It is planned to build over 100 tourist centers at the Baikal natural site around Lake Baikal, according to the Ministry of Russian National Resources.

"The most important thing for us is tourism. It will help to guard the lake from the damaging effect of neighboring treatment facilities and plants. In particular, we plan to build 102 centers for tourists and lay over 1,000 km (621 miles) of ecological paths," Russian Natural Resources Minister Sergei Donskoi told the press. Construction of tourist facilities in the area is on the rise, he added.

Lake Baikal is a lake of tectonic provenance, which is situated in the south of East Siberia between the Irkutsk Region and the Republic of Buryatia. It is the planet’s deepest lake, and also the largest natural reservoir of freshwater. The lake itself and the area around it have unique flora and fauna.

Thousands of tourists visit Lake Baikal every year. Garbage dumps left after them on the shores threaten the ecosystem.

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