Kaluga Region is an amazing land that fascinates many tourists and travelers with its fabulous forests that cover almost the entire region. Here you can enjoy all the seasons, meet a bear or an elk in the forest, admire centuries-old pines or oaks. The article will discuss natural monuments of this amazing and unique place, relict forests, and the diversity of nature of the native land (Kaluga region).
Rivers and ponds
About 2 thousand rivers flow through the territory of the region, but just over 200 of them have a length of more than 10 kilometers. All of them belong to the Volga basin. The largest rivers are Ugra, Oka, Protva, Bolva, Ressa, Zhizdra, Shan, Resseta, Sukhodrev. All of them have a winding channel, characterized by a slow course.
There are few lakes in the region, the largest of them is Zhelohovskoe. They are used for fishing, on the shores of many of them are equipped with recreation facilities.
There are 19 reservoirs in the Kaluga Region, the largest: Nepolot, Milyatinskoye, Lompad, Brynskoye.
There are small areas covered by swamps, but very few of them are used to develop peat.
Different types of fish live in the reservoirs of the region: sterlet, goby, quick-catch.
Climatic features
The temperate continental climate of the region is characterized by rather cold winters and relatively warm summers, the average January temperature is about -12 ° C, and the July temperature is +21 ° C. A peculiarity of the Kaluga climate is the unpredictability of summer weather, sunny, clear weather, can change dramatically with rains and cooling. Spring is also quite moody, often with frost.
The diversity of nature in the Kaluga region and the plant world
Broad-leaved and coniferous forests occupy more than 50% of the region’s territory. By type of vegetation, the nature of the Kaluga region can be divided into two zones:
- Coniferous-deciduous forests: occupy the largest areas.
- Broad-leaved forests: grow mainly in the central and eastern parts of the region and attract the eyes of researchers with their fabulous beauty.
The plant world of the region is diverse and rich. Horsetails resembling dwarf spruce, ferns, lichens and mosses. There are a lot of mushrooms in the forests. From herbaceous plants found orchid species, water chestnut, feather grass, wild leek and others.
Of the trees, the most common are: if, pines, aspen, oaks, birch, linden, maple, mountain ash, wild apple tree are less common.
Many shrubs: euonymus, willow, black elderberry, currant, juniper.
Animal world
From animals live here wolves, hares, foxes, moose, bears, hamsters, marmots. Of the birds recorded about 260 species. More than 145 species of animals and birds are listed in the Red Book of the region. Particular attention is paid to their protection on the territory of the Kaluga Zaseki Reserve. But this is not the only natural monument of the Kaluga region. The Tarusa National Wildlife Refuge and the Ugra National Park also function.
The nature of the Kaluga region is the cleanest from an environmental point of view in comparison with other territories of Central Russia. In addition to the fact that a huge number of environmental objects are organized in the region, the local authorities are successfully implementing a policy of careful nature management and environmental protection.
Features of nature of the Kaluga region and unique places
The region is rich in unique natural sites, many of them are specially protected areas, in almost all areas there are natural monuments, and their number is constantly growing.
The territory of Kaluga Region is crossed by the largest reserve Ugra National Park.
Natural monuments
Unique places are popular:
- Berezui ravine. Known since the 16th century. At the bottom of it once flowed a stream. In the ravine on the right side there was a chapel and beat a spring, above which a centuries-old oak tree grew and continues to grow. At the beginning of the 20th century, the slopes of the ravine were covered with grass; several decades later, with the aim of strengthening, they were planted with trees that grew and turned into a green massif.
- Kaluga City Bor. Located in the western part of the city. Its area is about a thousand hectares, divided into 23 quarters. This is a unique pine forest, individual trees reached 300 years of age. For the first time this natural object is mentioned in the annals of 1626. The history of the region is closely connected with the nature of the Kaluga region. For example, it was in this forest that traces of the ancient Vyatichi sanctuary were discovered. There are five small swamps and 14 artesian wells. The fauna and flora of boron are rich and diverse.
- State Reserve "Kaluga Zaseki". Its area is about 18 thousand hectares. It was created to preserve the diversity of nature in the Kaluga region, namely the ancient broad-leaved forest. In addition to the unique natural, this place had important historical significance: oak forests were part of the notch line of the Moscow state. Zaseki are defensive lines created from pile trunks.
- Komsomolskaya grove. It is the oldest pine tract. The age of individual pines is about 300 years. This is a green oasis in the city, a favorite place for walks of citizens.
- Park Lavrentiev Monastery with a pond. The alley of the park, broken in the 17th century, has survived to this day; birch, linden and oak trees grow there. A few meters from the walls of the monastery is a pond that is powered by a spring.
- Mozhaika is a ravine, the length of which is about 3 kilometers, it is made of sandstone, which is called the "Alexander Stone". Century-old oaks, light birch groves, maples, linden, and pine in some places grow around.
- Park estate Yanovsky. Several buildings were preserved from the estate: a cellar and a stable, the wooden structure of the house was dismantled. From the park preserved linden alley, two old larch trees, centuries-old cedar.
- Mineral spring Rezvansky. This is a small natural round pond, the bottom and walls of the natural boiler are covered with black mud with the smell of hydrogen sulfide, a spring hits the bottom of the pond. Locals call it a rotten spring. In 1933, a number of studies were carried out, as a result of which the healing properties of water and mud were proved. Before the start of World War II, a hospital existed near a spring.
Instead of a conclusion
These are far from all nature parks in the Kaluga Region, there are a lot of them, all of them are of great historical, cultural and natural significance in the life of the region. They are witnesses of the origin and development of the region, thanks to them we can get acquainted with living witnesses of the past.
Environmental problems that began with the development of scientific and technological progress have affected both nature and its monuments. Many of them were forever lost. The continuing adverse impact of man on the world around him threatens the existence of those who remain.
It should be remembered that it is only in our power to preserve or destroy all unique natural monuments, to preserve or irretrievably lose them.