Steppe Reserves of Russia: List

In the modern world, we often forget about the surrounding nature, more and more tearing away from it every year. The cities are growing, new motorways are being built, replacing natural and beautiful landscapes from our life. The role of preserving natural flora and fauna was assumed by special territories - reserves. More than a hundred protected areas have been created in our country, and the steppe reserves of Russia occupy an important place in this system.

What is a reserve?

The reserve is considered to be a certain part of the territory (or water area) within which the entire natural complex is preserved in a holistic and natural form.

Historians believe that the first attempts to protect the natural environment took place in the III century BC, in Sri Lanka. It was there that the world's first wildlife conservation law was published. The first territory with an environmental status appeared in the 13th century in Ifrikia, when the Hafsid dynasty prohibited hunting in the vicinity of one of the lakes.

From the point of view of modern domestic law, the state nature reserves of Russia are special scientific institutions created for the purpose of conservation, as well as the study of natural processes and ecological systems.

Goals and objectives

All protected reserves in Russia set themselves the same tasks:

1. Conservation of the gene pool of flora and fauna.
2. Conservation of the integrity of natural ecosystems.
3. Preservation of the diversity of plant and animal communities.
4. Realization of scientific research in natural conditions.

All state reserves in Russia, and not only in Russia, are built on a single principle. There are three main zones in their structure:

• The core of the reserve;
• Buffer (scientific) zone;
• A security zone (a transitional zone between the nature reserve itself and the unprotected areas adjacent to it).

And large reserves of Russia, and small ones have such a structure. These three zones are characteristic of structures of different rank and size.

History of the Reserve Business of Russia

Almost all the reserves of Russia, the names of which you will meet in this article, one way or another, have a long history of their origin.

The first such zone in Russia was formed back in 1917. This is the Barguzinsky Reserve in Buryatia. Later, the list of protected areas of the country was only replenished. Such large reserves of Russia as Astrakhan, Caucasian and Ilmen can also be referred to as the oldest ones. All of them arose in the 1920s. But the youngest one can be considered a reserve "Utrish", which was founded in 2010. In addition, in the period until 2020, it is planned to create 11 new nature protection territories in Russia.

Reserves of Russia: a list of steppe reserves

According to data for 2014, there are 103 nature reserves in the Russian Federation. They all occupy a total area of 340,000 square kilometers. This is a huge territory, which can be compared with the area of such a European state as Finland.

Of this number, 11 reserves can be attributed to the steppe. Let us list these reserves of Russia. The list is submitted below:

• Astrakhan,
• "Belogorie",
• Voroninsky,
• Voronezh,
• Daursky,
• East-Ural,
• "Galichya Gora",
• Orenburg,
• Rostov,
• "Privolzhskaya forest-steppe",
• "Black Lands."

All the reserves of Russia, whose names are listed, are assigned to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology. Two of them - East Urals and "Maiden's Mountain" - are subordinated to other departments.

The phenomenon of the Russian steppe

The Russian steppe is a unique and unique natural phenomenon. Steppe reserves of Russia, with their field grasses and tangled silvery feather grass, resemble a horse's mane.

It is interesting that the idea of creating such protected areas originated in the steppe. Outstanding soil scientist and agronomist Vasily Dokoutchaev spoke about this need a hundred years ago. Nevertheless, in Russia there was no reserve in the steppe part until the 90s. The first steppe reserve was Orenburg, which was organized on the initiative of Alexander A. Chibilev in 1989.

Steppe nature reserve "Orenburg"

Originated in May 1989, today it covers an area of more than 21 thousand hectares.

Steppe Reserve "Orenburg" includes 4 separate sites:

• Talovsky steppe,
• Burtyn steppe,
• Aituar steppe,
• Ashchisay steppe (the largest plot of 7200 hectares).

Within this territory you can see not only the untouched steppes. There are also many archeological monuments from the 7th to the 3rd century BC. These are mounds of Sarmatian culture.

