How many animals and plants will be included in the new edition of the Red Book of Belarus

How many animals and plants will be included in the new edition of the Red Book, said the deputy head of the main department of regulation of waste management, biological and landscape diversity - head of the Department of biological and landscape diversity of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Petr Nikolaenko, reports BELTA.

"Preservation and sustainable use of objects of fauna and flora, creation of conditions for prevention of harmful impact on biological diversity as a result of economic and other activities is underway. Since the beginning of the state program "Environmental Protection and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources" for 2021-2025, 1237 habitats of wild animals and wild plants, as well as more than 34 thousand hectares of typical and rare natural habitats and landscapes have been identified and put under protection," said Petr Nikolaenko.

According to him, scientists of the National Academy of Sciences have prepared preliminary lists of plants and animals that will be included in the next, 5th edition of the Red Book. "In the Red Book being prepared for publication in 2025, according to preliminary data it is planned to include 305 species of plants (in the old edition - 303). Among them there are 187 species of vascular plants, 35 - mosses, 22 - algae, 29 - lichens, 35 - fungi, including 28 new ones.