The Russian Far East will receive over 4.7 billion rubles to conserve and develop protected natural areas and the environment, the press service of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East reports. Financing will be provided under the Environmental Protection Program.

"Few people know how different Far Eastern regions are. There are two oceans, the Pacific and the Arctic oceans, and borders with four countries: China, Japan, the US and North Korea. The climate varies from the polar deserts of Chukotka to the hot and humid Primorye Territory. Among our priority tasks is to preserve the unique Far Eastern nature," said Deputy Minister for the Development of the Far East Artur Niyazmetov.

The Far Eastern Federal District currently has 42 specially protected natural areas of federal importance that receive financing: 25 state nature reserves with a total area of 13.5 million hectares; seven national parks with a total area of 4.35 million hectares; nine state nature sanctuaries of national importance with a total area of 1.3 million hectares, and a natural monument of national importance covering 152 hectares.

According to Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoi, the Russia's Wildlife:  Protect and Appreciate priority project will focus on projects to develop ecotourism in protected areas of the Far East. The region will also continue work to increase the populations of rare animals such as the Amur tiger and the Far Eastern leopard.

The Environmental Protection Program is included in the list of 27 state programs and has a special section for priority development of the Far East, according to Dmitry Medvedev's directive. The work to establish the Far East section is under the special control of Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev.