Where is the reserve of Central Black Earth?

The Central Chernozem Reserve is one of the largest in the European part of Russia. It is located in the Kursk region. He wears the name of Professor Vasily Alekhin.

History of the reserve

The Tsentralno-Chernozemny reserve is located in the territories that were occupied by steppes, ravines and overgrown forests at the end of the 1st and the beginning of the second millennium. In those days on a place of modern Kursk area grazed saigas, kulans and rounds. There were a myriad of various rodents. Breeded large birds, such as the bustle and bustard.

The peoples who lived in these places were under pressure from both the prince's squads and the nomads. By the XVI century the main occupation of the inhabitants of Kursk was agriculture. In addition, the city by that time was on the southern borders of the Russian state. Therefore, from time to time, these lines had to be defended.

Cope with the raids of Crimean Tatars, the locals were unable to, therefore, the service in Kursk began to actively involve the Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks, who acted as actually real border guards. Served here in those days and gunners, and archers.

Eventually, many of them settled in these places. The lands near Kursk were transferred to them for haymaking and grazing. Thanks to this, the untrodden protected steppe, which the Central Chernozem Reserve named after Alekhine is famous for today, has survived to this day.

Formation of local nature

These places at the beginning of the 20th century were carefully studied by Professor Alyokhin, whose name is still today in the Central Chernozemny Reserve. According to his research, in the last three or four centuries on these lands, vegetation was formed under the direct impact of regular mowing and grazing. And often it happened on the site of forest sites.

In the Strelets part of the steppe, haymaking and spring and autumn grazing alternately alternated. Often local residents used harrowing when they destroyed the soil crust, destroying weeds and protecting the land from drought.

To ensure that pastures were richer, burning was used. It was in this form that the Kursk steppes found Vasily Alekhin when he first came here in 1907. At that time he was still studying at the last year of the Moscow State University.

Study of local nature by Alekhine

Alyokhin began to actively study the places, which later were called the Central Chernozem Reserve. The scientist began to devote his publications to them in authoritative journals. So, his first article on this area was called "An outline of vegetation and its successive shifts on the Streletskaya steppe area near Kursk." In 1910, he described in detail the Cossack steppe, studied by him a year later.

In 1925, Professor Vladimir Khitrovo, a famous florist and geobotanist, published the book "Vegetation of the Orel province." The fact is that later these territories also entered the Central Chernozem Reserve named after Alekhine. His work served as a good help for Alekhine in his further research.

In the same year, 1925, Alekhine raised the issue of the need to immediately ban the use of these sites in order to preserve their natural integrity. Exactly after 10 years, the Soviet government decided that in these territories the Central Black Earth State Natural Biosphere Reserve is being created.

Territory of the reserve

The decision on the creation of the reserve was adopted by the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. The Central Black Earth Biosphere Reserve occupied an area equal to more than 4.5 thousand hectares.

Initially, the administration of the reserve was tasked with preserving untouched steppe areas in combination with all types of forests. The purpose of this is to further study the processes of formation of chernozem in a given locality, as well as the complex relationships of steppe and forest. Also, biology scientists were interested in the influence of forest areas on the struggle against drought, justification, where it is best to conduct agriculture in the northern and middle parts of Russia.

In 1971, the guard zone of the reserve was established. And in 1988 it was revised and expanded by three kilometers. Currently, the Central Black Earth State Reserve covers an area of more than 28.5 thousand hectares.

The value of the natural wealth available here is not only appreciated in Russia. Tsentralno-Chernozemny reserve to them. Alekhine has a diploma of the Council of Europe.

Current state

This reserve became one of the first biosphere reserves that appeared on the territory of the USSR. Here one can observe and study the natural course of various processes in the complexes of meadow-steppe virgin land.

Particular attention is paid to the influence of human activity on these complexes. The reserve administration is currently developing activities that help to preserve and restore the native natural communities.

One of the key subjects of study in this reserve is chernozem. It is worth noting that in our time chernozems, which have not been plowed up to this day, are extremely rare. They are considered standards that can be studied to assess their impact on modern agriculture. Since 1975, the Central Black Earth State Nature Reserve has been regularly used to develop modern technologies for surveying natural objects from spacecraft.

