With the onset of summer, the issue of travel and travel is becoming increasingly relevant. Where to go this year? What to do with yourself and your loved ones?
Having weighed all the pros and cons, you finally come to the conclusion that maybe you shouldn’t spend too much money on an expensive foreign tour, because there are so many interesting and unknown things in your native country.
For example, why not visit the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve? It is guaranteed that most of your friends, pals and acquaintances have not even heard of the existence of such a place.
But in vain ... After all, it is here, not particularly moving away from home, that you can get not only a lot of positive emotions, but also valuable knowledge about the features of the native land.
This article will focus not only on the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve. The reader will get acquainted with his history, goals and objectives, and, of course, he will learn more about the flora and fauna of the reserve.
Section 1. General description of the object
The Berezinsky reserve in Belarus was founded on January 30, 1925. Today its territory covers the Borisov district of the Minsk region, as well as the Lepelsky, Dokshitsky districts of Vitebsk.
The area of this place is quite impressive and is 851.5 km 2 . The nature park is known throughout the world as a standard of natural, untouched nature, and in part it is he who makes the rest in Belarus unforgettable.
It should be noted that this natural complex can be considered unique, and 60% of its area is made up of diverse wetlands.
Also, the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve (Vitebsk region) is known for its various lakes in origin and size. The value of this natural corner lies in the diversity of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as in a high degree of their natural conservation.
Section 2. Climatic features
As in the republic as a whole, the weather conditions here are moderate and, you can say, even transitional, that is, the climate is gradually changing from marine to continental.
It is characterized by warm, humid summers and moderately cold winters with unstable snow cover.
The average annual precipitation is 676.6 mm. Throughout the year, the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve maintains high relative humidity with fluctuations from 80 to 89%.
For mid-late November, a permanent snow cover is already inherent. But in some years it is nevertheless characterized by weakness and inconsistency, and sometimes half or even the whole winter may be absent.
Section 3. How did such a unique place appear?
About 10-20 thousand years ago, when the last Valdai glacier began to melt , there was an extensive glacial lake. It spreads over many tens of kilometers. Lakes Olshitsa, Smoothly just are the remains of this ancient reservoir.
In addition to large ponds, the local region has also always been famous for its dense forests and various animals.
In the course of many studies, it turned out that the Berezinsky Reserve was once inhabited not only by the now famous bears, lynxes, wolves, foxes, badgers, martens, beavers, otters, moose, wild boars, roe deer, but also by bison, sables, wild horses.
Beaver fishing has always been especially popular. During the excavation of human settlements, many of their bones were discovered here. The beaver was considered a very valuable animal. Clothes were made from the skin, and meat was eaten. Therefore, people who were engaged in catching these animals had great privileges (for example, exempted from military service).
Section 4. Milestones of History
The Berezinsky Reserve was created to some extent thanks to the aforementioned beavers. They became an important find of the expedition, which was organized by the People’s Commissariat of Agriculture of the BSSR in 1924, since earlier these animals were considered completely exterminated.
As a result of the expedition, on January 30, 1925, the Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR issued a decree on the organization of a reserve along the Berezina River, which completely stops logging.
Before the war, a lot of research was conducted in the reserve on flora and fauna, experimental farms were created to grow beavers and moose in captivity, and a museum of nature was opened. However, with the outbreak of World War II, so actively unfolding work, unfortunately, was interrupted for a long time.
Section 5. Modern goals and objectives
The Berezinsky Reserve (reviews of numerous visitors is another confirmation of this) pursues a very noble goal, namely the preservation of the natural state of natural complexes and objects.
It also creates all the necessary conditions for the natural course of natural processes.
In general, we can say that the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve performs the following tasks:
- providing conditions for preserving the natural state of natural complexes and objects that are located on the territory of the reserve;
- organization of environmental protection activities;
- conducting research work;
- environmental monitoring;
- active work on environmental education and promotion of environmental protection.
Section 6. Plant World
It should be noted that the Berezinsky Reserve is a photo that always becomes a worthy decoration of a family album. Why? The fact is that on its territory the dominant type of vegetation is forests with an area of 690 km 2 . And shooting in this kind of environment is always enjoyable.
More than half of the forests of the Berezinsky Reserve are located in the southern taiga pine-spruce forests. The sections of broad-leaved, which today are massively represented by oak, ash, spruce, have also been preserved.
They are unique to the northern part of Belarus. In particular, untouched deciduous forests located in lowland swamps are unique.
Here is the only large massif of black alder forests, which until this time has been preserved in Europe.
The area of swamps is 510 km 2 . Their massifs, as well as individual sections of this reserve, together with rivers, lakes and forest streams, create a single wetland system.
The reserve is characterized by lowland, upland and transitional bogs, which combine the characteristics of the first two types. Lowlands are the most common species for the entire reserve. Riding bogs make up 10.3% of the total area.
By the way, from a purely scientific point of view, they are divided into two categories: treeless and pine forest.
Meadows make up more than 10% of the entire reserve.
Section 7. Animal World
The reserve is an ideal habitat for animals that until recently were widespread in Europe, and now, for the most part, they have either disappeared or become extremely rare.
Particular pride of the reserve are birds. To date, the list of representatives of the fauna of the Berezinsky reserve contains 230 different species of birds, including 179 - nesting, 31 - migratory, 14 - migratory, 6 - winter.
Also in the reserve 2 species of snakes, 3 - lizards, 2 - tailed, 9 species of tailless amphibians are registered.
On its territory 34 species of fish were recorded. Among them, the most numerous and common are pike, rudd, gudgeon, bream, perch, ruff.
The greatest species diversity is characteristic of the Berezina River at the southern borders of the reserve and Lake Palik. Currently, the list of invertebrates contains 3662 species.
Section 8. What museums can be found on the territory?
In general, we note that museums play a very important role in environmental education. Their main task is to promote the principles of nature conservation. The expositions comprehensively reveal the natural features of specific regions, widely consecrate the work of nature reserves.
The Museum of Nature of the Berezinsky Reserve, which has been operating for more than 50 years, is represented by about 300 species of animals. It consists of three rooms, the total area of which is 400 m 2 .
In these rooms there are exhibits dedicated to different groups of the animal and plant world. The museum also has a separate room, which is completely dedicated to the birds of the reserve.
In addition, visitors have the opportunity to look at the main representatives of the fauna of the reserve: roe deer, deer, wild boars, bison, bears, wolves, raccoon dogs.
Section 9. Vacationers reviews
Recreational, environmental and hunting tourism is rapidly developing in the Berezinsky Reserve. Travelers are offered various programs of stay in the territory of the massif, and they are happy to accept them.
According to the majority, here you can relax not only as an adult company. Berezinsky Reserve is a favorite place for children. Why? The answer suggests itself: well, where else can you run around in the grass, scream and see unusual birds and living animals?
In general, we can confidently say that this reserve is not without reason considered to be a kind of natural laboratory, in which observations are made of the course of natural processes and phenomena in a virgin natural environment. That is why companies of young scientists and simply nature lovers flock here every year. In just a few days you can make a lot of amazing discoveries!
Experienced visitors recommend to get acquainted with the unique natural objects of the reserve with the help of peculiar ecological routes. They are intended for the movement of organized groups accompanied by a qualified guide.
Note that in accordance with the method and length of movement there are walking, cycling and water routes. Enthusiastic reviews can be heard about each of them - it all depends on the goals, taste and, perhaps, the physical form of the visitor.
In general, if you are experienced, an excursion to the reserve always turns into an amazing walk in the fresh air. However, one should take into account the fact that the weather here is extremely changeable, which means that you need to bring along an umbrella or rain cover.