Kizhi Museum
Federal State Budget Institution “Kizhi State Open Air Museum of History, Architecture and Ethnography”

The World Heritage Site Kizhi Pogost (C544) is the property of the Russian Federation and is in the operational management of the Federal State Budget Institution „Kizhi State Open Air Museum of History, Architecture and Ethnography“ subordinated to the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The activity in relation to the Kizhi Pogost is controlled by the Department of Control, Supervision and Licensing in cultural heritage branch of the Ministry of Culture of RF.

The management of the property is carried out in accordance with the current legislation of the Russian Federation and UNESCO recommendations on conservation of the cultural and natural heritage based on prospective and current planning implemented by the Kizhi State Open Air Museum of History, Architecture and Ethnography.

On the basis of the reactive monitoring mission report the World Heritage Committee made recommendations^[1] on finalization of the WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ MP (June 2013) that were taken into account during the subsequent work on the plan. The WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ (C544) draft management plan, 2012 was taken as the basis.

In August 2013, a special staff unit was established in the structure of the Kizhi Museum with the purpose of finalizing the MP and developing cooperation with UNESCO, from 2014 a service for the WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ management and development has been created.

Katri Lisitzin (Sweden), a Consultant for Cultural Heritage, offered consultations under the contract on the WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ MP development. The first Russian workshop on World Heritage management planning was held in November 2013. Katri Lisitzin led the workshop. The Kizhi Museum experts in all key areas, stakeholders’ representatives regarding the WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ (authorities, institutions of science, culture and education, NGOs), representatives of other Russian World Heritage sites and the Ministry of Culture of RF took part in the workshop.

One of the most important principles was to involve the stakeholder groups, including local residents, in the MP development. They participated in the discussion of issues relating to the identification of threats and opportunities in the activity of these entities in relation to the WHS.

The main sections of the WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ MP include:

• general characteristics of the WHS and justification of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property (Chapters 1 and 2);
• characteristics of the existing system of the WHS protection based on legislative and other methods of state protection (Chapter 3);
• stakeholder analysis regarding the use and sustainable development of the WHS (Chapter 4);
• the WHS management system with the introduction of a social component and tools for achieving social consensus in it (Chapters 5,6,7,8);
• organizational management scheme, monitoring and resource maintenance of the MP implementation (Chapter 9);
• Action Plan for the MP implementation (Chapter 10).

All the MP activities and projects of the WHS MP are aimed at protection and conservation of the Outstanding Universal Value of the WHS and its special historical, cultural and natural environment.

A systematic approach to the maintenance of wooden architecture monuments forms the basis for the WHS conservation. The MP establishes a requirement for continuous comprehensive maintenance. The WHS restoration is regarded as a compulsory and exceptional measure aimed at conservation and safeguarding of aesthetical and historical values of the site.

The restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration aimed at rehabilitation of the historical framework, the interior and the iconostasis is the priority. The international charters, standards and guidelines for cultural heritage management were taken as the basis while forming the Principles for the Kizhi architectural ensemble restoration. Knowledge gained in the restoration process and experience accumulated in the area of wooden architecture monument conservation will become the basis for the creation of an educational center, which is one of the priority activities of the MP.

The WHS historical environment is an important component of its Outstanding Universal Value. The landscape approach is used in the WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ management planning. The MP defines the target state of the landscape, the main criteria for its conservation and the principles of the landscape management on the basis of its exceptional value. GIS-technologies have been chosen as a tool for the landscape management.

The MP provides mechanisms that are aimed at the sustainable development of the territory and that do not affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property (Chapter 7). The MP promotes a sustainable tourism development strategy based on market research of the target audience and calculations of the carrying capacity of the property and historical landscape. An equal redistribution of the anthropogenic load throughout the territory of the Kizhi skerries and the calendar year and reorientation from the cruise tourism to visits of many days stay with a deeper immersion in the traditional culture of Zaonezhie are identified as priorities.

The WHS setting surrounding territory is to be developed according to the basic principle of revitalization of the Kizhi architectural ensemble’s historical environment. Social and economic development of the territory is a necessary condition not only for the development but also for the conservation of the WHS. It helps to avoid a threat of the final degradation of the area and the abandonment by the last residents (carriers of the traditional culture) as well as the outflow of qualified personnel necessary for the conservation of the WHS. However, any new project aimed at the development within the WHS buffer zone and the nearby areas must be subject to a heritage impact assessment in accordance with the ICOMOS recommendations in order not to harm the integrity and authenticity of the WHS.

An increase of interaction between the museum and the local population and raise of awareness among the local community will strengthen the local people’s feeling of ownership and responsibility for the WHS protection, will involve them in the process of conservation and revitalization of the historical landscape and traditional culture and will ensure a more equitable benefit sharing from the WHS use.

The WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ MP is a comprehensive planning document taking into account the interests of all stakeholders and defining the goals, objectives and measures of their joint activity on the effective protection, conservation and sustainable development of the WHS. Decisions taken in the process of the MP implementation will be discussed by all stakeholders at the Public Council meetings. The Public Council is created as a tool for achieving social consensus in conservation, use and sustainable development of the WHS. The principle of transparency in the intentions and activity of all stakeholders is the key principle for the MP development and implementation.

The document provides the MP implementation monitoring and quality control mechanisms. This cycle should be repeated annually to constantly monitor the correctness of the tools chosen for the effective preservation of the WHS integrity and authenticity. The WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ MP will be adjusted every year based on the results of the MP implementation monitoring and discussion with all stakeholders.

The MP takes into consideration the special clearly defined values of the territory and legislatively fixes the accessible forms of its use.

The right of ownership of the Russian Federation and the right of operational management of the Federal State Budget Institution „Kizhi State Open Air Museum of History, Architecture and Ethnography“ in relation to the four cultural heritage sites located on the territory of the Kizhi Pogost are registered. It is reflected in the certificate of state registration of these rights and confirmed by extracts from the Register of federal property provided by the Territorial Administration of Federal Property Management Agency in the RK.

The WHS management system in the Russian Federation is based on the national legislation in accordance with assumed international obligations. It is understood that conservation, use and development of the cultural heritage mean the system of consistent government measures aimed at the protection of the cultural heritage of the peoples of RF. The system provides the legal regulation of the activities of all management subjects and use of the cultural heritage, relevant government organizational and technical measures and financial support of the projects.

The legal framework of the protection of the WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ is formed by international legal acts and national and regional legislation of the Russian Federation.

In May 2013, the Federal Law „On Introducing Amendments to the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offences“ №96, dated from 07.05.2013, entered into force. It provides for a considerable increase of administrative penalties for violation of the requirements of conservation, use and the state protection of the cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) and their territories or for failure to observe the restrictions set within their buffer zone boundaries. The maximum penalty for individuals is 300 thousand RUB, for officials – 5 million RUB and for legal entities – 60 million RUB.

Besides, the law provides for administrative punishment of an official for failure or improper execution of the official duties that caused harm to a WHS or destruction of a WHS. If the actions are not of criminal nature they are punished by a fine in the amount of 100 thousand to 5 million RUB.

The concept of responsibility of legal entities for destruction or damage of the cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) was introduced into the Code as a separate article 7.14.1. It is punished by administrative fine in the amount of 500 thousand to 20 million RUB. A fine in the amount of 1 million to 60 million RUB punishes destruction or damage of the most valuable cultural heritage or the cultural heritage inscribed on the World Heritage List.

The law also establishes administrative responsibility of bodies for failure to fulfill in due time requirements of the authority empowered to carry out the state control in the sphere of the cultural heritage protection.

The Federal law „On Introducing Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Relating to Suppression of Illegal Activities in Archaeology“ N 245, dated from 23.07.2013, introduces a new article to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Article 243.1. Violation of requirements of conservation or use of the cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of the peoples of the Russian Federation included in the Unified State Register of the cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of the peoples of the Russian Federation or the identified cultural heritage, which has entailed by negligence their destruction or large-scale damage, is punished by a fine in the amount of up to 1 million RUB or in the amount of a salary or other income of the perpetrator for the period of up to two years, or by compulsory works for a term of up to 360 hours, or by corrective works for a term of up to two years, or by deprivation of liberty for a term of up to two years.

Note. Large-scale damage of the cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of the peoples of the Russian Federation included in the Unified State Register of the cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of the peoples of the Russian Federation and of the identified cultural heritage is recognized in this article as infliction of harm, the cost of recovery works for elimination of which exceeds 500 thousand RUB.

The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation has timely allocated funds in full from the federal budget for the following works:

• Equipment and tools for the work on the Church of the Transfiguration;
• Monitoring of the condition of logs stocked for the restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration;
• Research works for the restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration;
• Scientific and design works on the complex restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration;
• Engineering supervision for the 1st stage of the complex restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration;
• Continuation of the 1st stage of the complex restoration of the Transfiguration Church;
• Restoration of the iconostasis of the Church of the Transfiguration

In 2013, the Kizhi Museum made the maps of the WHS boundaries and the WHS buffer zone boundaries in accordance with the UNESCO recommendations. The documents were submitted to the World Heritage Committee (through the Ministry of Culture) in November 2013.

In 2013, the Kizhi museum prepared the documents on transfer of agricultural lands and woodlands (26 land plots with the total area of 126, 003 sq. meters) to the status of specially protected territories and sites and on provision of these land plots to the Kizhi Museum for permanent (perpetual) use. The documents were submitted to the Ministry of Culture. The purpose of the transfer is to eliminate the inconsistency between the currently existing targeted use of the lands and conservation and rehabilitation, research and tourism activities of the museum that are necessary to carry out on these land plots.

The Department head of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian North-West Federal District held a protocol meeting in St. Petersburg on February 2, 2013. The meeting was held based on Protocol №7 from 16.12.2011 of the Working Group under the President of RF session concerning the territories of open air museums, memorial estates, places of interest, other cultural heritage sites and their buffer zones. It was stated at the meeting that bodies of cultural heritage protection of the North-West Federal District interregional working group on coordination, suppression and prevention of violations of the Federal Law on cultural heritage protection should make out schedules of interregional working groups meetings.

The interregional working group on the above items was established in the Republic of Karelia. It addressed the issues on the transfer of Kizhi lands and observance of the WHS protection regime.

A commission consisting of experts of the Kizhi Museum, „Kizhskiy“ state natural reserve, Department of the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography of the Republic of Karelia and other interested parties visited the island of Kizhi and the buffer zone of the museum for checking purposes in August 2013. The visit was organized upon consideration of the issues on illegal construction and compliance with buffer zones protection regimes at meetings of the interregional working group in Karelia. No violations in relation to the WHS buffer zone have been detected.

The Department of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian North-West Federal District has obliged the Kizhi Museum to conduct monthly monitoring of the WHS buffer zone territory to identify illegal construction in this area (circular letter № 1-18-1120/13-0-2 dated from 21.08.2013). A commission has been established by the Order of the museum № 343 dated from 21.08.2013. The commission made three raids, on the basis of which reports were submitted to the Ministry of Culture. No violations in the WHS buffer zone have been detected.

Information boards on the regimes functioning in the WHS buffer zone are installed in the WHS buffer zone to inform residents and visitors of the nearby villages.

In the process of development of the Velikaya Guba settlement master plan, some adjustments were recommended. These adjustments are connected with preservation of the WHS Outstanding Universal Value, including conservation and revitalization of the historical landscape and sustainable development of the territory. The elaboration of the document was conducted in constant contact and collaboration with the Kizhi Museum. This was done taking into consideration the requirements of the international and Russian legislations in the field of cultural and natural heritage protection in order to preserve the OUV of the WHS. When all the requirements and requests of the museum are taken into account, the documents should become an effective tool for the preservation of the WHS authenticity and integrity under the conditions of the development of the surrounding area.

