Methodological Basis for Small-Scale Forest Mapping in the Atlas of Asian Russia

The purpose of the study is to analyze and evaluate the methodological foundations for creating forest maps and their systematization in the framework of small-scale mapping for the atlas of Asian Russia. The basis for achieving the goal is the rich theoretical, methodological, and practical experience in creating forest maps for the territory of Russia and its individual entities, as well as macroregions, for example, Baikal (Irkutsk oblast, the Republic of Buryatia, and Zabaykalsky krai) and the Lake Baikal basin. The study is based on the methods of comparative geographical and system analysis, cartographic, expert, and geoinformation mapping using technologies for processing information and creating maps as spatiotemporal, figurative, and symbolic models that best reflect the multifaceted nature of forests and their importance in the development and interaction of nature and society. The study has resulted in the analysis, assessment, and thematic systematization of small-scale forest maps. It is determined that they are part of several main groups: maps of forests and territorial and economic organization of forests, and forest industry, forest resources and their functions, forest protection, and forest–ecological situations. A number of maps, their contents, and approaches to their development are considered using the example of the author’s cartographic works. Their thematic content reflects forest disturbance caused by the impact of fires, logging, and other unfavorable factors; the forest resource potential of territories; types of forest use and types of prospective forest management; the location of the main branches of the forest industry complex; natural fire hazard of forests; etc.