The nature of the Kemerovo region, located in Western Siberia, is very diverse, which is explained by the topography. The territory is divided into flat in its northern part, foothill and mountain in the east, south and west, intermountain in the region of the Kuznetsk depression. Being the smallest region of Western Siberia, it occupies almost the entire territory of the Kuznetsk coal basin and stores in its bowels a huge amount of other minerals. The combination of underground and natural resources makes the region unique. This article will briefly talk about the nature features of the Kemerovo region.
Geographical position
When looking at a map of Western Siberia, it becomes obvious that the ridges of the Altai-Sayan mountain region cover the Kuzbass in the form of a horseshoe. Massifs of the North-Eastern Altai up to 1900 meters high form the southern contour. And from the north-west stretches the Salair ridge up to 600 meters high.
The nature of the Kemerovo region has created unique monuments that attract the attention of tourists from all over the world. These are the Spassky Palaces rocks, the Rocky Mountains and Red Stone Canyons, Gavrilovsky Caves, Celestial Teeth and many other natural attractions.
Rivers of the area
The stormy, transparent and fish-rich rivers of the Kemerovo region are paid tribute to nature lovers, fishermen and travelers. The main river of Kuzbass - Tom is accessible for water tourism for 300 kilometers, but is almost impossible for industrial use.
Another river flowing along the eastern part of the territory is the Kiya (“rocky”), which begins in the Alatau mountains and then flows through a stony gorge in a turbulent stream. The rapids and rifts, which are numerous on local rivers, are spoken by the names: Angry, Shaggy, Boiling. The tributaries of these rivers are also picturesque, as are the main channels.
Forests of Kuzbass
The diversity of nature of the Kemerovo region is amazing. On the tops of the mountains there are plants of the tundra and alpine meadows. The mountain slopes are overgrown with forests, and the steppe and forest-steppe vegetation has mastered the foothills. There are pine forests, and relict lime grove.
Forests occupy 67% of the territory of the region, where the number of coniferous and deciduous trees is approximately equal. To maintain proper order on an area of 64 thousand square meters. kilometers created 87 forestry.
The main species of trees growing in these places are fir, cedar, aspen and birch. Other species, for example, alder, poplar, willow and linden, are also present in the forests, but their participation in forest formation is insignificant. The unique "Linden Island", represented by relict trees of the preglacial period, has been preserved on an area of ten thousand hectares.
Industrial forest production is carried out on the territory occupied by 20% of the total massif, the rest of the plants carry out conservation, water protection and health-improving functions. Reforestation, which is given great importance, is engaged in local forestry.
Flora area
The diversity of nature in the Kemerovo region, the native land for two million of our compatriots, determines the diversity of herbs growing in this unique area. 420 species of medicinal plants, which are known for their invaluable benefits, are collected in these places. Moreover, 300 of them are used in folk medicine, and 120 types - in scientific activity. Industrial harvesting of frequently occurring plants is under way: plantain, tansy, coltsfoot, and rare ones - spring wildflowers, red deer and golden roots.
Shrubs are represented by currants, rose hips, mountain ash. Many plants, rare and endangered species, are listed in the Red Book. Unfortunately, from year to year, these entries are updated.
In these parts there are a lot of berries, mushrooms and pine nuts. The average yield of berries is 45 thousand tons per year, and ferns - 90 thousand.
Animal world
The presence of diverse natural landscapes is determined by many different species of animals that inhabit the mountains, taiga, forests and forest-steppes of the region. The most common and characteristic inhabitant of the region is a brown bear. He prefers to live in a taiga area. No less famous is Wolverine. This furry animal of the marten family has very warm fur and chooses a forest-steppe and taiga both mountain and plain for living. Recently, it is very rare.
The fauna of the region is widely represented by the deer family. Kuzbass moose are very large individuals, reaching a height of two meters with a trunk length of three meters. Red deer, a smaller deer, a forest inhabitant, chooses the mountain forests of the Salair Ridge and the Mariinsky Taiga. Of the deer here, in the upper reaches of Tom, the northern one lives, and roe deer live in the forest-steppes. The mountain slopes did not remain without this species, where musk deer, a small deer, not more than a meter in length, live on the rocks covered with cedar.
