The Khabarovsk Territory of Russia is a land of unimaginable contrasts. Only here you can see how a tropical liana wraps around the trunk of the northern cedar, and flowers bloom in bright shades of snow. On a melted lake in the middle of a coniferous forest, a tropical mandarin duck floats in the water, and among the coniferous trees an unimaginably beautiful butterfly flies - the swallowtail Maak. To preserve this splendor and diversity are called reserves of the Khabarovsk Territory.
The best land
The third largest Far Eastern constituent entity of the Russian Federation with an administrative center in the city of Khabarovsk, covering an area of 787,633 square kilometers. With a population of more than 1.3 million people. The region of the harsh Far North and territories equated to it. A place of gold mining and developed industry. But the most important thing is the wealth of natural resources and ecological diversity.
The unique natural wealth of the region has long been the subject of concern of the state. Today, 6.7% of the territory of the region have become especially protected. These sites include:
- Federal: six state reserves, five reserves, Anyui and Shantar Islands national parks.
- Regional: 20 reserves and 2 natural parks, 68 natural monuments.
- Local: 165 natural sites.
Thus, when answering the question, how many reserves in the Khabarovsk Territory, the answer will sound like this: twelve objects of national importance.
The living symbols of the reserves of the Khabarovsk Territory are identification marks placed on the emblem. And, of course, these are the key species of animals protected in protected areas.
In the Khabarovsk Territory, the Living Planet program is in place, the purpose of which is to protect the reserves of the Khabarovsk Territory and increase the area of protected areas to 10% of the total area. In addition, international treaties with the Asian neighbor China on the protection of adjacent territories and cooperation in the development of green tourism have been signed and are working.
A bit about theory
Protected natural areas are areas where the state establishes special conditions for conducting any activity and protecting flora and fauna. These are reserves, nature reserves, natural and national parks, natural monuments.
Reserves differ from other subjects of nature protection territories by more stringent rules of the protection regime and the exclusion of business activities. Including a ban on tourism, with the allocation of only a certain part of the territory, free to visit exclusively organized tourist groups. State regulations for each reserve set its own regime, taking into account the totality of the factors of its existence.
The reserves have their own regime of security measures, but their status expands the development of the tourism business. However, in this case, the regime of the object is regulated by the state and is established for each reserve.
Natural monuments are individual landscape, geological or biological objects that are of particular value in a historical, cultural or natural sense. It can be a specific waterfall, lake, rock or even stone.
Parks - biological, geological, dendrological or botanical - establish a regime that allows you to conduct certain business activities associated with ensuring the existence of this object.
The activities of all subjects of nature conservation territories are controlled and coordinated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation. The main document, which regulates the activities of such entities, is the Federal Law of March 14, 1995 No. 33 - Federal Law "On Specially Protected Natural Territories".
Most protected
The most stringent in environmental respect are the reserves of the Khabarovsk Territory. Their list is as follows:
- "Bolshehehtsirsky". Unique Ussuri taiga. The symbol is the Himalayan bear.
- "Komsomol". Cedar-broad-leaved taiga. Symbol - Steller's sea eagle.
- "Bureinsky." Northern taiga. The symbol is a brown bear.
- Botchinsky. Spruce-fir taiga. The symbol of a mandarin duck.
- "Dzhugdzhursky". Mountain taiga forests and larch trees. The symbol is a brown bear.
- "Bologna." Wetland complex. Symbol - whooper swan.
Separately, there is the Anyui park. It was created not so long ago (2007) on the lands of the Nanai district with a rich forest and water fund. And the Shantar Islands park, as part of the Dzhugdzhursky reserve.
Bolshehehtsirsky reserve
Named for the Bolshoi Khekhtsir mountain range. An area of 45.5 hectares is covered with forests. It has many streams and mountain rivers that flow into the rivers Ussuri and Chirka, and into the Amur canal.
The diversity of flora and fauna was noted by the great Russian researcher and naturalist N. M. Przhevalsky. Species diversity is represented by the following:
- 824 species of mushrooms;
- 148 species of lichens;
- 218 species of mosses;
- 1020 species of higher plants;
- 2 types of reptiles;
- 45 species of fish;
- 224 species of birds;
- 50 species of mammals.
Red Book species - 7. The most visited reserve by tourists, as it is located almost in the suburban area of Khabarovsk.
Komsomolsky reserve
Almost 5 hectares is occupied by the water basin of the tributaries of the Left Amur, with a total area of 61.2 hectares. The relief is diverse and includes mountainous landscapes. The highest mountain of Choquette, 800 meters.
