Forest and Forest Guards in the System of the Central Asian Possessions of the Russian Empire in the XIX – early XX centuries

Abstract

State priorities in the field of protection and conservation of natural resources are strategic, which is evident from the historical experience of a number of European monarchies in England, France, Russia, etc. In the context of a growing shortage of moisture in the expanses of Central Asia, the “forest” theme is relevant. The study of the historical experience of relations between various social strata, within the framework of the imperial model, through the prism of the “forest” issue, is important in the context of identifying trends towards the centralization of the natural resource management system in remote regions. A critical analysis of thematic archival sources, narratives and published works on the history of the forest possessions of the Russian Empire and, in particular, the Turkestan and Steppe territories is carried out. Within the framework of the topic, the role of the forest guard in the implementation of imperial policy in the XIX – early XX centuries is studied. To analyze the historical mission of the forest guard at the beginning of the twentieth century, an analysis of facts and their interpretation was carried out, in particular, from the history of the requisition of “foreigners” for rear work in 1916 and mass unrest. The materials on the uprising of 1916 were studied in detail, sources from the central and regional archives of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan, memoirs, etc. were involved. The scientific methods and approaches we use are traditional: analysis and synthesis, comparative, the principle of historicism, verification of sources, etc. A previously unexplored layer of problematic issues of conservation and exploitation of forests within the designated geographical areas was raised the framework in the XIX – early XX centuries. On the basis of the studied special literature and sources, trends in the evolution of the imperial right of ownership and use of state-owned forests and the social code of relations between forestry and local residents were identified.