The "natural" and "cultural" complex of Valdai National Park and Tsentralno-Lesnoy State Biosphere Preserve will be nominated for inclusion into the World Heritage List as a comprehensive natural and cultural site. Valdai Park occupies an area of 158,500 ha in the northern part of the Valdai Upland and is characterized by its very complex and scenic terrain formed during the last glaciation epoch. The area of the park embraces the great water divide of the Baltic, Caspian and Black Seas, the sources of rivers belonging to the Volga, Dnieper, Zapadnaya Dvina and Lake Ilmen drainage basins. The Polomet River, continuously monitored since 1933, is used as a hydrological standard for smaller rivers and is included in an international list of small rivers subject to special protection. The grounds of the National Park account for over 70 lakes (occupying 14,500 ha or about 9% of the total park area) of karst and glacial origin. Many of the lakes are interconnected and create a dense natural infrastructure network for tourism. Forests cover about 86% of the park area. The distribution limits of southern taiga and coniferous-broadleaf forests are reached within the park area.

The average age of the primary coniferous stand is over 80 years. Undisturbed natural forest ecosystems are of the greatest interest as they occupy an area of 10,000 ha. 17 plant species listed in the Red Book of Russia are noted here. Rare bird species include black stork, fish hawk and golden eagle. European grayling and trout inhabit local rivers.

The Valdai Upland has a rich cultural heritage. Over 250 artifacts dating back to the Neolithic Epoch (5-8 thousand years BC) and the height of the Novgorod Princedom (XI-XV centuries AD) were identified within the grounds of the park. A belt of large lakes stretching from north to south used to be an ancient stem of settlement of the Northern Slavic tribes and a historical commercial route on the European part of Russia. The ancient road connection Moscow- Novgorod and later on Saint Petersburg from olden times had been an important transportation route connecting Russia with the Baltic countries and Western Europe. It was here that in 1238, the Golden Horde of Batu Khan was stopped.