Among the common species of the fauna of the region are considered lynxes, wild boars, foxes, hares, squirrels, otters, badgers. Here, if you wish, you can meet a flying squirrel, a small fluffy animal that leads a nocturnal lifestyle, and a pika - a half-hare-half-hare that makes a whistle or a piercing squeak when danger is approaching.
Like plants, many representatives of the animal world are listed in the Red Book and are protected by the state.
Disappearing representatives of the animal world
Among the specially protected inhabitants of the region is Siberian musk deer. Outwardly, the animal, dark brown with red spots, resembles a deer, but its hind legs, which are much longer than their front ones, are very unusual for the human eye. It seems that the musk deer is stooped, hunched over. She has no horns, but the males are endowed with fangs sticking forward, which they use instead of horns in mating tournaments. The number of musk deer is currently small and it is preserved only in Mountain Shoria. Animals can still feel safe only in the reserve.
Another endangered representative of the animal world of Kuzbass is osprey, a bird that used to live everywhere near water bodies. A very beautiful predator differs from its counterparts in the two-color coloring of feathers - white and dark. Its wingspan reaches one and a half meters, and on strong paws sharp, curved claws stick out menacingly. The bird almost does not vote, it looks out for fish, which it mainly feeds on, throws itself at the top and stone for prey. In the middle of the 20th century, the osprey in the Kemerovo Territory was almost completely exterminated, now, although the nesting grounds were not found, 12 meetings have been recorded.
Ecology of Kuzbass
The protection of nature in the Kemerovo region is far from the last question that the region faces. The high technogenic level of the region, the increase in the volume of extracted minerals, the work of enterprises of heavy industry and chemistry create unfavorable conditions for the ecology of Kuzbass. Therefore, this issue is being addressed first.
Big money is allocated annually from the regional budget to the target program to improve the situation and preserve nature. The authorities are assisting the local population on this issue, public organizations, a children's and youth ecoparliament, the Initiative association and others have been created. A branch of the Green Party is working in Kuzbass. Common efforts are aimed at correcting the difficult situation in the region.
To preserve the natural monuments of the Kemerovo region, a network of specially protected territories and reserves has been created.
Kuznetsk Alatau
The area of the famous state reserve, created in 1989, is 5% of the entire territory of the Kemerovo region, and this is more than 400 hectares. It is part of the Altai-Sayan ecoregion.
The purpose of creating the Kuznetsk Alatau was and is to preserve the unique nature of the Kemerovo region in the context of large-scale mining and logging. Since its inception, employees of the reserve have been monitoring the state of the environment in order to determine the response of natural systems to the effects of human activity, provide timely assistance and protect plants and animals of this region.
Employees of the reserve, meeting the lovers of tourism, have developed several hiking, snowmobile and rafting routes that do not have a negative impact on the surrounding nature.
In the ecological center of the reserve there is an aviary complex in which wild animals and birds in distress live. There is also a Museum of Nature of the Kemerovo Region and horse rental.
Celestial Teeth
This is a typical mountain alpine system created by the Kuznetsk Alatau, Tiger-Tysh, Teren-Kazyrsky and Kara-Tash ranges. Alternating peaks over two kilometers high with watershed plains - this is the relief of this amazing place. Many teeth of different heights give the area an unreal appearance. Natural and climatic conditions that differ from each other in altitudinal zones create conditions for the richness of species of flora and fauna, which is a characteristic feature of the nature of the Kemerovo region in general and this place in particular.
Celestial Teeth enjoy the attention and love of Siberian tourists, lovers of the nature of their native land. In Kemerovo region, lovers of hiking along the plains and mountain trails, skiers, snowboarders, kayakers and rafting fans feel great.
Tomsk pisanitsa
Museum-reserve, created in 1968 near the village of Pisanaya, Yashkinsky district, Kemerovo region. The base was a mountain range stretching for 50 kilometers, on the rocks of which drawings were found. The museum, located fifty kilometers from Kemerovo, was awarded the title "Museum of the Year" in 1998. It is of great interest among Siberians and tourists from other regions, from 50 to 70 thousand people visit it annually.
According to professionals, Tomsk Pisanitsa has been known since 1630 and is the first annals with the help of petroglyphs. Of the greatest value are 280 cave paintings of the Iron Age.