Management of the Site security system is accomplished by the personnel of the Security of the Kizhi Museum, Subdivision of the General Board of Ministry for Civil Defense, Emergency Management, and Natural Disasters Response of the Republic of Karelia, and Subdivision of Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Karelia. Kizhi Pogost monuments are equipped with fire alarm, closed circuit television units located along the perimeter (including thermal imaging cameras to prevent unauthorized access), outdoor fire-fighting equipment with remote-controlled nozzles and in-door fire-fighting system in the Church of the Transfiguration.

The working documentation „Overhaul of the outdoor fire-fighting system of the Kizhi Pogost“ was developed in 2013 to maintain the Kizhi ensemble security systems in working condition. This project was approved by the Department of Control, Supervision and Licensing in cultural heritage branch of the Ministry of Culture of RF. It is planned to implement the project works in 2014.

The project documentation „Intakes of water works of the Kizhi State Open Air Museum“ was made to ensure year-round water intake at any time of day for the firefighting needs. The purpose of this project is to create a system of water intakes in accordance with the rules and regulations of fire-fighting water supply taking into consideration characteristics of technical means used in the Kizhi Museum.

The technical documentation of these projects has been approved and submitted to the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resource Usage for the Republic of Karelia for the state ecological expertise. The documentation is currently being adjusted according to the remarks of the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resource Usage for the Republic of Karelia.

Police officers on the central guarding post control the situation on Kizhi Pogost as well as technical condition of the WHS security systems round-the-clock.

Museum Security officers accomplish access control, observe compliance with regulations within the WHS and with the fire-prevention on Kizhi monuments. Museum employees and contractors receive scheduled and unscheduled trainings. Five museum employees received training for essential technical and fire-preventing qualifications.

Fire station guards Kizhi Island round-the-clock, it is equipped with two tank lorries (АЦ–40), a mobile pump house (ПНС–110), snowmobiles, motor boats with mobile monoblock pumps, a hovercraft (МАРС–2000), and a fire boat ‘Vjun’ which functions also as a pumping house in summer time.

A voluntary fire brigade, comprised of museum employees, continues to guard and takes an active part in trainings and exercises. Totally seven trainings and classes on fire-protection and one antiterrorist training, which involved museum keepers, tour-guides, police and fire fighters, were conducted in 2013.

In 2013, the Kizhi Museum in cooperation with experts of specialized organizations continued a complex monitoring of monuments of the Kizhi Pogost. The Agreement for detailed monitoring of biodeterioration was signed with the Forest research Institute at the Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences (Petrozavodsk), the Agreement for monitoring of the deformations was signed with the „Spetsprojectrestavratsiya“ Institute (Moscow).

A complex geodetic survey of the deformations of the facades of the Church of the Transfigu-ration, the Church of the Intercession and the Bell-Tower was made in June and September 2013. The survey has not revealed any changes in the existing deformations as well as in heights and turns of the monuments. The alternations in reference points have seasonal character.

Eight permanent deformation marks were fixed on the round stones of the footing course of the foundation of the Church of the Transfiguration to control the deformations of the restored part of the foundation and logs of the Church.

In 2013, the Kizhi Museum continued a complex monitoring of biodeteriorations of wooden elements of the Kizhi Pogost monuments.

Within this monitoring the permanent control of the air and wood humidity, regular inspections of the monuments constructions, evaluation of the development rate of the wood destroying fungi growth and insects’ lesion focus were performed.

New equipment- loggers, which allow timely to analyze the data of the temperature dynamics and air humidity of the monuments interiors and hard-to-reach places (for example, the domes) were installed in the monuments to check their microclimate characteristics.

The monitoring has not revealed any locus of wood destroying fungi and insects activity, leakages of roofs and cupolas.

The monitoring data were used as the base of the preventive and reconstruction actions aimed at the prolongation of the working life of the monuments by means of liquidation of the potential locus of the destruction at its initial stage.

One of the very important actions aimed at the preservation of the monuments of Kizhi Pogost was the waterproofing of the refectory’s roof of the Church of the Intersession.

