This is the third largest reserve in the Murmansk region. It was created in 1992 according to the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation for the study and conservation of pine forests located in the northern limit of distribution. In addition, the reserve should conduct general monitoring of northern ecosystems. An important argument in favor of creating a protected area was the history of these places.
In some areas, archaeologists have discovered traces of the presence of an ancient man. In ancient times, Sami lived in these places, who were engaged in fishing, reindeer husbandry, wandered along the river valley. Much later, Russians, Norwegians, and Finns appeared here. This land until 1918 belonged to the Arkhangelsk province, then passed to Finland and returned to the Soviet Union after the Second World War.
The Pasvik Nature Reserve is a conservation area for the waters of numerous waterfowl - whooper swans, geese, ducks and wading birds, as well as the preservation of the Paz river bed.
This region has a rich culture and history. The Pasvik Nature Reserve is the result of the joint work of Norwegian and Russian experts. It consists of two parts unequal in the occupied area. They lie on both sides of the border along the Pasvik river.
Pasvik: State Nature Reserve
Marshes and lakes occupy most of this territory. Pine forests occupy 40% of the protected area. In the center, over the plain, mountain ranges rise up to 380 meters.
Pasvik is a nature reserve with unspoilt nature. This is a natural geographical place of contact between western species of animals and plants with eastern. Here, mountains and plains, swamps and taiga, as well as the tundra are mixed together.
Pasvik River and Lakes
The Pasvik Nature Reserve is located along this river. It flows through the entire protected area. The river originates in Inari (Finland) and flows into the Varanger fjord (Barents Sea). Its length is 147 km, the maximum height difference is about 119 meters. Previously, the river consisted of large lakes, united by rapids and waterfalls. Then, 2 Norwegian and 5 Russian power plants were built on them. Only in a small area has the natural riverbed been preserved. Today it is considered an ideal place for waterfowl. This site is called Fjärvann, which translates from Norwegian as “downy lake”.
Lakes occupy most of the territory of Pasvik, a significant part of them is concentrated in the north of the reserve. Most of them are shallow, have silty, sandy or peaty shores. There are lakes in the mountain basins. The largest of them is Kaskamajärvi. It is located in the very center of the reserve. Its area is 188 hectares, the maximum depth exceeds 20 m, the banks are stony.
Varlam Island
There is a small island on this stretch of the reserve. More than a hundred years ago, Hans Skonning, an ornithological student from Norway, worked and lived here. He was the first to introduce this area to world science and wrote a book about time spent on the island. This work brought him worldwide fame. The book was so popular that many sought to come to these parts.
Recently, the house of H. Skonnig was restored on the lake. Today it is used as a field base for observing nature. In addition, on the island in 1995, the old border tower was reconstructed and converted into an ornithological one, which made it possible to observe birds. Prince Philip, President of WWF, came to its grand opening.
Pasvik Nature Reserve - animals
Most of the fauna of the reserve is represented by species typical of taiga. The number of mammals in this territory is 34 species, 14 of which are rare. A large proportion of them are rodents.
For these places, such animals as common squirrel, ermine, common fox, white hare, pine marten, brown bear, and elk are typical. The water bodies have a fairly large population of muskrat. Brown bear and elk are found in territories belonging to two neighboring countries. Wolverine, weasel and otter are found, but rather rarely.
Pasvik is a nature reserve with its own native species of animals. This is a reindeer - here its domesticated species are common. Wild deer can be found in the center of the Kola Peninsula. Reindeer husbandry is widely developed in Lapland (Finland) and Finnmark (Norway). In these regions, it has been preserved indigenous.
The invertebrate fauna of the reserve is only being studied. By the beginning of the last century, 776 species of insects, which belong to 8 orders, were officially registered here. To date, the most studied are hymenoptera and dipterous.
Spider species reach 68 species from thirteen families. It should be noted that this is not the final data. Research by scientists is ongoing.
Birds
The Pasvik Nature Reserve, whose photo we posted in this article, is rich in birds. There are 229 species registered here.
The Pasvik River, as well as the nearby wetlands, are an important habitat for birds such as whooper swan and black-throated loon, loot and googol, long-nosed merganser and mallard. Sandpipers (fifi, snipe, goldfinch) and gray crane are common in swamps.
Predators include a white-tailed eagle, an osprey, a goshawk, a kestrel, a winter buzzard, and a marsh owl. Forest species nesting in the reserve include a forest horse and woodpecker, redstart and mountain thrush, scythe and hornbill, oatmeal and flycatcher.
Such birds as black grouse, capercaillie, hazel grouse, partridges, sparrows, tits and many others winter in the forests. In the mountain tundra you can see an ordinary heater, meadow horse, middle curlew.
Vegetable world
The Pasvik Nature Reserve is located in the northern taiga zone, which passes into the forest-tundra. The northernmost pine forests in Europe grow along the banks of the Pasvik river.
Siberian spruce is widespread in the Pechenga region. It is found in the center of the reserve near Mount Kalkupya. There is also a site of a unique pine forest that has not been affected by deforestation; its age exceeds 200 years.
The second most common in the reserve is birch. Shrub birch forests are common on the banks of rivers and streams. In the plains, you can see fluffy birch. Curved birch is widespread in crooked forests. Quite rarely, but hanging birch is found, mainly along the banks of streams, rivers and lakes.