Water‐recreational and nature conservation structures in the ecotourism framework of a specially protected natural area

The objective was the selection of scientific ideas for the concept of regional ecotourism framework (carcass) of specially protected natural areas (SPNAs). Water bodies are taken as focal elements of ecosystems, while water‐dependent recreational practices are the primary content of ecotourism programmes.

Over 4,000 sources on the theory of spatial nature conservation and tourism‐recreational structures have been analysed. Propositions conceptually close to the idea of a nature‐ and activity‐oriented synthesis of such structures in SPNAs have been identified in geoecology, recreational geography and conservation theory. The theoretical framework is based on reasoning about regional tourism‐recreational systems and frameworks, differentiation of tourism types, tourism and recreational characteristics of water bodies, functional zoning and features of water recreation in SPNAs.

An ecotourism framework of SPNAs consists of elements of natural, tourism‐recreational, and ecological frameworks. It compensates for expanded visitor access. The core elements of a framework are the most expressive (informative) natural and specific production dominants outside the reserve core and corresponding to the latter in content. Connecting elements are eco‐routes, technological and external transportation networks. In medical‐biological, landscape‐aesthetic and informational‐educational terms, water bodies serve as core elements of the ecotourism framework in ecotourism.

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