The Ulyanovsk Region is located in the Volga Federal District. Nature reserves, sanctuaries and specially protected areas are not uncommon here. After all, the green heritage of this region is very large. And all thanks to the Volga, which, dividing the territory of the region, gave it two different regions according to the natural conditions. That is why a large number of plants and animals are able to coexist here. Specially protected natural territories in the Ulyanovsk region are under the control of the authorities. And this is not surprising, because the task of mankind is to preserve and increase natural wealth.
Ulyanovsk Region: location, climate
To begin with, let us consider in more detail why such a variety of green spaces became possible, what caused their rapid growth. To do this, a few words must be said about the geographical position of the region and its climate.
The Ulyanovsk region is small in area (37 with a small thousand kilometers), it is inferior to all the Volga regions (there are only eight of them).
The Volga divided the region into two parts: Right-Bank and Left-Bank. The first one is dominated by a hill called Volga, while the second is dominated by a plain.
As for the climate, here it is moderately continental, with fairly frosty winters and hot, often arid summers.
The soils of the Ulyanovsk region are very rich, chernozem. This is especially characteristic of the left bank of the Volga. Here is the most fertile land. Gray forest soils are also found. This explains that of the 1700 species of flora representatives 400 are adventitious, that is, introduced from other regions. Plants are very comfortable on this earth. The Ulyanovsk region has a fairly diverse world of flora. The nature reserves of these places are a variety of representatives of both tubular plants and trees.
The region is rich in minerals. It produces oil, developed glass, cement, silicon production.
Sanctuary of the Sengiley Mountains
We will analyze specially protected natural areas of the Ulyanovsk region. "Sengiley mountains" is one of those. It has the status of a national park. Often this place on the right bank of the Volga is called local Switzerland. The reserve, having an area of 5 thousand hectares, is very beautiful. Here you can find a variety of landscapes and geological objects: chalk caps of mountains, slopes covered with bright vegetation, picturesque meadows surrounded by a ring of mountains, beams and, of course, winding mountain rivers with clear water, winding in gorges.
The most common trees on the territory are deciduous, birch and oak prevail, conifers are few in number, pine is most often found. Forests belong to the first protection group.
The heart of the national park is a large watershed that provides the region with clean drinking water, because a large amount of groundwater is concentrated here.
Sanctuary "Shilovskaya forest-steppe"
The territory of the Sengiley mountains contains several reserves: hunting, paleontological and "Shilov forest-steppe". We’ll talk about the last landscape.
We have already talked about the complex relief of the Ulyanovsk region. Reserves are also not like one another. "Shilovskaya forest-steppe" is a combination of hills and ravines. On an area of more than 2 hectares you can meet both forests and steppes. The first on the territory more.
Unique to this place is also the plants growing here. 79 of the total number are rare, of which eight are listed in the Red Book. Two are especially exceptional, endemic (that is, they grow only in this territory).
In the Shilovskaya forest-steppe there are especially protected insects (steppe horn and Armenian bumblebee) and birds (white-tailed eagle, burial ground, golden eagle).
The reserve "Volga forest-steppe"
A completely different reserve "Volga forest-steppe". Most of it is located in the Penza region. The Ulyanovsk region, whose reserves is the subject of our article, contains only a small part of it.
There are no ravines and hills here, only wide steppes, spread over 8.3 hectares. Part of the Ulyanovsk region is the security zone of this facility, where land use is limited.
Undorovsky mineral spring
Almost 50 kilometers from Ulyanovsk there is a unique place where healing springs are concentrated - the village of Undory. Even the Turkic peoples who gave the name of the territory noticed the miraculous power of the local mineral waters. It is not without reason that they called the settlement. “Ten medicines” is the translation of the word “undors” from Turkic.
The territory of 7.5 hectares in 1997 was recognized as a resort area with all the security measures arising from it. At the moment, there are 20 sources operating as a field of medicinal-table water. They relate to low mineralization.
Undorovskie waters help with urological and gynecological diseases, relieve conditions in diseases of the urinary system, and are also able to reduce ulcers. That is why locals call the resort the second Karlovy Vary.
"Relict forests"
There are relict thickets in the Ulyanovsk Region - those that were not touched by human activity. They are located near the village of Mullovka, Melekessky district.
The natural monument is called “Relic Forests”. It is included in the register of specially protected territories. The age of trees growing here reaches one hundred years.
The territory is divided into two sections of different tiers. On the first, trees grow with a maximum height of 22 meters, on the second - 23-meter. Mostly these are lindens - they are 90%, the remaining 10% - birch, you can also find hazel and maples.
For conservation purposes, cutting, construction and agricultural work are prohibited in the forests.
Remain "Ear of the Ear"
Majestically towering on the right bank of the Volga is the remnant “Grannoe ear”. This isolated hill with a height of more than three hundred meters is a specially protected natural monument. It can be seen even from the regional center of Ulyanovsk. According to legend, on the outlier was the observation deck of Stepan Razin, because the whole plain is perfectly visible from it.
The “ear” in the local dialect is the ledge of the mountain, and the “face” is the boundary, border, hence the name. The remnant has a circular shape, vegetation covers its slopes, and at the top there is a completely empty flat area. Once, 30 million years ago, a watershed passed here, but it collapsed, leaving only a single hill.
The remnant is a storehouse of diatomite - the material from which cement is made, therefore, in the 60-70s of the last century, the territory was actively used by the local cement plant. But in 1989, the place was recognized as a cultural monument, respectively, any work on it ceased.
Reserve "Starokulatkinsky"
Starokulatkinsky reserve is of federal importance. This area of 20.2 thousand hectares needs special protection. The soils here are rather scarce, Cretaceous rocks predominate. The landscape is hilly.
At one time, oak groves were cut down under arable land, so there were practically no forests here - only young growth. That vegetation, which was lucky to survive, is trampled by cattle.
The highest point is Mount Zolotaya, 340 meters high. Its slopes are poor because chalk and gravel prevail, which do not imply rich vegetation.
There are also often problems with the water supply of the reserve: the rivers flowing here are too shallow and dry out in the heat. There are no larger water bodies in the territory.
The world of animals and birds is very poor. On the one hand, this is due to anthropogenic factors (the reserve is used for farming), on the other hand, the lack of nesting places (this primarily concerns birds).
Recently, the national parks of the Ulyanovsk region have been taken under special control. Including in the Starokulatkinsky reserve, large-scale work is being done to preserve the natural heritage.
Reserve "Sursky"
Another specially protected natural site is the Sursky Reserve. This impressive area of 22 hectares was separated in order to preserve especially rare animal species. Year of origin - 1982.
The reserve is located on the territory between the rivers Sura and Barysh. Almost its entire territory is covered with forests, and, which is not particularly characteristic of the Ulyanovsk region, conifers. Most often, pine, less often - spruce. The remaining lands belong to state farms, garden associations, etc.
A large number of animals and birds live here, many of them are especially protected. So, a burial eagle, a large spotted eagle, a golden eagle are seen here, and the Red Book muskrat is also found. Animals uncharacteristic of the Ulyanovsk Region, such as bats, an otter or a gray heron, are also brought into the reserve.
