Ubsunorskaya Kotlovina Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 1997, in Russian Federation. Ubsunorskaya Kotlovina lies in the Republic of Tuva on the Russia–Mongolia border. It forms the Russian part of the Uvs Lake Depression Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, together with Mongolia’s Uvs Nuur Basin Biosphere Reserve. This is a key cross-border region linking the Siberian taiga with the Mongolian steppe, and supporting joint biodiversity conservation and community-based ecotourism. The reserve’s purpose is to keep ecosystems and species intact by using clearly marked core areas, with buffer zones concentrating human use outside the cores. This approach supports pastoral livelihoods and carefully managed tourism in line with sustainable development.