Sheskharis juniper woodland is a unique Russian botanical monument created by nature itself. This is the pearl of which the Krasnodar Territory and the whole country are proud. The importance of the reserve from the point of view of science, ecology (and not only) is difficult to overestimate.
Sheskharis juniper woodland: geography of a botanical monument
The botanical monument is located two kilometers south-east of the resort town of Novorossiysk. Sparse woodland occupies the southern part of the slopes of the Markotkh Range and immediately belongs to two forestries: Sheskharis and Kabarda (Novorossiysk and Gelendzhik inter-forestry respectively).
The total territory of the reserve is 997 hectares. It is located at an altitude of 736 meters above sea level. The relief of this area is characterized by pronounced roughness. The soils here are brown, humus-carbonate, characterized by low power and high susceptibility to erosion.
Climate
The Sheskharis juniper woodland is located on a territory dominated by a dry Mediterranean climate. The average temperature for the year here reaches + 12.7 degrees Celsius. The number of frosty days is about 135, and the rest of the thermometer rises above zero. About 768 millimeters of precipitation falls annually.
Trees and bushes
The flora of the reserve is extremely rich and diverse. There are especially many bushes and trees. The lower sections (up to two hundred meters above sea level) are “populated” by the Derzhi-tree, fluffy oak, hawthorn, etc. Juniper juniper forests, consisting of three species of juniper, rise almost twice as high. Among them are red, smelly and tall. The last two have survived from ancient times. They are very rare, distributed only in the northern part of the Black Sea coast and are listed in the Red Book of Russia.
The Sheskharis juniper woodland on its southern slopes is characterized by sparseness. The soils are limestone and the slopes are steep. Juniper junipers grow on them, the highest of which reaches about four and a half meters. These are the old "inhabitants" of the reserve, they are mostly one hundred to one hundred and forty years old. In general, the average growth of juniper is six meters, the age ranges from sixty to one hundred and seventy years, and the trunk diameter is from 20 to 30 cm.
The role of undergrowth is often played by shrubby jasmine, cotoneaster, tamperium tannin, guelder-rose pride, plants from the freegan group, tomillares, etc. It is not uncommon on the slopes of the Markotkh Range to have steppe species of juniper trees that resemble park vegetation. Of great interest among botanists is the Penay slit, where Pitsunda pine flaunts next to the junipers.
Herbs
The Sheskharis juniper woodland is also a Klondike of herbs, of which more than fifty species are represented here. Among them you can find the monkey orchis and the small-spotted, iris low, the common bedstraw, Komarov bell, the Caucasian office, the vaginal foxtail, the fibrous shaggy, the onosmu multifolia, the yurineya, the brown anthroat, the Crimean cinquefoil, the short-fronted shrimp, the Pontogolynidae carpaceae, the papillonaceae shistogoltisty, the paporatygis shrubtogolisty, the papillonaceous shrimp grassfish, the paporatyngysturus, the common shrimp tree, ridge, Schrenk's tulip, Crimean asphodeline and others. The lower tier of the reserve looks especially picturesque in May, when many of the above herbs bloom.
The value of the reserve
The Sheskharis juniper woodland is not in vain a reserve, which is subject to state protection. Its value is enormous, from whatever side you look.
- This object is water-regulating - deforestation will lead to a violation of the water regime in the entire region.
- Trees protect against soil damage, which is particularly susceptible to erosion.
- Juniper is indispensable in pharmaceuticals (medicines), perfumery (essential oils) and even the food industry (it produces spices for canned fish and meat).
- Green spaces seriously "heal" the air, releasing a significant amount of volatile substances, which have a bactericidal and antifungal effect.
- Some representatives of the Sheskharissky woodland flora are of great interest to science, since they are relict. Their “roots stretch” back during the existence of the Tethys Ocean. These plants are listed in the Red Book, they must be protected like the apple of an eye.
And naturally, one should not discount the aesthetic significance of the reserve, which is one of the most picturesque corners of Russia. The nature here is preserved almost in its original form, which attracts tourists from different parts of the country to the Juniper forest.
Tourism
Among the cities that are adjacent to the Sheskharis juniper woodland reserve are Gelendzhik and Novorossiysk. It is quite natural that many tourists vacationing in these Black Sea resorts tend to see the natural pearl. In addition, on the top of the slope there is an observation deck with a breathtaking view of the bay of Gelendzhik and the city itself. This further enhances the flow of guests. Regular excursions are organized in the reserve, which include not only holidaymakers, but also schoolchildren and students of the region.
Juniper woodland Sheskharis: ecological situation of the botanical reserve
Meanwhile, the ecological situation in the reserve leaves much to be desired. Neighborhood with large resort centers negatively affects the “health” of woodlands. Plants are destroyed as a result of logging, fires and numerous constructions. Locals strive to graze cattle in the reserve, vacationers leave trash after themselves … And if the situation does not change in the near future, the consequences for the reserve will be irreversible.
In addition to powerful anthropogenic effects, various diseases, age-related drying of plants and insect pests, in particular juniper moth, also play a negative role. As a result, valuable juniper species is becoming less and less; they die, and they are replaced at best by deciduous trees.
The Sheskharis juniper woodland is in serious danger today. And this situation requires drastic action. If nothing is done, Russia risks losing one of its most important natural attractions.
