Asian Russia
Asian Russia makes up the eastern third of the Russian Federation and covers over 663 million hectares, more than two-thirds the size of the US.
The Snow Forests of Asian Russia comprise areas of intact ancient forest ranging from the arctic zone in northeastern Sakha, to the subtropical region along the Amur and Ussuri river basins to the south.
Forest makes up 45 percent of the territory, and ranges in type from shrublike tundra forest in the north to rich mixed forests in the south.
These diverse forests provide a home to many species of plants and animals, including the highly endangered Siberian (or Amur) tiger, Far Eastern leopard, the Himalayan bear, and the musk deer.
The Amur-Sakhalin region shelters more types of plants and animals than any other temperate forest in the world, with many of these species existing nowhere else.
Like other forests, the Snow Forests of Asian Russia are also home to indigenous peoples including the Nanai of the Khabarovsk region.
"Illegal logging and trade have been identified by international groups, including the World Conservation Union (IUCN), as a primary contributer to deforestation." - Friends of the Earth Japan, 2000.