The natural wealth of the reserve

Like all the reserves of the Central Black Earth region, this one has a very rich flora. It combines the northern and meadow steppes, as well as oak forests.

Researchers counted on its territory more than a thousand two hundred vascular plants, among which there are rare and even Red Book species. Approximately 86 species of these plants are endangered, therefore their protection is especially important and significant.

About 25 hectares is relic vegetation. An important role in the natural kingdom of the reserve is played by such evergreen shrub as a bog wolf-herring. On the whole territory you can find islets of steppe vegetation with diverse life forms. Here, only about 200 species of fungi are found. They can be seen even with the naked eye.

Animal world

The fauna of the inhabitants of the reserve is also rich. Here live species that are more common in snowy natural zones. For example, it has about 50 species of mammals.

35 species of fish, 10 - amphibians and 5 - reptiles. Almost 200 species of spiders, some of which live in the steppe areas of the reserve, and the rest - on forest edges. Here you can find almost four thousand species of insects.

The indigenous inhabitant of the Kursk reserve is a roe deer. This is the pride and the visiting card of the Kursk region. Roe deer are found only in some parts of this natural zone. Also there live speckled ground squirrels, hare-hares, badgers, martens, foxes. Many ungulates, especially wild boars, which actively multiply under the protection of man and due to the ban on hunting in the reserve. True, when they violate the natural balance, their number must be regulated by man. In the same way, they treat wolves who find reliable shelter in protected forests.

Birds in the Kursk reserve

More than 220 species of birds live on hectares that are part of the Kursk reserve. Here live about 80% of all birds living in the Kursk region. Of these, about 90 species here nest.

A large number of ptarmigans and quails live, which people pushed from other areas, where he began to actively develop agriculture. Swallows and swifts arrive for tens of kilometers. In these places they find shelter and livelihood.

In June, almost at every step, you can hear the trills of famous Kursk nightingales, who even devote songs and romances. In the steppes, larks sing and fly, kites, hawks and buzzards often occur.

Here also lives a rare feathered predator - an osoedy from the order of the Falcon.

Scientific research

The reserve has a large number of scientists who are engaged in a variety of research work. The main topic of most research is related to the observation and study of natural processes. This includes monitoring of weather, soil, territory, flora and fauna, of the entire animal kingdom. Compilation and maintenance of the calendar of nature.

For years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kursk researchers worked no less fruitfully than in Soviet times. More than 30 scientific projects were developed. Students from universities are constantly practicing here, not only from Russia. Young scientists from Austria, Sweden and Switzerland are coming. They are also interested in the problem of chernozem in the central band.

Red Book

Perhaps the most significant achievement of researchers is the publication of the Red Book of the Kursk Region. It was the result of many years of work and dozens of expeditions. The book reflects all the biological diversity that can be found on the territory of this reserve.

Nowadays work continues. Now the reserve staff are working on a new edition of the Red Book, which will include new materials and research. The scientific and practical collection "Studies on the Red Book of the Kursk Region" is regularly published.

A special monograph dedicated to rare species of birds of the Kursk region has been published.

Ecological tourism

Ecological tourism is actively developing on the territory of the Kursk reserve. Every year it is visited by about 3,500 tourists. For them there are many interesting and unique objects.

Firstly, it is a museum of nature. There are about 250 exhibits. There is a common room, which tells about the history of the creation of the reserve, the people who stood at its sources, as well as the characteristics of the sites to which it is divided. In the second room you can get acquainted with the peculiarities of the local climate and soils. In the third there are animals and plants. The fourth hall is devoted to scientific works and monographs published by the reserve.

Secondly, you can go on ecological trails. Tourists can visit the "Streletskaya Steppe" or "The Wild Oak".

Thirdly, there are its historical and cultural attractions. They include a stone sculpture of the XI century, which is called "stone woman." And also thousands of sculptures, the appearance of which historians refer to the 17th century. These statues were placed at the crossroads to indicate the direction of the road. "Stone women" were considered deities, which our ancestors worshiped and sacrificed.