A special floor covering was laid in the passage of the Church of the Intersession in order to prevent the detritions of the historical floor.

Regular prophylactic actions along with the climatic control included seasonal and everyday cleaning of the interiors and of not used interiors ( attics, basements), grass mowing on the territory of Kizhi Pogost and winter conservation of the monuments.

This continuing prophylactic and comprehensive programme of Kizhi Pogost monuments operation will be prolonged next year.

The Kizhi Architectural Ensemble is the main tourist sight of the Kizhi Museum and the focal point of the main outdoor tourist exposition. Thus, the main research is one way or another focused on Kizhi architectural ensemble. In 2013, this research concerned the following:

The scientific research projects „The History of the Kizhi Architectural Ensemble“, „Interiors of Kizhi churches“, and „Historical and ethnographic study of villages within the protected area i.e. place names, village looks, farmlands, household, and families“ are being developed.

In 2013, the regular 14th collection of museum research papers „Kizhi Vestnik“ was published in the Kizhi Museum. This collection includes papers about history and culture of the Zaonezhie in context of which the Kizhi ensemble was formed and developed.

Now, the collection of research papers dedicated to 300-anniversary of the Church of the Transfiguration is passing the editorial board. This collection includes 30 papers of the museum employees and the specialists of the other institutions this or that way related to the preservation and studies of the Church of the Transfiguration as well as history and culture of the South Zaonezhie.

Total amount of tourists in 2013 comprised 163 263 people, among them 81 705 foreign and 81 558 Russian tourists.

In purpose of the promotion of the monuments of the Kizhi, architectural ensemble the restored interior of the church proper was exhibited in the Church of the Intercession. The iconostasis of the Church of the Intercession consists of more than 70 authentic icons of the 17–19 centuries. In addition to that, two exhibitions: „History of the Kizhi parish“ based on the rare documents and photos and „Icon-painting mastery of the Northern Russia“, which includes more than 20 best examples of the icons of the Kizhi museum collection are presented in the Church of the Intercession. The exhibition „The Russian Church bells“ based on the Kizhi museum fund is presented in the Bell Tower.

The exhibition „Russian artists about Kizhi“ based on the funds of the Kizhi museum and Children’s museum centre as well as travelling exhibitions „Coronet of the folk art“, „300-year anniversary of the Church of the Transfiguration“, „Wooden architecture of Kizhi“, photo exhibitions „Karelia. Image in time“, „Kizhi. Almost unreal“ and „Kizhi. Wonderful Feast of Summer“, and a special exhibition for visually handicapped visitors „Kizhi in your house“ were presented in the Kizhi Museum halls.

The Children’s museum centre carries out its museum educational activity in purpose of the all-round and harmonious development of the individual based on the active use of the educational potential of the historical and cultural heritage of the Kizhi museum.

Within the activity in purpose of the promotion of the Kizhi architectural ensemble as the WHS, the following projects were realized during 2013:

