Parks in the Forest with One Click: Vologda Region Launches Digital Nature Module
A new online platform in Russia’s Vologda Region is transforming how residents and visitors experience local parks.
The 'Parks in the Forest' module offers an interactive guide to natural spaces, combining ecology, recreation, and digital technology.
Time to Visit the Park
With a single click, users can view detailed information about recreational areas, including the number of parking spaces, playgrounds, ski trails, benches, gazebos, trash bins, and restrooms. The module is enriched with photos, allowing people to assess accessibility and convenience—particularly for those with limited mobility—before visiting. This makes recreation more inclusive and predictable, eliminating blind spots in planning leisure activities.
The interactive map also tracks ongoing improvement projects in green zones. Although local in scope, the initiative goes beyond an IT novelty, offering a practical way for residents to plan outings. 'Parks in the Forest' serves as a model of ecological and recreational digitalization at the regional level.
Beauty and Comfort of Green Spaces
In 2024, the region launched pilot projects to enhance forest areas. For example, along the Semyonkovo–Yermolovo route, the 'Health Ski Trail' was opened with heated cabins, gazebos, parking, a children’s playground, workout areas, lighting, and video surveillance. During summer, the trail becomes a popular spot for running and Nordic walking.
Other municipalities have opened renovated forest parks as well. The region also has major plans for the Russian North National Park: by 2030, it aims to create 11 eco-trails and 15 infrastructure sites, including wildlife observation platforms.
The Geoportal itself was developed by local specialists and now integrates multiple services useful to citizens, regional leadership, and businesses. It already aggregates data on investment sites, communications infrastructure, and protected natural areas.
Toward People's Needs
The future of the module is promising. Planned improvements include integration with navigation apps, real-time data on park usage and events, and feedback systems to engage users directly.
Most importantly, the initiative is designed for scaling. Within the national project 'Data Economy and Digital Transformation,' 'Parks in the Forest' could become a standard for other Russian regions, laying the foundation for a nationwide digital ecosystem to manage recreational resources.
This module is more than a digitalization checkbox — it is a tangible step toward people. It makes green-space management transparent and accessible, proving that the future of outdoor recreation lies in merging living forests with smart technologies.
