Saratov was founded as a watch fortress back in 1590. Located on the banks of the Volgograd storage, an area of 394 sq. Km. In 2013, on the Forbes list, the city took 10th place in terms of attractiveness for living and doing business. But Saratov is not only infrastructure, a high level of wealth and innovative activity, but also a good natural and environmental potential.
The most attractive forest park of the city is Kumysnaya Polyana. The picturesque landscape spreads along the slopes of the Lysogorsky plateau, with a length of about 5,000 hectares.
origin of name
Kumisnaya Polyana got its name in the 19th century. In those days, the Tatars rented this territory for horses that fell out. Koumiss, which was made by the Tatars, was very popular among the local population. Hence the name of the territory.
A bit of history and modernity
The city of Saratov goes around a clearing from three sides. From the side of the city, only the tops of the trees and the slopes overgrown with shrubs are visible. This landscape is not very impressive for the local population, however, the park is protected by law.
In 1910, a tram was launched near the meadow. Mention of him is in the book "First Joys" by K. Fedin. The complex was opened in 1991. Kumisnaya glade is all conditions for outdoor recreation, with equipped areas for barbecues, with gazebos.
Bicycle rental is organized on the territory of the park. For those who wish to ride horses - the services of a coach. In winter you can ski. In the park you can find artists who transfer to the canvas their impressions of what they saw.
Sanatoriums, camps for children and ski resorts allow vacationers to come for a few days and enjoy all the charms of eco-tourism. But you should not look for summer cottages in Kumysnaya Polyana in Saratov, or other residential, commercial buildings, since any construction in the park is prohibited at the level of federal law. Although local officials were still able to partially zonate the park, alienating part of the land for development. This stopped in 2007, when the lands were given the status of “natural park” and all the territorial zones allowing the start of construction were eliminated.
But it is worth remembering that any activity that may entail the destruction or damage of the landscape, vegetation or representatives of the fauna is prohibited on the territory of the park. The entire territory falls under recreational land.
Geographic characteristics
The border between the water basins of the Caspian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean runs through the complex. In the center of the park, the Latryk River begins, which, flowing into several rivers (Don, Karamysh and others), falls into the Sea of Azov, then into the Black Sea and so on, eventually ending up in the Atlantic Ocean.
From the gorge around the perimeter of the Kumysnaya Polyana of Saratov, a tributary of the Volga originates. In the forest park zone there are several springs, Tatar, Serebryany, Raspberry and other healing springs.
Vegetable world
The park is based on deciduous forests. These are oaks and birch, aspen, maples and linden. All glades are covered with wildflowers.
One of the major attractions of the meadow is a two-century giant oak, about 30 meters high, and its age is about 200 years. The trunk of the tree in girth from about 1 to 2.5 meters. The oak bark is covered with cracks and lumpy thickenings, and the branching begins only at a height of 3.5 meters. The tree covers with its crown about 150 sq. M. According to local residents, oak can give advice, but only to those people who learn to listen to it.
Kumysnaya Polyana Park is approximately 44% covered by oak stands of overgrown origin. About 23% is linden and only 1% of pine. The age of the trees is uneven. It is not regrettable, but the renewal of oaks has practically ceased, due to the fact that the trees bear fruit unevenly.
The assortment of shrubs is also small. These are low almonds, thorns, cherries, spireas. There are only 27 species of herbaceous plants, of which only 26% are forest species. However, there are also “red-book” plants, this is a two-leafed loving, feathery feather grass, two-spikeled ephedra, common nesting and a number of other representatives.
Fauna
Of amphibians in the park "Kumysnaya Polyana" of Saratov, there is a green toad, a toad, a newt and a sharp-faced frog. Of the reptiles here you can find a marsh turtle, a copperfish, a lizard and an ordinary snake, a patterned snake.
There are a huge number of birds in the protected area:
- great tit;
- finch;
- magpies;
- blue tit;
- oatmeal;
- rooks;
- black-headed goldfinch;
- greenfinch.
The dominant species are cuckoo, woodpeckers, sparrow and hoopoe. In the park you can also see rare birds - red-footed falcon, swag, tuvik and sparrow hawk.
Of rodents, voles, redheads, and common ones predominate. Also here live hedgehogs and shrew.
Kumisnaya glade, although not famous for its abundance of animals, you can still see hares, wild boars, roe deer and elk in the park. There are also predators, a weasel, a fox and a stone marten.
Despite its small area and not rich flora and fauna, the park plays an important ecological and recreational role for the entire Saratov region.