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The Russian environmental movement presents several puzzles to scholars interested in the development of civil society in post-Soviet Russia. Although environmental issues mobilized thousands of citizens during the perestroika era and environmental conditions in Russia remain dire, environmental protest has declined. In spite of the decline in protest events, however, the number of Russian environmental organizations increased ste'adily during the 1990s, and thousands of green groups now exist throughout Russia. Contemporary Russian environmentalists have previously unimagined levels of organizational capacity, access to technology, and partnerships and funding from transnational actors. The overall number of environmental organizations, their geographical dispersal throughout Russia, and their increasing professionalism all seem to signify the development of a vibrant sector within civil society. The …