New polar research section has started working this year ("Polar section"). Decision to form the section was made by SPbSN Scientific Council, which also confirmed Aleksey Petrovich Strelkov's appointment as chairman of the section. The purpose of this section is to join efforts of SPbSN members and experts, which have been researching polar zones for years (the Arctic Regions and Antarctic Regions). The section will promote development and realization of ecological monitoring programs in polar zones using SPbSN human resources in scientific research. The research work is planned to be done in close collaboration with AARI and other research centers of Russia. It is expected that the biologists of the polar section will carry out research works on biodiversity and wildlife preservation of the Arctic Regions. The section members are supposed to go on complex scientific expeditions, prepare monographs and other papers on research results for pu­blication.