The climate of the territory is dry, continental. The average annual air temperature is 2.5 degrees Celsius, and the average annual rainfall is negligible - from 250 to 350 mm. By the degree of moistening, this territory can be safely attributed to semi-deserts.

The world of the flora of the reserve is diverse: there are 14 species of fungi, 150 species of lichens, 8 species of mosses and 1350 species of vascular plants. No less rich is the animal world of this territory: 48 species of mammals, 193 species of birds, 6 species of fish, 526 species of beetles and 184 species of spiders. The territory is occupied mainly by grass-sod steppes, stony steppes were formed on the slopes of the hills, and desert complexes and communities on saline soils.

In the reserve grows about two dozen plants listed in the Red Book of Russia. Many animals of the Russian reserve "Orenburg" are also Red Book. Among them, a steppe bumblebee, avdotka birds, balaban, golden eagle, steppe eagle, bustard and stilt, and also an ordinary beaver.

"Belogorie"

Steppe reserves of Russia - this is the real treasure of our country. One of them is the nature reserve "Belogorye" in the Belgorod region, which dates back to 1924. Then it was called "Forest in Vorskla", and in 1999 it was reorganized into a new protected area under a modern name.

This protected area is a scientific and ecological-educational object of federal significance. Its goal is the preservation and detailed study of natural processes and phenomena in the forest-steppe zone, as well as the conservation of certain species and communities of flora, fauna and unique ecosystems in the south of the Central Russian Upland.

The territory of the natural reserve "Belogorye" includes five separate sites, which are located in three districts of the region. These are the plots:

• Forest on Vorskla,
• The walls of the Plateau,
• Bald Mountains,
• Yamskaya steppe,
• Ostravaevy Yar.

The total area of "Belogorie" is 2131 hectares.

Within the reserve, scientists count 149 different bird species, as well as about 370 species of vascular plants. The fauna is represented by 50 species of mammals, 15 species of fish, 6 species of reptiles and 9 species of amphibians.

Zapovednik "Voroninsky"

Large reserves of Russia attract a large number of tourists and naturalists. One such is the Voroninsky Reserve, located in the forest-steppe zone of the Tambov region. It was established in 1994 to protect the forest-steppe systems of Central Russia. The total area of the territory is over 10,000 hectares, while within the reserve there are about 40 kilometers of the Vorona River valley.

The structure of the Voronin Reserve is represented by two large clusters - the Inzhavinsky and Kirsanovsky forest tracts, as well as ten more tracts of a smaller area.

The idea of creating a protected area on this site belonged to VP. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, a well-known Russian geographer. In the early twentieth century, he proposed to organize here the so-called "urnem park" (urema - this is a special floodplain forest). It is the study and restoration of this forest that is the main task of the modern reserve.

However, the real practical work on the development of the concept of the reserve began only in the late 80-ies of the twentieth century. Great contribution to the organization of the Voroninsky Reserve was made by specialists of the regional museum of local lore and the Tambov Pedagogical Institute.

To date, the reserve has developed three tourist routes: "Inzhavino-Barskaya Gora", "Reserve Lakes" and "Zapovednye trails."

One of the famous sights of the Voronin Reserve is the so-called Lysaya Gora - nothing more than a spur of the Volga Upland. The mountain has a relative height of about 50 meters. And although today the mountain is covered with artificial forest plantations, before it was really "bald", that's why the name was preserved. By the way, this mountain is a symbol of the village of Inzhavino.

Another attraction of the reserve is a unique willow grove near the village of Semenovka. Her age is over 150 years. However, not only this is known willow grove, because it once painted a famous artist Mstislav Dobuzhinsky. And now the picture is kept in the museum of London. To our great regret, only a small part of this willow grove has survived today - many trees were destroyed during the war, and also as a result of barbaric activity in the 90s.

