The Moscow region is located in the center of the East European Valley. And in its very middle is Moscow, the nature of which is determined primarily by its location and is not much different from the nature of the Moscow Region and the entire region.
Geography of the region
To the north of the capital of the Russian Federation is a swampy Upper Volga lowland, and to the south are the hills of the Smolensk-Moscow Upland.
There are many lakes and rivers in the region, originating mainly on the Klinsko-Dmitrov ridge (the North-Western part of the Smolensk-Moscow Upland), which is a kind of watershed, and flowing either into the Volga or the Oka. The Moskvoretsko-Okskaya plain with the Teplostanskaya Upland included in it occupies the north-west of the Moscow Region. On this hill is the highest point (253 meters), which Moscow itself can boast directly. The nature surrounding the capital is also determined by the swampy Meshchera lowland, which enters the region from the east by a wedge formed by the Klyazma and the Moscow River. The Zaok Plain closes the region from the south.
The land of rivers, lakes, forests ...
Plains, lowlands, hills, rivers, of which there are up to 2,000 in the region, all this determines the presence of a certain climate, flora and fauna, which characterize the Moscow region and Moscow itself.
The nature of the capital and the surrounding region is unusually beautiful, even despite the active anthropogenic impact (absolutely any kind of human activity in relation to nature). Relict oak forests and coniferous forests cover 40% of the territory of the entire region, while in the Moscow Region forests cover 42% (2168 ha) of the area. Flooded meadows, fields, quietly flowing rivers, high bogs (feeding is carried out only by precipitation) and protected ravines - this is the nature of Moscow and the region.
The woods
To preserve all the splendor of nature, a man, who, in fact, is the main enemy, is trying to do everything possible. Nature reserves are being created, such as Zavidovo, or national parks such as Elk Island, which includes the Prioksko-Terrasny Biosphere Reserve. In the suburbs, many forests are secondary, growing on the site of clearings and fields.
Their difference from the native forests lies in the simplified structure and significant admixture of birch and aspen. In Moscow itself, 40% of the city’s territory is also covered by forest, among which 21% is occupied by pine trees (Serebryany Bor, on the territory of which pine trees under the age of 170 years are found). There are very few spruce forests that are very sensitive to pollution - only 2%. On Elk Island, there are still specimens up to 130 years old.
Moscow deciduous
forests are distributed according to species as follows: oaks 10% (Izmailovsky Park), linden –18%, birch occupies 39% of the area, aspen - 4%.
Types of forest plantations in Moscow and the region
The nature of Moscow is due to the fact that, like the whole region, it lies at the confluence of the forest-steppe and forest zones. That is, this region is very green. Spruce forests and mid-taiga coniferous forests occupy the north and west of the region. The Meshchera lowland, an exciting part of the east of the region, is covered with a taiga pine massif, and alder groves are located in the marshy lowlands.
The center of the region and Moscow, located in it, whose nature is rich in south-taiga coniferous-deciduous forests, is abundant in spruce and pine, birch and aspen, and hazel reigns in the undergrowth. Closer to the south - the kingdom of broad-leaved oak, besides which there are also maple, elm, and linden. And in the transition zone (from the forest-steppe to the steppe) on the Moscow-Okskaya Upland there are still spruce plantings, as, for example, in the upper reaches
of the Lopasni River. But closer to the south, steppe burs are increasingly found, resembling green islands among the plains, oak forests, ash and maple groves. The extreme south of the region is covered with forest-steppe, which is almost completely plowed up and has not been preserved in its original form, even fragmentary.
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It is important to note the fact that in our time there is an active planting of forests. And this indicates a man’s turn to nature, a rejection of only a consumer relationship.
On Shatursky and Lukhovitsky swamps, located in the east of the region, newcomers began to meet more and more among Aboriginal plants.
You can’t kill beauty
The above-mentioned anthropogenic activities include urbanization of the territory, the accumulation of a large number of people, the presence and ongoing construction of roads and railways, changes in the hydrography of the region (changes in river beds, the emergence of new reservoirs, etc.), a myriad of outbuildings, all which should accompany the largest metropolis, the capital of a huge state. And yet, the nature of Moscow and the Moscow region, which once seduced Yuri Dolgoruky, is extremely unusually good and diverse today.
The abundance of fauna
Despite the destructive effect of man, many representatives of the animal world have survived or appeared here. Within the region and the environs of Moscow, 60-70 species of mammals live. In addition to them, reptiles (6), amphibians (7), fish (40) live here. And how many birds are here! Of the 120 species that live in the suburbs, 29 penetrate into the central areas of the city. In total, there are over 200 species of birds living here permanently or flying over in the region. There are a huge number of insects - 135 species of butterflies, 300 (including a tenth of bumblebees) species of bees. In addition, grasshoppers (8), locusts (23), ground beetles, beetles, dragonflies, ants and flies together are represented by 50 species. And 9 of them are listed in the Red Book - 4 species of lycaenidae and 5 species of ants. The presence of several populations of turtles in different regions of the region indicates the purity of water in the Moscow region. The Twelve species of animals living within the Moscow Region are listed in the Red Book.
The diversity of wildlife in Moscow
Taiga species of animals, which are very common in the region, are represented by white hares and flying squirrels. The most common birds are hazel grouse, capercaillie, bullfinch, as well as a brown-headed gait, crossbill, white-browed and rowan-thrush. The diversity of nature in Moscow is represented by such species of large animals that live in deciduous forests, such as roe deer and wild boar, sika deer and pine marten, mink and black polecat. In the immediate vicinity of the huge city live dormouse and gray owl. Why are these species mentioned in relation not only to the region, but also to Moscow itself? Because one of the first national parks in Russia is the Elk Island, where almost all of the above animals live, is located on the territory of Moscow, within the city limits.
Native nature
Moscow’s moderate continental climate is, in fact, transitional from mild European to sharply continental Asian. In a word, the climate of Moscow is very comfortable - relatively mild winters and relatively wet summers. Sung by more than one generation of Russian classics, the native nature of Moscow is close and dear to every Russian, not only because love for her comes to a person with her mother’s milk, but also because she is really amazingly good.
It is enough to look at a retrospective of paintings by Russian artists, widely available, to make sure that these are not empty words. Polenov’s “Moscow Courtyard” and “Grandmother’s Garden” also seem to be native, Pimenov’s “New Moscow” admires, and the heart aches from hundreds of paintings by Russian artists that capture the nature of their native land. Moscow is a primordially Russian city located in the very heart of the European part of Russia, and therefore the nature of Moscow represents Russia, although the nature of a huge country is difficult to reflect in one part.
Natural attractions of Moscow
In Moscow and the Moscow region there are quite a lot of natural attractions. These include, first of all, Serebryany Bor and Elk Island. From the impressive list can also be called "Black Lake" and "Botanical Garden Vilar." Interesting objects are the “Valley of the Christmas Stream in Mitino” and the “Krylatsky Hills Nature Reserve”. As well as the Biryulevsky Arboretum and Big Vostryukovsky Pond, and a dozen other natural attractions, visiting which, you can get a certain idea of the nature of Moscow and the Moscow region.