Of the 680 species of plants, 8 are listed in the Red Book of Russia: yew spiky, water chestnut, high gastrodia, slipper venus, peony obovate, Japanese bearded, smooth killer whale and thin coleanthus.
The endemic of mountain rivers flowing into the Gorin River is 23 species of fish. In total, the species diversity is represented by 50 species of fish and 45 species of mammals.
The place of seasonal migrations of migratory birds. Together with migratory species composition is about 233 bird species.
Located near Komsomolsk-on-Amur and has a wide range of services for outdoor activities. Tours, including rafting on mountain rivers and spawning chum salmon, are very popular with tourists and deserve positive reviews.
Verkhnebureinsky reserve
An area of 358 hectares is typically mountainous, formed by the Dusse-Alin and Aesop ridges. This is the most beautiful mountain range in the Far East with many mountain rivers, lakes and waterfalls. One of the most deep-water lakes of Korhabon (14 m) is located in the middle of a picturesque rock circus.
The combination of mountains and hills with river valleys makes the climate very contrasting. In summer, the air warms up to 38 C, and in winter the maximum temperature reaches - 45 C.
The inaccessibility here preserved its pristine nature, with a species diversity of only 130 bird species.
On the territory there are deposits of rock crystal, deposits of gold and semiprecious stones.
For tourists, an 11-day route with rafting along the Bureya river, camps in tents and diving in mountain lakes is offered, very positively appreciated by many travelers.
Botchinsky Reserve
It was founded in 1994 to preserve the northernmost population of Amur tigers and salmon spawning grounds that enter many shallow mountain rivers in autumn and spring. The pride of the reserve is the fossils of the Upper Tertiary flora, a unique paleontological monument.
The symbol of the reserve is the Red Book Mandarin duck. It is here that representatives of the southern flora and northern endemic coexist.
Many routes have been developed for tourists, both walking and extreme. There are horseback riding routes and skiing activities, which travelers make excellent comments about.
Dzhugdzhursky reserve
Mountain country alpine type. The Dzhugdzhur Range up to 1800 meters high is a watershed of rivers that flow into the Sea of Okhotsk and the Arctic Ocean. The reserved territories include islands in the Sea of Okhotsk, a resting place for migratory birds. Many rivers and lakes serve as a spawning ground for fish.
The largest reserve of the Khabarovsk Territory was created in 1990. Its area is 859,956 ha, which is twenty two times larger than the area of Khabarovsk. The flora of the reserve has 280 species, the fauna includes 210 species. Impassable places, lack of transport links and electricity - issues that have yet to be addressed.
Bologna Reserve
A fairly young reserve in the Khabarovsk Territory, it was founded in 1997 to protect the nesting and migration sites of many bird species. The relief and landscape of all 103,600 hectares are uniform and relate to wetlands. The vegetation of the swamps is unique.
On Lake Albita, up to 150 thousand birds are observed in spring. This is where the Avian Crossroads tourist route leads. A very colorful complex in the village of Dzhuna recreates the life and culture of the original indigenous people - the Nanai.
Difficulties in the development of ecotourism
The development of ecotourism is one of the primary tasks set by the Russian government to the subjects of nature conservation territories. In this regard, the reserves of the Khabarovsk Territory face objective difficulties.
The material base of tourism infrastructure is not always attractive to most tourists. The construction of modern campsites and parking lots for trailers could be a factor in increasing the number of travelers. But not all environmental sites can boast of such tourist towns. Today, the reserves of the Khabarovsk Territory rely on a guest who is ready to make long hiking trips, spend the night in a tent and get along with the minimum benefits of civilization.
Another natural obstacle is that the protected taiga is a focus of tick-borne encephalitis. You can take the best protective measures, but there is a risk, and nothing can be done about it.
The shortage of unique attractions for tourists is also a problem that the reserves of the Khabarovsk Territory experience. No, there are unique and endemic sites. But, firstly, they are difficult to access. And secondly, it is impossible to drive groups of tourists there, so as not to violate this very endemicity. And although meeting with entertaining chipmunks and squirrels already brings an incomparable joy of communication with nature, this is not a unique phenomenon. Endangered species that attract tourists often do not crave meeting people.
Huge work is carried out by nature reserves to popularize their activities in order to educate the population and the masses about their activities. This involves attracting the media, and the use of Internet content, and close cooperation with tourism business entities.
The Komsomolsky Nature Reserve recently announced a competition for schoolchildren, "Living Symbols of Protected Areas." Children can participate, both in Russia and abroad. The results will be summed up in April 2017, the winners will receive diplomas and gifts.