National parks of the Leningrad Region. Specially Protected Areas

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the reserves and national parks of the Leningrad Region for residents of the multimillion-dollar St. Petersburg. They make up the "ecological framework" of the region, act as its green shield. Undoubtedly, the close proximity of large natural objects stabilizes the ecological situation in the region.

National Park "Karelian Isthmus"

The national parks of the Leningrad region can boast of the "Karelian Isthmus", which is located between the Neva River and the border of the Leningrad region with Karelia. It is the largest in the vicinity of St. Petersburg. It is a kind of small country with its relief, elevations (Koltushskie heights), rivers and lakes. On its vast territory are about 700 lakes, several rivers (the largest of them - Vuoksa with the famous Losevsky rapids).

A variety of landscapes, pleasing to the eye with its picturesqueness, are formed by the activity of ancient glaciers. Boulders, parts of rocks are found throughout the reserve. Its numerous lakes are also due to glaciers.

Predominantly coniferous forests still make up 60% of the area of the reserve. This, perhaps, explains the richness of its fauna. In addition to the usual squirrels, foxes, wild boars, you can meet bears, wolves, lynx, and among the birds - grouse, black grouse, grouse. In the lakes of the isthmus, rare species of fish are still preserved: whitefish, grayling, and vendace.

Some unique natural phenomena of the national park are allocated to specially protected natural areas (PAs) - there are thirty-five of them on the Karelian Isthmus.

One of them is the nature monument Lake Yastrebinoe near the station Kuznechnoe. The lake is squeezed between steep granite rocks up to 50 meters high. Particularly famous rock Parnassus, attracting athletes, climbers.

Among the specially protected zones of the national parks of the Leningrad Region are the well-known sanctuaries Lindulovskaya Grove and Gladyshevsky located in a small distance from the city.

Natural botanical reserve near the village of Roshchino

Lindulov grove - another monument to the transformation of Peter 1. The beginning of this famous, the oldest in Europe plantings of larch was laid back in 1738 according to the plan of the emperor, who believed to grow trees for the ship business.

Along with the oldest unique species of larch, other coniferous trees grow in the grove: Siberian cedar, spruce, fir, and also oak, ash, elm. Separate old trees reach heights of 40-50 meters, in diameter - more than 1 meter. Landings continued and resumed over the past 200 years and became a school of Russian forestry.

Grove is included in the UNESCO protected object "Historical Center of St. Petersburg and related complexes of monuments".

Gladyshevsky Reserve

This reserve is located almost next to the Lindulovsky Grove. It was created relatively recently, in 1996. It occupies a rather spacious territory with an area of 8400 hectares.

The main asset of the reserve is the habitat of salmon fish and their constant companions - rare mollusks called European pearl mussel. This inseparable couple lives mainly in the Black River, where for many years the Institute of Fisheries Protection

Moreover, year after year, scientists are trying to restore and increase the salmon population (and this is the Baltic salmon and the Baltic trout) in the waters of the Black River. Thousands of tagged fry that are released into the river are under constant surveillance. Contrary to the fact that amateur fishing is prohibited here, poachers still catch some part of the salmon.

Amateurs-naturalists visiting the Gladyshevsky reserve, note that even in the present neglected state, it has preserved many species of insects (various butterflies, wasps, bees), birds (woodpeckers, soybeans, hawks). Of the quadrupeds you can often find fox, squirrel, rodents.

Sablinsky nature monument

The national parks of the Leningrad region can also be proud of the Sablinsky nature monument. It is located in the Tosnensky district near the village of Ulyanovka. Attracts numerous tourists by artificial caves - the result of underground quartz sand mining in the second half of the XIX - early XX centuries, during the construction boom in St. Petersburg. Interest is also caused by the rapids on the rivers Tosna and Sablinka.