1. XX anniversary children’s festival „Kizhi- the childhood workshop 2013“ on Kizhi Island. The objective of this festival is to update the cultural and historical heritage of the Kizhi museum.
   444 people ( 345 children and 99 adults) took part in the interregional creativity competition „All colours of the Kizhi palette“. 95 participants represented different regions of the RF. Overall 305 artworks were presented at the festival. The educational source of the museum was one of the particularities of the anniversary festival of 2013. The museum professionals - restorers, biologists, folklore specialists, „Alive exposition“ participants organized different special programmes for the participants of the festival.
   670 people, among them 450 children took part in the festival on Kizhi Island.
2. 13 programmes for 164 children and 35 teachers from Republic of Karelia (Petrozavodsk, Medvezhiegorsk district, Louhi district), regions of the RF (Saint Petersburg, Moscow, and Vladimir), Finland and Germany were realized within the museum-educational project „Summer museum-ethnographical school on Kizhi Island“.
3. The museum-educational project „Summer university on Kizhi Island“ included nine programmes with 119 participants (among them 50 students and 34 specialists of cultural and educational sphere) organized on Kizhi Island. Students from St. Petersburg (Herzen state pedagogical university, St. Petersburg state university of Architecture and civil engineering, Storganov Art Academy (Moscow), Tomsk pedagogical university, Petrozavodsk branch of the Moscow Slavonic University, Petrozavodsk Civil Engineering College) took part in these programmes.
4. “Intermuseum-2013” project, during which the film “Kizhi. Chronicle of Transfiguration” about the restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration was demonstrated.
5. Children’s art studio „The Kizhi palette“.
   The main objective of the studio is the artistic development of children based on the historical and cultural as well as natural heritage of Kizhi Island, Zaonezhie region and Karelian, vepsian and Russian culture. Now 56 children in 6 ages-groups attend the studio.
   As the result of its activity, the children’s interactive exhibition „All colours of the Kizhi palette“ was opened at the city exhibition hall (Lenin prosp, 26, Petrozavodsk). More than 180 art works of the different age participants of the Studio (from 5 up to 14 years old) made in different art techniques (paintings, graphics, decorative and applied arts) were represented at the exhibition. All of them were dedicated to Kizhi Island, the Kizhi Architectural Ensemble, its history and present life, children’s perception of the traditions, culture and monuments of architecture.

In purpose of promotion of the WHS on the museum’s official website the following materials were presented:

• The report on the complex preservation process of the Church of the Transfiguration in 2012 (in Russian and English);
• News about the restoration process of the monuments (all in all 8, 7 of them are about Kizhi Pogost);
• Five press-releases;
• The virtual reconstruction of the Iconostasis of the Church of the Transfigurations was updated and moved to more popular network partition “The museum’s collections“ (http://kizhi.karelia.ru/collection/catalogs/iconostasis/);
• The virtual trip „Welcome to Kizhi Island!“ in which Kizhi Pogost is presented was developed and published on the website.

More than 442 200 unique users visited the Kizhi-museum website in 2013.

The Museum Press service prepared three press releases; two about the UNESCO Mission in April 2013 and 1 about the Workshop dedicated to the Management Plan of the WHS, which was held in November 2013 on the base of the Museum. These press releases were published in more than 50 printed and internet mass media.

Eight articles regarding the Church of the Transfiguration: its restoration, history, UNESCO mission and the report „Results of the UNESCO mission 2012“ translated into Russian (in September 2013) were published in the museum paper „Kizhi“.

15 news materials were published in local papers „Karelia“, „ТVR-panorama, „Petrozavodsk, „Karjalan sanomat“, „Vse“.

3 papers were published in all-Russia mass media „Kultura“, „Nevskoe vremya" and in the magazine „ARDIS : Architecture, Restoration, Design, Investments, Building“.

The materials regarding the Kizhi museum and the restoration of its main monument were broadcasted regularly on different TV and radio channels of Karelia ( „Karelia“, „Sampo“, „Nika+“) and Russia ( „Russia 1“, „Russia 24“, „Culture“, „NTV“).

From May up to October 2013 several Russian („Russia 2“, „My planet“) and international ( ORF (Austria), Australian and French) TV-Channels camera-crews worked on Kizhi Island.

Extra should be notified that one of the Olympic Torch relay, which could be considered a weighty contribution into the promotion of the Kizhi monuments and its heritage, was held on Kizhi Island.

More than that just before the anniversary of the Church of the Transfiguration, the Kizhi museum was nominated one of the ten Symbols of Russia according to the results of the National survey, which was organized by the Russian geographical Society and the main Russian TV-Channel „Russia 2“.

In 2013, the museum printed more than 200 promotional materials regarding the museum and its monuments and eight books as well as Management Plan of the WHS „Kizhi Pogost“ (Russia, C 544) for 2014–2020.

The system work on preservation of the landscapes and natural environment of the Kizhi Pogost monuments was kept on in line with the basic principles developed in the Kizhi Museum and UNESCO recommendations.

