A nature reserve is a certain natural territory or water area, which is determined by a decree or regulation at the legislative level as valuable and protected. To do this, it must have unique properties or endangered or unique animals, fish and birds should live on it. And also the value may lie in minerals, untouched forests, rivers and mountains. There are an incredible number of nature reserves and national parks in Russia, but only a few are especially known. Why are these reserves the most famous?
Reserves in Russia and the world
Once the boundaries of the reserve are marked on its territory, you can’t just penetrate it. They are often attached to any research institutes, as they constitute an excellent base for study and discovery. But the primary task is to preserve, not to investigate. Zoologists, botanists, ornithologists are required to maintain the reserve in its original form. Moreover, with the help of scientific progress, scientists contribute to the reproduction of living creatures and vegetation in it.
The organizational structure of each of them includes: the director of the reserve, the department of protection, the scientific department, the department of environmental education, the department of accounting and reporting, and the department for supporting core business. In accordance with the Federal Law "On the Animal World" of 1995, it is forbidden to hunt, take animals with you or collect bouquets under the penalty of criminal liability in the reserves. This is strictly monitored by the State Inspector assigned to each of them.
There are a lot of national reserves in Russia, the exact number is 112. Each of them has its own unique features and wealth, but some are especially unique. Below is described in more detail about nine such nature reserves in Russia: the oldest and most famous.
The term “reserve” is specific for the Russian Federation and the countries of the former CIS, they are called reservations all over the world. In addition to nature reserves, there are national parks and their task is identical, but the mode of visiting national parks is freer, in addition, the tourism industry is rapidly developing in this direction.
Barguzinsky
And it opens the list of Russia's oldest reserves, which was founded before the revolution, on January 11, 1917. Since 1996, it has been part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site “Lake Baikal”. Since 1997, its foundation day has been considered the day of reserves and national parks in Russia.
This biosphere reserve is located in Buryatia. It was originally founded as a place to preserve the number of sables, and in the years of its foundation it was called "Barguzinsky Sable Reserve". In 1917, there were a little more than 20 sables.
On an area of 374 322 hectares there are 19 rivers, 6 capes, 5 bays and 2 lakes. Countless fish are found in rivers and lakes, while 41 species of mammals live in forests and on the coast. The territory includes part of the water area of Lake Baikal and the western slopes of the Barguzinsky ridge. The biggest pride of the reserve, of course, is that it is part of Lake Baikal.
Astrakhan
On April 11, 1919, another biosphere reserve was founded by the University of Astrakhan. It is located in the lower reaches of the largest river delta of Europe - the Volga and on the Caspian coast.
Its main wealth is birds. 40 species of rare birds, many of which are listed in the International Red Book, nest in its forests and on the coast. A total of 280 species of birds, 60 species of fish and 17 species of mammals live on the territory of 67, 917 ha.
Ilmensky
In such a seemingly industrial Chelyabinsk region, the third oldest reserve in Russia is located - Ilmensky. For the Urals, it is of great value and is based on the Ural branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It was founded on May 14, 1920 thanks to V.I. Lenin. As a special value of the reserve, the leader of the proletariat was noted by the Ilmensky Mountains, which he bequeathed to preserve in their original form together with the fauna and the growing flora there.
To this day, the main value of this reserve complex in its exceptional geological structure and unique composition of rocks. In one-of-a-kind pegmatous veins, an incredible variety of precious and semi-precious stones, as well as minerals, can be found and mined. 16 minerals were discovered precisely in the Ilmensky reserve, two of which are named after him - ilmenite and ilmenorutil.
Flora is mainly represented by pine and birch forests, but a total of 1, 200 species of plants grow in an area of 30, 380 ha, including 50 relict ones. The fauna is represented by 173 species of birds, 57 species of mammals and 29 species of waterfowl.
Voronezh
31053 ha of this biosphere reserve are located on the territory of two regions of Russia at once - Voronezh and Lipetsk. It was created on December 3, 1923 by the decree of the Voronezh Gubzemotdel of the Gubspolcom as the "State Beaver Hunting Reserve." And in it, for the first time in the world, a beaver nursery was created, the purpose of which was to study this unique rodent, and also to increase its population.
