Mountain regions in Russia are: Khibiny, Northern Caucasus, Ural with Novaya Zemlia and Frans-Joseph Land, Altai-Sayan, Zabaikalie mountains, mountains of Siberia and the Far East.
These regions possess very high diversity of ecosystems and species and high level of endemism. The recent geological history determines mountains as refuges for biota during glacial periods and sea transgressions. In mountains there are fixed numberous rare and extinct species of plants and animals, listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. According to different assessments 282 species of the Red Book plants out of 533 are located in mountains, 95 out of 415 species of animals .

The most valuable biological resources of highlands are unforested mountain meadows and tundra lands. They are extensively used as seasonal pastures and fodder haylands for sheeps, goats, cows and deers. Many valuable tree species are: cedar in the Far East and South of Siberia, oak in Caucasus, different species of pine, fir and spruce... Intensive forestry is being practiced in the Far East, Zabaikalie, Sayan, Altai and Caucasus. Mountains are well known sources of medicinal plants and game animals.

At the same time mountain ecosystems are vulnerable to the anthropogenic factors. Main threats to biodiversity are: mining, forest cutting and logging, farming on steep slopes, recent arable field abandonement, overgrazing or to the contrary abrupt decrease in livestock number, poachery, invasions, unorganized tourism, climatic changes.

Priority regions according the the National Strategy for Biodiversity conservation are: Caucasus, Khibiny, Ural, Altai, mountains of the South of the Far East.

This section will integrate information resources about ecological conditions and biodiversity of mountain ecosystems in Russia, about utilization of mountain resources and measures undertaken in order to conserve its biodiversity.