The geo information systems (GIS) specially developed for the Kizhi museum and intended as the base for the conceptual and long-term practical guidance of preservation of the landscape target state was actively accustomed. The GIS system meets the modern scientific attitudes and includes considerable volumes of the historical and present data of the WHS landscape.

The technique of the assessment of the visual impact on the environment of all the planned construction projects was used for the first time.

The practical actions were curried out in accordance with the Decisions of the annual commission for the preservation of historical landscapes and were aimed at the preservation of the historical features and authenticity of the landscape. These actions included:

1. Maintenance of the open space and visual communications between the different objects of cultural heritage on Kizhi Island- Logging of shrubs and small trees.
2. Caring for rows of stones, maintaining meadows, coastal plantings Ulmus laevis in a way of different kinds of fellings (like sanitary fellings, landscape fellings, brush cleanings),
3. Maintenance of the traditional land-use, crafts and trades, land cultivation of the display fields, farmers fields and gardens. All in all, in 2013 the museum has carried out the activities of the total area of more than 165 ha.

The preservation of the natural landscape was carried out in cooperation with the „Vodlozerskiy“ National Park, which has a right of the operational management of the „Kizhskiy“ state natural reserve of federal significance.

In 2013, the museum’s activity regarding the preservation of the natural environment included:

1. Research on natural site in accordance with the long-term programme of monitoring studies of exotic species, biodiversity, ecosystems and landscapes.
2. Monitoring studies of the environmental conditions (air, water, soil).
3. Everyday weather observations.
4. Actions regarding the ecological security of the tourists, employees, local population. The most important of the above-mentioned activities are acaricide treatment of the territory and deratization.
5. Production control of the activity of the Kizhi museum in order to prevent irreversible environmental changes.

In 2013, the educational work in the field of ecology and environmental protection was carried out in the Kizhi museum. Much attention was paid to the organization of ecological actions with the involvement of the local population and practical actions in purpose of the preservation of the natural environment.

The focused effort in purpose of implementation of the waste management on Kizhi Island in a form of an international project: „WASTE: education, sorting, recovery“ as well as the realization of the project „Waste management in Kizhi museum“ evaluation is being continued.

In 2011 the project documentation for ‘Outdoor Network and Power Supply Objects“ on Kizhi Island, Medvezhiegorsk district, Karelia was developed and in 2013 it got the positive findings of a State ecological appraisal. This project provides for the construction of the cable network of solid and qualitative power supply of the present and future objects. The developed project documentation provides the 3-sourced power supply of Kizhi Pogost. Implementation of this project is planned for the period 2013–2016.

This power lines supply will be performed in underground execution to avoid the impact on the OUV of the WHS.

The power supply reconstruction will guarantee the reliable power supply of all the sites of the cultural heritage and the infrastructure as well as:

• more effective and reliable protection of the WHS and the other movable and intangible property of the cultural heritage;
• assistance in solving the problems and prevention of the irreversible environmental alterations on the territory;
• more comfortable living conditions for the museum employees responsible for the WHS preservation and tourist service.

The reconstruction of the historical road from Velikaya Guba to Oyativtshena Village is going on (in line with the Decree of the government RF №1633 dd. 07.11.2008). The completion of the reconstruction is planned for 2015. The reconstruction of this road will allow to improve the safety of the WHS and the other objects of the cultural heritage, to provide conditions for the reentry of the local population, to make it possible to transport necessary loads and professionals responsible for the preservation of the WHS and as well as to help to start the process of the sustainable tourism development on the surrounding territory. However, an absolute control of the infrastructure development in the Buffer zone and measures of the risks aversion regarding the WHS and historical landscape are necessary after the reconstruction is over.

The guiding principles of the socioeconomic development of the area are defined in the MP of the WHS as follows (MP Chapter 7.3.):

• the preservation of the OUV of the WHS not the infrastructure objects is the priority issue in any questions regarding the infrastructure development;
• any new project relating to the WHS and the surrounding territories has to pass the procedure of Impact Assessment on the OUV of the WHS and the surrounding landscape in accordance with the UNESCO recommendations in order not to damage the integrity and authenticity of the WHS.