Nothing But Depopulation? Lateral Rural Migration In The Old-Developed Forest Non-Chernozem Territories

Abstract

Abstract— In the article, the author poses the question of what migration processes took place in the post-Soviet period at the intraregional level against depopulation and spatial polarization inherent to areas of the old-developed Non-Chernozem Region, and how this influenced the current state of populated areas and the overall rural settlement pattern. Totemsky district of Vologda Oblast was chosen as the research site for the study. Field research materials and analysis of local-level statistics made it possible to trace the rural population dynamics and identify the resettlement of rural residents within the district. The territorial units considered by the author were administrative rural units (sel’sovets) within the old borders, before the municipal reform and consolidation of the 2010s, which corresponded to individual rural clusters or large logging centers. Territories with different geographic positions and economic conditions were selected. Depopulation in the post-Soviet period proceeded unevenly, but its territorial projection did not just obey the center–periphery logic. The rural population grew in size both in district center and village near gas compressor stations, as well as in a number of other settlements with different characteristics. The post-Soviet dynamics of population numbers and transformation of the economy of the settlements were influenced by the peculiarities of their microlocation, buildings development, neighborhoods, and other local and almost nonparameterizable factors. They also often affect the attractiveness of rural settlements for the seasonal population, which fosters temporary support of the historical settlement network and generates some small potential for the redevelopment of certain territories.