Specially protected natural areas cover 9.2% of Belarus's land area

Specially protected natural areas cover 9.2% of Belarus's land area. This was announced by First Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Maksim Lysenko at a meeting of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection's board, BELTA reports.

"A number of national strategic documents are in effect in Belarus aimed at developing the system of specially protected natural areas (SPNAs). The country currently has 1,358 SPNAs covering an area of over 1.9 million hectares. This represents 9.2% of the country's total land area," Lysenko said.

In 2025, a number of regulations were adopted concerning the transformation of nine SPNAs and the termination of four. Research has been completed to establish permissible load limits for the Braslav Lakes and Pripyatsky National Parks, as well as the Slavgorodsky Nature Reserve.

As part of the agreement between the governments of Belarus and Russia regarding the development of the Zapovednoye Poozerye transboundary specially protected natural area, a historical and patriotic tourist route, "Nature of Memory - Memory of Nature," has been created.

In 2025, a set of measures was implemented to develop and promote ecotourism in specially protected natural areas. Ecotourism development strategies were approved in 19 nationally significant nature reserves. Work continued on developing tourism infrastructure, constructing and maintaining retail facilities, visitor centers, and other facilities.