into
Ladoga Lake two sleeves: natural - northern at Priozersk and southern, artificial - on River
Burnaja.
This abstract includes the main principals of the project concerning the territory of the
River Vuoksa within the Priozersk MD of LO
SUMMARY INFORMATION OF THE WPZ IN PRIOZERSKY DISTRICT
Land resources are 27400 hectares, among them forests - 55 %, agricultural lands –
about 35 %, lands of settlements - 8 %, others - 2%. The forests are in federal property, the
agricultural lands are in regional property.
The population - 32000 inhabitants, among them urban - 20000 inhabitants
(Priozersk), rural - 12000 inhabitants.
There are 32 settlements on WPZ territory; most of them are small villages. Such
settlement system was a typical for this places as the disperse farm settlement system permits
to avoid gashing and to reserve the frail nature of Karelian Isthmus
The main branches of economy in the Priozersk municipal district are: milk cattlebreeding, timber industry, fishery and tourism.
Nature resources:
 Favorable climate;
 Picturesque landscapes;
 Natural resources of forests including mushrooms and berries;
 Alternation of river lake sites with river sites;
 Various fauna: birds, fishes, water and hoofed animals;
 Fish resources.
Infrastructure:
The electrified railroad and highways are going through the territory. Local roads
have a low level of road cover, internal water routes are absent. A large majority of rural
settlements and places of recreation are not provided by engineering networks and
constructions.
Historical and cultural Heritage
There are a lot of places of interest on the WPZs: fortress Korela, small town Tiversk;
the Losevo’s redoubt, churches and temples, monuments of civil architecture, manor,
military-historical monuments and memorials, “A rock of ancestor”, archeological
monuments.
Environmental status.
The major factors influencing on the environmental status are:
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flood risk of shore areas;
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Radon risks;
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pollution of soil, surface and ground waters;
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swamping;
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abrasion and erosion of shores;
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non-purified and only primarily purified wastewaters;
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disposition of the milk cattle-breeding and fur-bearing animal farms on
the shoreline;
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unsatisfactory condition of the authorized dumps and the big number of
uncontrolled dumps;
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influence of the mining complex working;
non-controlled tourism.
THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
Water protection zone (WPZ) project had several objectives.
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The maximal preservation natural, historical and a cultural heritage;
Organization of the Nature Reserved Area "The Lake Vuoksa"
Construction and equipment summer cottages, camping sites, motels, hotels, the
ethnographical and ecological educational tourists centers, yacht moor in
Priozersk etc. with all modern conveniences (systems of water supply, sewage
removal and waste recycling);
Reconstruction and new construction of engineering networks and objects in
settlements;
Construction dwelling houses in settlements only;
Pulling down the old recreational houses without engineering networks;
Taking milk cattle-breeding and fur-bearing animal farms out the shoreline belt;
Involving farmers and countrymen in development of rural tourism;
Organization of mini-farms for mentally disabled children
RESULTS OF THE PROJECT
Zoning territory of WPZ was established and rules of each zone use were determined.
The following main zones were allocated:
• Settlements,
• The organized recreation (existing, reconstructed, new camping sites, motels,
hotels, night lodgings, etc),
• Rural tourism,
• Agriculture including collective gardens,
• An engineering-transport infrastructure,
• Forests,
• Nature reserved area “The Lake Vuoksa”.
CONCLUSION
Urban zoning of territories in a combination to an establishment of a special mode of
economic and other kinds activity in WPZ will allow to lower anthropogenic pressure on the
river-side territories, on water bodies and will promote preservation of the environment,
unique natural complexes of Karelian isthmus and development of sustainable nature and
water use in region. The results of project are important for activity of Municipal District
Administrations.