Using the status of a world heritage site for the preservation of Lake Baikal

This paper is concerned with the implications of the status of World Natural Heritage Sites, the position of the Russian state on the issues related to observance of the provisions of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, and the authorities-civil society relationships on these problems. An analysis is made of the possibilities of effectively using the world heritage institute in Russia in the interests of preserving world values. A number of legal and organizational measures for their conservation are suggested.