How to Identify Reviving Villages of the Non-Chernozem Zone: Geographical Approach
https://doi.org/10.7868/S2658697526010178
Abstract
The concept of a reviving village can be interpreted in different ways, depending on which “revival” is being considered. The fundamental feature for using this characteristic is a period of prolonged depopulation preceding a settlement’s revival, which can include cases of complete extinction. For this study, settlements categorized as “without a population” were selected as the initial group. The study area encompassed eight regions within the Non-Chernozem Zone. They were selected on the basis of their similar natural conditions, shared developmental history, and proximity to Moscow and St. Petersburg. This advantageous location has placed them within a zone of intensive recreational development driven by residents of both capitals. The method of identifying villages coming to life is based on a phased reduction of the group of settlements “without a population” as a result of non-compliance with the developed criteria. The following geographical factors of revitalization were selected: proximity to a regional or district center, transport accessibility, proximity to large rivers and reservoirs, and proximity to a large rural center. At the first stage, 4500 out of 14200 settlements “without a population” were selected based on the specified situational features. The subsequent phase involved analyzing satellite imagery of the pre-selected settlements to identify those with preserved buildings. This filtering reduced the number of study sites to 2900. In the final stage, the sites were checked for demarcated cadastral plots as a key revitalization’s indicator. The final count of reviving villages was 1900. The developed methodology has pronounced regional specificity, influenced by objective geographical conditions. However, subjective factors also play a role, stemming from peculiarities in statistical accounting and varying approaches to the abolition of settlements. Furthermore, the prevalence of land surveying may be influenced by institutional factors and the accessibility of cadastral services. However, the study found that the revitalization potential is highest in villages possessing a combination of advantageous geographical features.
Keywords
rural settlement pattern,
rural revitalization,
settlement without a population,
geographical location,
Non-Chernozem Zone
Supporting agencies: The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 24-77-00043 “Revitalization of Disappeared Villages in the Non-Chernozem Region: Factors, Practices, Typology.”
About the Authors
A. A. Smirnova
Tver State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Tver
K. S. Lebedev
Tver State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Tver
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For citations:
Smirnova A.A., Lebedev K.S. How to Identify Reviving Villages of the Non-Chernozem Zone: Geographical Approach. Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk. Seriya Geograficheskaya. 2026;90(1):246-257. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.7868/S2658697526010178
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