National parks of Russia. Volga region and North Caucasus

The power of nature is great. (Cicero)

Everything is perfected by nature. (Lucretius)

From time immemorial, poets have written poems about the beauty of nature, musicians have composed great pieces of music, artists have painted great canvases... Nature has always inspired people. Nature has always given people faith, inspired people to exploits. It is with the phenomena of nature that we personify our life. That is why it is important for us to preserve the beauty of nature in its original form, thereby preserving it for our children and descendants.

The beauty of Russian nature is truly great, it is boundless and unique. Only she can combine these endless expanses of forests, only Russian nature is so rich in steppes, only its rivers are so powerful and great.

The preservation of nature in its original form is the goal of every citizen, lover of his Motherland. For this purpose, protected reserves have been created.

The reserves of Samara and the Volga region as a whole are protected reserved places. Although they are small in size, they are quite numerous and are famous for their diverse landscapes. They are located mainly on the territory of the Volga region and the Southern Trans-Urals. Among them are such as the Bashkir, Mordovian, Zhigulevsky, Orenburg reserves, the Kerzhensky biosphere reserve, the Mari Chodro national parks of the Republic of Mari El and the Nizhnyaya Kama of the Republic of Tatarstan.

All reserves of the Volga region were formed in different years, but people have always understood the importance of preserving and restoring the unique nature of these places. Each of the reserves has its own attractions.

For the Bashkir State Reserve, organized in 1930, this is the Shulgan-Tash cave with stalagmites, stalactites, calcite flowers and cave pearls. It is the third largest cave in the republic, the total length of the passages of which is 2640 meters, the area is 20200 square meters, the volume is 105000 cubic meters. Created three years earlier, in the zone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests of the Samara region, designed to preserve the natural complexes of Samarskaya Luka in their natural state, the Zhigulevsky Reserve is closed to the public. Tourists can only visit the highest peak of the Zhiguli (375 meters above sea level) - this is Mount Strelnaya. In the Nizhny Novgorod region there is a reserve named after the flowing river Kerzhenets - "Kerzhensky". The Republic of Mari El is famous for its national park "Mari Chodro" or "Mari Forest", as well as botanical natural monuments "Maple Mountain" and "Pugachev's Oak".

The reserves of Samara and other reserves of the Volga region listed above are only a small part of these unique natural monuments that preserve it in its original form for true connoisseurs of its untold riches.

Recreational area Middle Volga

Geographical position

This area includes the territories of the Ulyanovsk, Samara, Saratov regions and. It is located in the southeast of the European part of Russia in the middle course of the river. Volga. It borders with Kazakhstan. The Volga River flows through the district, which divides the territory into two parts: the Left Bank and the Right Bank.

Natural recreational resources

landscapes

The area is located on the East European Plain. The right bank of the Volga is elevated and hilly (up to 379 m), the Volga and Zhiguli Uplands are located here. The surface of the left-bank part is a gently sloping plain.

Bioclimate

For the climatic conditions of the territory of the Middle Volga region, an increase in continentality from the northwest to the southeast is characteristic, so the climate varies from temperate continental to continental.

Insolation and ultraviolet regimes of solar radiation are quite sufficient. Summers are warm and moderately cold winters. The average temperature in July is from +19° C to +22° C, the average temperature in January is from -12° C to -14° C. The average rainfall is from 350 to 700 mm.

In the region almost every summer there are periods with very hot dry weather, when the temperature fluctuates from +28°С to +33°С. The discomfort of summer heat is mitigated by the moist breath of water bodies.

Snow cover forms after mid-November and melts in the first half of April. The duration of the snow cover is 140-150 days a year, the average height is 35-45 cm.

Hydro resources

The Volga is the most significant water artery; three large reservoirs have been created on it - Kuibyshev, Saratov and Volgograd. On the Kama River there is the Nizhnekamsk Reservoir. Reservoirs are not only a favorite place for recreation, but also form a healing microclimate, softening the summer heat.

The main rivers of the Middle Volga region - the Volga and Kama - are the main cruise lines of the European part of Russia. Cruise routes pass through them with access to the Caspian, Azov and Baltic Seas.

Hydromineral resources

Local hydro-mineral resources contributed to the recreational development of the territory. Of the mineral waters, the most common are hydrogen sulfide sulfate, sodium chloride, ferrous sodium chloride.

In the XIX century. in the Samara province, the Sergievsky Mineralnye Vody resort was organized. There are no analogues in Russia to the Sergievsky Waters, which is why the resort with the same name was included in the list of unique resorts in Russia. In Tatarstan, the most famous are the sulfide waters of the Bakirovo resort. In the Saratov region, sources of sulfide mineral waters were brought out near the city of Engels. In the Ulyanovsk region, there is a rare type of water - sulfide bromide sodium chloride, which is used for treatment in the Bely Yar sanatorium. Drinking mineral water "Volzhanka" of the Undory resort in the Ulyanovsk region is recognized as one of the best mineral waters in the treatment of diseases of the urinary organs.

The most famous are deposits of sulfide silt therapeutic mud of lakes Molochka, Teplovka, Solodovka of the Sergievsky Mineralnye Vody resort in the Samara region. Therapeutic mud is used in the mud baths of the resort and other sanatoriums of the Samara region, for example, the Volga region sanatorium in Samara. Widely used for the treatment of sapropels of the White Lake in the sanatorium "Pribrezhny" in the Ulyanovsk region.

