Nature Reserve of the Leningrad Region

The natural world of the Leningrad Region impresses with its nature and diversity. It is rich in its sights and beauties, which are truly priceless. This article will discuss the nature protection facilities in the Leningrad Region.

PA system

Such territories occupy 570 thousand hectares and make up about 6% of the total area of the region. In total, there are 40 such localities in the Leningrad Region, of which only 2 are of federal importance: the Lower Svirsky Nature Reserve of the Leningrad Region And the reserve "Mshinskoe bog".

Five reserved areas are special. They exist under the status of wetlands that have an international purpose. In these places, a special additional protection regime operates. It is introduced for the qualitative protection of the habitats of waterfowl.

SPNA Categories

The protected areas in the Leningrad Oblast are divided into the following main categories:

1. Natural reserves of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region.
2. Parks created by nature.
3. Reserves.
4. Monuments of nature.

All protected areas - the reserves of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region - differ from each other in some characteristics, such as:

1. The purpose of creating a security area.
2. Area.
3. Environmental regulations.
4. The presence or absence of employees, etc.

Highest category of PAs

If the object of protection are all natural complexes, then all the reserves of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region Will belong to the highest category of protected areas. It must have a staff of scientists and, accordingly, a security staff. In this territory you can not engage in economic activities. Also, there are strict restrictions on attendance. As already mentioned above, this category belongs to the Lower Svirsky Nature Reserve.

Nizhne-Svirsky Reserve

It was established in June 1980. A museum-preserve has been organized in the Leningrad Region with the aim of preserving the rich fauna with the available rare species of animals in the territory of such a unique body of water as Lake Ladoga, as well as:

• Its coast;
• The surrounding forest, which has a mid-taiga type;
• Swamps;
• Parking of migratory birds;
• Spawning places for various species of fish.

Nizhne-Svirsky is a nature reserve of the Leningrad Region, its location is Lodeinopolsky District. The area of the specially protected area is 41 thousand hectares.

Short description of the reserve

The territory of the reserve belongs to wetlands, they are of international importance. There fly and nest migratory waterfowl. The third part of the protected area is wetlands, or simply marshes. About 20 thousand hectares are forests. Water area of Ladoga Lake belongs to 5 thousand hectares of forest land. The relief of the reserve is flat, there are sandy coastal ramparts and marshy depressions. The nature reserve of the Leningrad Region is characterized by podzolic soils, bog-podzolic and marsh-peat soils prevail. The relief of the reserve, which we see today, is formed under the influence of two factors:

• Thawing of the Valdai glacier;
• Processes of lacustrine-alluvial accumulation.

The climate of the territories on which the Nizhne-Svirsky Nature Reserve is located is continental with the influence of the Baltic Sea. In autumn and winter, north-west winds prevail here, and in the spring-summer period - south-west winds predominate. The inner reservoir of the protected area, which is the reserve of the Leningrad region - Segezha Lake. Its area is 15 square meters. Km. The biggest depth is 5 meters, the bottom is sandy. The water in the lake, despite its location among the mosses and bogs, is transparent and bright.

The longest river of the Nizhne-Svirsky reserve is Segezha. It flows from the lake of the same name. Her water is at first light, then along the route she feeds on marshy streams, and darkens towards the mouth. Basically, all water bodies originate in peat bogs, and therefore they have very dark water. The main reservoirs:

• Ladoga lake;
• Lake Syarba;
• The Bay of Lakhta.

Flora of the Nizhne-Svirsky Reserve

In total, the reserve has more than 1300 plant species, many of which are endangered and rare. Since Nizhne-Svirsky is located in the middle taiga strip, the vegetation, which is rich in all the reserves of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, is typical for the middle taiga of the European part of Russia. About 80% of all forests in the protected zone are coniferous, with predominance of pine trees. But grow in the Lower Svirsky and small-leaved trees, such as:

• Birch (fluffy and dangling);
• Aspen (poplar trembling);
• Alder (black and gray).

In addition, small-leaved forests very often consist of undergrowth with the following trees and shrubs:

• buckthorn;
• Viburnum;
• Rowan;
• raspberries;
• black currant;
• Bird cherry and others.

Pines feel fine on sandy soils. The more fertile land is dominated by spruce - European and Finnish. The grass cover of the forests is quite poor, from cowberry dominates cowberry and heather.

In addition to the above plants, other representatives of the flora grow in protected natural areas, which are the reserves of the Leningrad region. The list of these plants:

• Meadow;
• Eagle;
• Ledum;
• blueberry;
• Blueberries;
• lily of the valley;
• fern;
• Myrtle marsh, etc.

The average age of pine forests of protected areas is about 85 years, spruce forests - about 100 years. In areas that are inaccessible to cutting, you can also find areas of forest of more advanced age - about 200 years.

Wetlands, including the lowlands of Lake Ladoga, are covered with thickets of reeds. On not so swampy places the willow grows massively. It happens:

• Holly-leafed;
• Three-springs;
• Blackening;
• Rhizome and others.

At the end of summer and autumn, the forest landscapes of the reserve abound with various mushrooms, these are:

• porcini;
• Poderezozovik;
• An open-hearth;
• Oil dish, etc.

Some species of mushrooms are listed in the Red Book: white aspen, purple spider web, bristly half-bristle, etc.

Fish

In the rivers and lakes of the protected area there are 34 species of different fish. In general, this suborder is bony, among them there are predator fish. In particular, the seal is found in the waters of Ladoga, and the following are spawned in the Svirskaya Bay:

1. Pike.
2. Bream.
3. Zander.
4. Chekhon.
5. Perch.
6. Redshirt.
7. Jerecha.
8. Roach and others.

Of the unusual fish can be noted stickleback: three- and nine-headed.

Fauna of the Lower Svir Reserve

The Museum-Reserve in the Leningrad Region is rich in representatives of the animal world. In total, 348 species of vertebrates were recorded in the Lower Svirsky. The diversity of the animal world is directly related to the landscape and vegetation. Below are the animals of the reserve of the Leningrad Region, living in the forests and not only:

1. Brown bear.
2. Flying squirrel.
3. Elk.
4. Wolf.
5. A Fox.
6. Mink.
7. Boar.
8. Beaver.
9. Lynx.
10. Wolverine and others.

A total of 44 species are recorded in the territory of mammals. The greatest variety of species in rodents is 17, predators - 13. It is clear that the welfare of predatory animals directly depends on the number of rodent mice, because this is their food. Rodents include various animals of the size, these are:

1. Protein ordinary.
2. Muskrat.
3. Red vole.
4. Mouse-baby, etc.

The feathered museum-reserve of the Leningrad region has more than 250 species. Many of them live in the protected area temporarily, during nesting or traveling. There are among them such birds that are listed in the Red Book:

1. White-tailed eagle.
2. Osprey.
3. Black stork.
4. Owl.
5. Grouse.
6. Wood grouse.
7. The Gray Crane, etc.

The nature reserves of the Leningrad Region have a small number of reptiles. The most common are vipers and three species of lizards.

To date, in the Lower Svirsky Reserve, several tourist routes have been developed, ranging from 6 to 40 km. One of them is a water one, and the rest are on foot. The routes give an opportunity to see and appreciate all the natural beauties of the Leningrad region, as well as to enjoy fresh and clean air away from motor roads and plants.