During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many countries embraced the national park concept as a way of showcasing their scenic landscapes and developing internal tourism. Many members of the Russian Imperial Geographical Society called for a system of parks in the Russian Empire. However, following the Great October Revolution of 1917, Russian conservationists and game management professionals instead pushed the state to establish zapovedniki dedicated to scientific research as well as some that served as game preserves. As “science for science’s sake” came under more suspicion in the 1930s, many supporters of the zapovedniki promoted tourism in them to make them seem more “useful” to government officials. By the late 1930s, tens of thousands of tourists entered the zapovedniki every year. Even in a climate of fear and xenophobia, some tourism promoters used the example of US national parks as they argued that zapovedniki should accommodate still more tourists.
COVID-19 pandemic impacts on conservation research, management, and public engagement in US national parks