Nature Park "Veps Forest"

Reserves and national parks of the Leningrad Region also have a Veps forest on their list. A genuine natural pearl is located three hundred kilometers from St. Petersburg. It is an ecologically clean natural park with a significant area of 189 thousand hectares. In 1999, it received the status of a specially protected natural area (PA).

The Veps forest has preserved the primeval forest tracts, ecological systems almost untouched by economic activity. The unique territory has a hilly terrain, dozens of mountain lakes at an altitude of 200-250 m above sea level, a multitude of rivers. Almost half of it is covered with very rare in the northwest by old, age spruce forests and pine forests, which shelter under their cover many endangered, "Red Book" plants. Veps forests and swamps can boast the presence of 57 species of rare birds. Among them are the gray heron, the capercaillie, the field harrier, the gogol, the black kite.

More than a third of the area of the Veps forest is occupied by marshes and this is perhaps its most valuable asset. This is one of the few in the marsh area that has not been irrigated, and has preserved the traditional nesting places for birds. Perhaps Veps forest reminds everyone of the Meshchera National Park.

National Park of Federal significance Meschera

The nature conservation complex, created to preserve the natural potential of the Mescher lowland, is located in the south-west of the Vladimir region (adjacent to the borders of the Moscow and Ryazan regions). On 118 thousand hectares are numerous rivers and lakes, and the marshes occupy 5 thousand hectares, and 70% of the entire territory is occupied by forests. Already this statistic itself indicates the exceptional uniqueness of the reserve.

Environmental experts emphasize the outstanding significance of Meshchera, since it is here that European species of coniferous-broadleaf forests are most fully represented. Due to this rare wood-fiber symbiosis, many large animals and birds survive and preserve offspring. Only in the Meshcherskiye forests does the Russian muskrat inhabit the relict species of the mole family.

The abundance of birds nesting in the reserve includes many endangered species: white stork, gray heron, bittern, curlew.

Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that the Meschera National Park is an authentic pearl of the natural heritage.

Nizhnesvirsky nature reserve of federal significance

National parks of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region can boast of the Lower Siversky Nature Reserve. It is located in the southern Ladoga area, covers an area of 41 thousand hectares, and the land is only 36 thousand hectares, the rest is the water areas of the Ladoga Lake and the delta of the Svir River.

Plain landscapes of the natural complex do not strike the imagination, its distinctive feature is the richness of flora and fauna.

Impressive abundance of waterfowl. Their concentration is especially great in the seasons of spring and autumn flights. At this time, if lucky enough, you can observe on the water a pack of swans, mallards, chirks, gray geese. A total of ornithologists number here 260 species of birds.

It is not inferior to them in terms of the variety and "livestock" of animals that live on land - only mammals have 44 species: elk, brown bear, beaver, lynx, wolverine, etc. The waters of Ladoga have long been inhabited by the so-called endemic, inhabiting exclusively in a specific locality - the Ladoga seal. And in fresh water there is a lamprey, well known to many as a fish delicacy.

Swan's reserve

National parks of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region can also be proud of the Lebyazhy Reserve. This is another specially protected natural area. The reserve, which received the additional status of a water-balance land of international importance, is located along the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland in the Lomonosov district.

Recognized as a standard of seaside landscapes of the southern shore of the bay. Given that the occupied area is not so great - 6400 hectares, the reserve has a high conservation value. It is believed that the diversity of plants, birds and animals he has no equal in the Leningrad region. 200 species of its inhabitants are already listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation.

The peculiarity of its location (coast and shallow water) and determined the glory of this reserve, which is reflected in its name - Lebyazhy. In spring and autumn thousands of migratory birds fly here, which make a massive flight along the coastline. Annually at the sites of swans there are up to 30 thousand various species of these birds.

A unique wildlife reserve now exists in rather difficult conditions. Almost the whole coast is built up; The strengthening of navigation and pollution of the water area leads to the death of rare animals such as ringed seal and gray seal.

The national parks of the Leningrad Region, and not only, are of great value. The duty of each person is to save them and pass them on to future generations!