History of formation and development of system of specially protected natural territories in Astrakhan region

Nowadays, in conditions of aggravating the environmental problems organization and creation of specially protected natural territories, including the land and water areas and the air space above them become one of the most effective forms of nature protection. The places where economic activity is prohibited for the sake of preserving pristine nature exist in different parts of the planet. They are very important for the preservation and restoration of the rare and endangered species of plants and animals, for tracking the patterns of natural processes that are not distorted by the anthropogenic factor, as well as for maintaining the appropriate quality of the environment. As of January 1, 2021, there were almost 12,000 specially protected natural territories of different levels and categories in Russia, the total area of which is more than 14% of the country's territory. The main stages of creation and development of specially protected natural territories within the Astrakhan region have been analyzed. There is considered a procedure of adopting the regulatory legal acts at the federal and regional levels regulating the creation of different categories of natural complexes and objects with a special status and united by a single mission – to preserve the biological and landscape diversity of our region.