"Rostov"

The steppe reserves of Russia are amazing and fascinating with their beauty! In 1995, Rostov territory was created Rostov reserve, although the prerequisites for its organization were back in the late XIX century. The idea to create a steppe reserve here was expressed by the scientist Vasily Dokuchaev, who spent a lot of time and effort in studying the local steppe landscapes.

Rostov Reserve has a federal status and its own administration. It includes four separate sites, the total area of which is more than 9 thousand hectares.

Within the reserve, scientists counted 410 species of vascular plants - mostly cereals, legumes, Compositae and cloves. Here you can find 4 kinds of peas, several species of feather grass, camel thorn. Grow in the reserve and species listed in the Red Book: a tulip Schrenk, a dwarf tangent, feather grass and other species.

"Black Lands"

The largest reserves of Russia are amazed by their untouched lands and virgin landscapes. One of the largest in the country is the biosphere reserve with the unusual name "Black Lands", in which the sites of the unique Kalmyk steppe are preserved.

The reserve was established in June 1990. The main tasks are the conservation of steppe and semi-desert landscapes, as well as the protection of the saiga population. The total area of the protected area is more than 120 thousand hectares. It is noteworthy that in 1993 the "Black Lands" received the status of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The flora of the reserve is represented by both steppe and desert species of plants. So, on sandy massifs one can meet a camel thorn, a staminate, sandy wormwood. In the island part of Lake Manich-Gudilo there are steppes with feather grass Lessing. Grow here and rare plant species: cornflower Taliev and tulip Shrenka.

The fauna is also represented by steppe and semi-desert species. Here is found the saiga, eared hedgehog, small gopher, jerboa. Occurs in the "Black Lands" dressing and light polecat. Recently, the population of wolves in the reserve has increased.

The territory of the reserve nests a large number of waterfowl. This swan-mute, goose, curly pelican, mallard, gray duck, dive red-headed and others. The typical steppe species of birds are protected here : Bustard, Lark, Strepet, Kurgan and Steppe Eagle.

"Privolzhskaya forest-steppe"

"Privolzhskaya forest-steppe" is a nature reserve in the Penza region, which includes 5 separate sites:

• Pereperchenskaya steppe,
• Ostrovtsovskaya steppe,
• Kucherovskaya steppe,
• Pine Forest on Kadade,
• Verkhnesursky forest area.

It is located in the forest-steppe zone of the Middle Volga region. The reserve was formed in 1989 to protect the northern steppes and woodlands. Today it occupies an area of 8,326 hectares. "Privolzhskaya steppe" is not only an environmental area. The reserve also successfully performs scientific, research, educational and recreational functions. However, the main task of the "Volga steppe" is to protect the flora and fauna, as well as their individual representatives and whole ecosystems.

In the "Volga steppe" to date, there are about 860 species of vascular plants (this, by the way, 55% of the total species composition of the plant world of the Penza region). Of these, about 70 species need special protection, and nine species are even included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. These are four species of feather grass (feather feather grass, beautiful, pubescent and feather grass of Zalessky), hazel grouse Russian, iris leucorrhoea, red headband, lepidoptera, and neotitanta hood. 58 species of plant reserve are also included in the Red Book area.

An interesting object of the reserve is a pine forest on Kadade, or the so-called "Borok", near the village of Shatkino. The area of the pine forest on the banks of the Kadad River is almost 400 hectares. Boron is a complex of artificial pine plantations, as well as oak forests. Most of the area of the object is occupied by alders and marshes.

This article describes the most famous reserves in Russia. Photos of these magnificent corners of our country can also be found here. In our country, more than a hundred protected areas have been created, the purpose of which is to protect our natural environment, protect natural landscapes, restore and preserve certain species of animals and plants. In addition, the protected areas also perform an educational and educational function, instilling in the people of Russia a love for their nature. Most of the reserves also have a huge recreational and tourist potential, and some of them even try to implement it, developing special tourist routes and ecological trails.