In the center of the Chelyabinsk region, near the city of Miass, the Ilmensky State Reserve is located. These places have long attracted the attention of scientists. In May 1920, V.I. Lenin issued a decree according to which the Ilmen Mountains were declared protected.
This is a research, environmental public institution, which today has the status of an institute that is part of the Russian Academy of Sciences, its Ural branch. Its main task is to preserve the natural complex in the pristine state, conduct scientific research on the ecological-biological profile, geological-mineralogical, natural-scientific and environmental education of the population. Scientists and reserve staff are educating the environment.
Ilmensky reserve - museum
This institution is one of the five largest museums of this type in our country. In his exposition, he has one of the largest biological dioramas in Russia. On the basis of the museum operates the scientific Ilmen branch of the student society. In summer, ecological camps are created for children, and rallies are held. Students from universities in Moscow, Kazan, St. Petersburg, and Chelyabinsk are interning in these places.
Museum History
It is not for nothing that the Ilmen are called "mineralogical paradise." These mountains are very rich in diverse rocks. The very first collections of minerals began to create the first director of the reserve D. I. Rudenko.
Since 1931, an exposition of minerals was exhibited in the Miass Museum of Local Lore, as well as in display cases that were installed on the verandas of the houses of the reserve's workers. A huge contribution to the creation of the museum was made by the geologist A.E. Fersman, who at that time held the position of director of the Mineralogical Museum of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Museum exposition
The archival funds of the museum store more than thirty thousand exhibits. Less than a third of them (9000 exhibits) are presented for display to visitors. The museum has seven showrooms located on three floors.
On the ground floor there are three rooms. One of them exhibits thematic collections collected in deposits of the Urals and other regions of Russia - ornamental stones, amethyst and rock crystal from the Polar Urals.
Several stands display meteorite samples found in different corners of the Earth - Imilak, Seymchon, Lamont, etc. There are also fragments of the Chelyabinsk meteorite, which fell in 2013 very close to the museum.
The second hall of the museum presents a systematic collection of minerals. It presents 740 species. By the way, it should be noted that in the world today there are about 4, 500 species. More than 1500 samples are placed in display cases, according to the classification.
In the center of the hall, visitors can see two unique vases. One of them is called “Lira”, and the second is “Ural Rhapsody”. Both of them are made of Ural jasper.
The lecture hall is located on the ground floor. Seminars, scientific conferences, lectures, meetings with schoolchildren and students, scientists and nature lovers are held here. Here you can watch popular science videos about the reserve, visit informative exhibitions.
In the biological hall, on the third floor, there is the largest volume diorama currently existing in Russia, demonstrating the species diversity and landscape complexes that distinguish the Ilmensky mineralogical reserve and the adjacent territories of the Southern Urals.
On the diorama you can see the most characteristic species of flora and fauna Ilmen. Here, in the windows on small dioramas, the flora and fauna of this reserve are represented. In the very center of the hall you can see collections of nests, eggs, rare species of plants, various lichens and several species of bats.
On the ground floor, in the lobby, there are souvenir shops that offer original products from minerals, stones, ceramics, birch bark, etc. In addition, there is a wild market in the parking lot where you can buy unusually beautiful things. Miass, Kusa and Zlatoust are an ancient patrimony of magnificent stone-cutting masters, many of the local residents are still working on stone using the secrets of their fathers and grandfathers.
Tours
If you want to go to the Ilmensky Reserve by car, you will need a map. From Chelyabinsk, you will need to move along highway number 5. Having reached Chebarkul and following the railway station, you must cross the road and turn left (at the fork). Then the road passes by recreation centers and sanatoriums towards the city of Miass. The reserve is located at the entrance to the city.
You can get acquainted with it both independently and as part of an excursion group. Experienced specialists will tell you a lot of interesting things about the history of the reserve and its current activities.
Flora and fauna
Ilmensky Nature Reserve has more than 20 species of endangered, rare plants. All of them need protection. The pride of these places is rare orchids, a large-slipper, and also a speckled slipper. They are listed in the Red Book.
A variety of soils, a special microclimate, and moisture in this natural laboratory create excellent conditions for the life and development of plants and animals, representing not only the forest zone, but also the steppe.
The list of all types of animals that inhabit the reserve, including protozoa, worms, mollusks, insects, crustaceans and other invertebrates, taking into account vertebrates, will be several thousand items.
Ilmensky reserve - animals
The largest inhabitant of these places is the moose. In addition, in these places there are quite a few other representatives of the deer family - Siberian roe deer. According to the workers of the complex, there are much more traces here than traces of hares or squirrels.
Ilmensky Reserve was also chosen by predators - lynx, wolf, fox. Live here and animals that belong to a large family of marten. The largest of these is the badger.
Rodents are represented by forest species - all of us well-known hare and squirrel. In these places there is a striped chipmunk and a rather rare night animal even in the reserve - flying squirrel, as well as forest mice and field voles.
Birds
Ilmensky nature reserve is characterized by a wide variety of birds. Especially a lot of birds in these places in the spring and summer. With the onset of cold weather, three quarters of the birds fly to warmer climes. Most migratory birds settle near water bodies. Here you can find coots, songbirds - reeds, blackbird and reed buntings.
Ilmensky Reserve has become a home for some species of birds that are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. If you are lucky, you can see the Curlew, the great spotted spotted eagle, the European blue tit, the magpie, the burial ground, the dunlin, the eagle owl, the European black-throated loon.
Birds staying for the winter in the reserve live mainly in forests. Here you can see a capercaillie and a black grouse.
In winter, a hawk owl, a white owl, a crested bird of gray-brown color with a bright yellow stripe on the tail - a waxwing, a bunting sometimes fly here. Flocks of these birds can often be seen on the roads. These winter guests leave the reserve in spring and fly to places of permanent nesting.
Insects
Perhaps this is the most diverse group of living things. 3133 species were identified in the reserve.