In the future, the reserve became interesting not only because of beavers. Scientists were attracted by the unique flora of the Ottoman forest, as well as the parasitic organisms living there. On the basis of the Voronezh reserve, even a whole laboratory of parasitology was created. In total, 217 species of birds and 60 species of mammals live on its territory. And in the water area of the Voronezh River, 39 species of fish and 12 species of amphibians are found.
Caucasian
In the North Caucasus, in the territories of Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia and the Krasnodar Territory, the Caucasian Reserve named after H. G. Shaposhnikov is located. May 12, 1924 was founded as the "Caucasian Bison Reserve". It is unique in that it represents the nature of both temperate and subtropical climatic zones.
The main part of the territory, 177300 hectares of a total area of 280 thousand hectares, is located within the Krasnodar Territory and affects the Sochi regions up to the borders with Abkhazia. It is one of the largest biosphere reserves in Russia. The Yew-boxwood grove of the Khostinsky district of Sochi alone occupies 300 hectares. There you can find yew berry up to 2500 years old. There are no analogues to such biological diversity in Russia. The flora and fauna of the reserve is represented by the following number of inhabitants:
- 10 thousand species of insects;
- more than 3 thousand species of plants;
- about 2 thousand species of mushrooms;
- 248 species of birds;
- 100 species of mollusks;
- 89 species of mammals;
- 31 species of fish and amphibians;
- 25 species of vertebrates listed in the Red Book;
- 15 species of reptiles.
Countless scientists are studying the species represented on the territory of this reserve, new ones are still being discovered.
Galichya Gora
In the Lipetsk region, on the border with Ukraine, is one of the smallest reserve zones in the world in Russia. But not by significance, but by area. Such an amount of relict vegetation per square meter is difficult to find anywhere else besides these 4963 hectares of land. The reserve was created on April 25, 1925, is divided into six parts, tracts or clusters:
- Morozova Gora is the largest cluster (100 ha) in area, 609 species of plants grow on it, many of which are relict, there is a museum and a bird of prey birdhouse, located along the left bank of the Don.
- Plyushchan is a canyon-like valley on the right bank of the Don, along which the Plyushchanka River flows with crystal clear cold water.
- Vorgolsky Rocks - a cluster is located in the canyon and, in turn, is divided into two more sections: Voronov Kamen and Vorgolskoye, on which 457 species of plants grow, including relict species of ferns that are unusual for this band.
- The Bykova’s neck is a circle in the form of a circle that once circled the Sukhaya Lubna River, which was once there; now 30 species of relict and 620 species of other species of higher plants grow there.
- Galichya Gora - this tract is mainly located on the right bank of the Don, has many manholes, bizarre caves of Devonian limestone.
- Voronov stone - located in the canyon and has a large number of karst funnels and crevices covered with Devonian limestone, an attractive spot for cavers and caves.
On the basis of the reserve a library, 4 laboratories, a meteorological post, a scientific department, in which nine scientists and as many laboratory assistants work, are open. Thanks to this, one of the smallest reserves in the world made many important discoveries in the field of biology and ecology.
Pillars
This reserve was founded on June 30, 1925 thanks to the strength and desire of the inhabitants of the Krasnoyarsk Territory themselves. It got its name thanks to a large number of bizarre pillar-shaped boulders. On an area of 47154 hectares, more than 1 thousand plant species grow, 260 of which are mossy.
More than 90% of the area is not accessible for visiting, one of the most closed of all nature reserves and parks in Russia. But, despite this, it was he who gave rise to such a social phenomenon as the movement of climbers and climbers “Columnism”. The movement has its own rocky technique, subculture and history, and its essence is in the search for new routes and manholes in a friendly and informal atmosphere.
Zhigulevsky
On the largest bend of the Volga river in the Samara region is located Zhigulevsky Reserve. It was founded on August 19, 1927 by disconnecting from the Middle Volga Reserve.
It has an area of 23157 ha, located in the temperate continental climate zone. Almost all is covered with dense forests, in which 832 plant species grow, many of which are endangered, and the largest deciduous tree in it is small-leaved linden.
