Biosphere reserves are specially designated specially protected areas designed to preserve the natural self-regulating natural system. The nature in these zones is usually untouched, “wild” or slightly altered by human activity. The biosphere reserves of Russia, like all other types of protected natural areas, are completely outside the scope of any economic activity. These organizations operate within the framework of the World Program, designed to demonstrate the optimal relationship between man and nature.
Among the Russian biosphere protection zones, a significant role is played by the Darwin Reserve. The history of its creation and development clearly demonstrates the concern for nature reserves that the state takes.
In 1941, at the junction of three regions - Yaroslavl, Tver and Vologda - the Rybinsk reservoir was built . The outbreak of the Great Patriotic War did not immediately begin to study its effects on climate change. But immediately after graduation, in the summer of 1945, the Darwin Reserve was created directly to monitor changes in nature under the influence of the reservoir.
Today, this protected area occupies 112,000 hectares, only half of which is land: the rest is occupied by coastal waters.
In winter 2002, the Darwin Reserve was included in the international list of significant biosphere reserves.
The reserve’s territory is mainly a lowland on the shore of the Rybinsk Sea, interspersed by dunes and elongated, gently sloping hills, as if retreating into the distance: traces of a prehistoric glacier. Lakes are often found in the swampy lowlands, the largest of which is Morotskoe, which occupies about 700 hectares.
Darwin Nature Reserve is remarkable for its temperate continental climate. It is very pleasant in the summer, when the average temperature is + 18 °, it is not very cold in the winter, because frosts rarely exceed -10 °.
The territory of the biosphere reserve is valuable for its swamp forests and swamps, which originated more than 17 thousand years ago. Scientists have established that these swamps formed in the late glacial and postglacial times.
Today in this protected area more than 15 species of the rarest birds that have long been listed in the Red Book nest and breed. Whooper swans, which some time ago began to nest and breed on the reservation territory, became evidence of the reserve’s effective work. In addition to them, the reserve has a lot of nesting grouse, capercaillie, and the population density of birds of prey is higher than anywhere else in the world.
There are also plants listed in the Red Book. Finger of Traunshteiner, real shoe, leafless chin, and some other species feel great in the security zone. The main vegetation is pine forests. However, the shallow water warms up well in the summer, so many different herbs and shrubs grow here: hornwort, shrubbery, saplings, etc. The reserve is rich in berries: cloudberries, cranberries, blueberries.
For tourists on the periphery of the zone organized an excursion route. During a walk along it you can see flying squirrels, wild boars, foxes, and sometimes brown bears from afar . However, such meetings are quite dangerous: animals feel at home and do not like guests.
The nature museum is organized in the reserve. It contains the richest collection of “Russian” butterflies, the world's first capercaillie farm.
But perhaps the most unique are the peat islands of the reserve. After the opening of the Rybinsk Reservoir, peat bogs were flooded. For many years, peat slices surfaced and drifted until they were stopped by thickets or other obstacles. Over time, vegetation appeared on such peat islands, and today even trees grow there.
Since 2000, the Darwin Reserve has been included in the World System of Biosphere Reserves.