Krasnoyarsk Stolby Digitizes Century-Old Nature Archive
Scientists at Krasnoyarsk Stolby National Park are digitizing a unique collection of nature observation data dating back to 1925.
The continuous century-long archive contains information on taiga ecosystems, climate, plants and animals and will help researchers study and preserve Siberia's biodiversity. Krasnoyarsk Stolby is one of Russia's oldest protected natural areas: a nature reserve was established there in 1925 and transformed into a national park in 2019. Its distinctive terrain and combination of natural zones have created unique flora and fauna. The area is home to brown bears, wolves, lynxes, moose and roe deer, as well as more than 200 bird species and around 150 specially protected plant species.
Since the reserve was established, scientists have conducted continuous environmental monitoring under a program known as the Chronicle of Nature, which contains a century of data on weather, plants and animals.
According to Shcherbakova, information on plant species, families and physical characteristics, along with images, is being converted into digital form. This will help track how climate change affects biodiversity in the region. Data from the digital herbarium is also being integrated into international systems, making information about Siberian flora available to scientists worldwide.
