The necessity of Samara Region wetlands protection

The article deals with the issue of the need to preserve the wetlands of Samara region. Occupying a small area and being on the southern border of its distribution, all available on the territory of Samara region marshes are considered to be valuable environmental systems in environmental, hydrological, landscape and biogeographic relationships. The main threats to wetland ecosystems are investigated, including the quality and characteristics of local peat, the failure of security mode, the absence of regional legislation regulating environmental management in wetlands. The authors study a list of plants growing on the territory of the wetland nature monuments in Samara region and being of particular environmental and phytogeographical interest. Data about the most valuable marshes of Samara region under the protection or need of saving are given: Hipnovoe swamp, Muranskie lakes, Racheyskay taiga, Bolshoe Orlovo, Bolshaya and Malaya Trostyanka, Kesme, Zolotushnoe, Svetloe Ozero, Berezovay Polyna, Sharlyk, Belokluchenskoe, Mohovoe swamp, Mohovoe II, Chekalinskoe swamp, Trostnikovoe, Molochka lake, Uzilovo swamp, Bychye swamp. Each of the swamps is given a geographical reference, its footprint, status and rationale of the organization of the protection regime. The main threats for wetlands in the region are consideration of peat deposits as a potential source of raw materials for medical purposes and organic fertilizer and, in some cases, compliance with the established regime of protection and the absence of regional legislation regulating environmental management in wetlands.