Federal Law No. 77-FZ amending some legislative acts of the Russian Federation.

Preamble of the Federal Law No. 33-FZ on protected areas shall be supplemented with the following wording: “This Federal Law governs relations in the field protection and management, including the constitution of protected natural areas in order to preserve the unique and typical natural complexes and objects, wild fauna and wild flora species, natural ecological systems, biodiversity, conducting scientific research in the field of environmental protection, environmental monitoring, environmental education.” Article 5 (2) gives a news definition of ecological tourism intended as visits to protected areas for watching unique natural ecosystems. Article 9 prohibits on the territory of nature reserves any activity contrary to the scope and functioning of nature reserve. Article 17 (1) establishes that in cases envisaged by this Federal Law, national parks can be used to exercise recreational activity, which is an activity associated with the performance of work, the provision of services in the field of tourism, physical culture and sports, organization of recreation and healthcare of citizens. Recreational activity shall be regulated by contracts concluded by the administration of national parks with legal persons and individual entrepreneurs. Article 39 (6) of Land Code (No. 136-FZ of 2001) shall be supplemented with item 23 (3) regulating land tenure of land plots pertaining to federal property located within the boundaries of the national park and necessary for the implementation of the activities envisaged by contract on the implementation of recreational activities in national park, by the person with whom such a contract is concluded.