Blue clays: Kimeridzhskaya blue clay of the Undorovsky deposit (Undory resort, Ulyanovsk region), deposits in the region: Vostochy village, B-Chernigov district, with. Alexandrovka, Syzran region. Blue clay, mined in the deposits of the Ulyanovsk and Samara regions, has an anti-inflammatory effect, which is especially effective for skin lesions and in cosmetology.

In 1854 in the village. Bogdanovka, Samara province, the first koumiss treatment sanatorium was opened in Russia. In May 1863 E.N. Annaev founded the koumiss medical institution "Annaevskaya Dacha". In the koumiss clinic, koumiss was prepared and used for treatment. From Samara, koumiss was exported to England, Poland, Holland. Now seasonal koumiss treatment is carried out in the sanatoriums "White Lake" of the Ulyanovsk region, "Yutazinskaya koumiss treatment center" - the Republic of Tatarstan.

Bioresources

Most of the territory is occupied by the plains of the forest and forest-steppe zone. The forest-steppes of the northern regions turn into steppes in the south.

The fauna of the area is quite diverse, due to the presence of various natural zones. The fauna of the forest-steppes is especially rich. Squirrel, lynx, marten, wild boar, ermine, weasel, badger live in oak forests and pine forests. There are numerous waterfowl and marsh-shore birds. Many species of birds are listed in the Red Book. There are a golden eagle, a burial ground, a black stork, a falcon, as well as rare taiga hazel grouses, capercaillie, and black grouse. There are 46 species of fish in the Volga. In the steppe regions of the region, reptiles and various types of rodents predominate among the representatives of the fauna; hares, foxes, and elks live in the forest belts.

For recreation, the Samarskaya Luka National Natural Park is of great importance. On its territory there are 54 species of mammals, about 200 species of birds, among which are rare ones: golden eagle, peregrine falcon, saker falcon.

The uniqueness of the Saratov region lies in the fact that 80-85% of the Russian bustard population nests here, therefore the Saratovsky federal nature reserve was created, and the Khvalynsky national park is also located on the territory of the region.

On the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan are located: the Volga-Kama Reserve, which is distinguished by great biodiversity, and the Nizhnyaya Kama National Park, where there are more than 80 archaeological sites associated with the sites of ancient man.

On the territory of the Ulyanovsk region there are protected areas: the national park "Sengileevsky mountains", the reserve "Privolzhskaya forest-steppe" and "Coast of the Eagles".

natural attractions

Many natural objects of the recreational area of ​​the Middle Volga region are natural monuments and are under state protection. One of the famous ones is Samarskaya Luka, a natural site, which is a peninsula with an area of ​​over 1,500 km², bounded by the bend of the Volga River and its tributaries. This unique complex of wildlife is characterized by unique relief forms, a peculiar microclimate, the presence of interesting geological formations, numerous natural and historical monuments.

Cultural and historical potential

A large number of ancient Russian cities are located on the territory of the districts: Syzran, Ulyanovsk (Simbirsk), Samara, Saratov. Because of this, the cultural and historical potential of the region is quite extensive. It is represented by architectural monuments of a secular and religious nature, local history museums, memorial places, etc. Attractive objects are the magnificent embankments of the Saara and the longest pedestrian street in Russia in Saratov.

Various festivals are held here: the art song named after Valery Grushin (Samara region), theaters of small towns in the city of Balakovo (Saratov region), the ethnic festival "Krutushka" (Tatarstan), the Cossack festival "Twelve Pearls", etc.

At present, the number of objects of cultural and historical value in Tatarstan is approaching 7,000. There are more than a hundred museums here, the ensemble of the Kazan Kremlin, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, Kazan University, Bulgary, Sviyazhsk Island, Yelabuga State Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve, Raifa Bogoroditsky Monastery, etc. It is worth noting especially - a city with a thousand-year history, with beautiful architectural ensembles. The architectural and historical symbol of the capital is the Kazan Kremlin, erected on a hill above the Kazanka River. On the territory of the republic, the remains of the cities of the Volga-Kama Bulgaria (X-XIII centuries) have been preserved. Bright events, such as the millennium of the city in 2005 or the XXVII World Summer Universiade in 2013, greatly contribute to the development of the tourism industry in Kazan.

The city of Ulyanovsk (Simbirsk) is rich in architectural monuments. This is the birthplace of the organizer of the October Revolution V.I. Lenin, the largest memorial and museum complex operates here. Interesting places where A.S. Pushkin, house-monument I.A. Goncharov, museums of the city (Local History, Art, Architecture, Civil Aviation, etc.). Also in Ulyanovsk, survival races, UAZ races are held. For more than 30 years, the final stage of the Russian Autocross Championship has been held on Ulyanovsk land.

Infrastructure

The level of the recreational network in the area has increased significantly in recent years. Around the cities, recreation centers and sanatoriums-professional-laktoriums are reopening. The capacity of all tourism institutions is quite large.

Transport accessibility of the recreational area of ​​the Middle Volga region - regular air, rail, road traffic, several ports of cruise calls on the river. Volga (Ulyanovsk, Saratov, Samara, Togliatti, etc.).

The main tourist centers of the region are: Kazan, Ulyanovsk, Saratov, Samara.

In 2008, the Ulyanovsk and Samara regions and the Republic of Tatarstan signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of tourism. Work is underway to develop wedding and family tourism (the "River of Family Life" project), gastronomic tourism (the "Chocolate River, Biscuit Banks" project), and health tourism (the "Living River" project). Tours to aerospace museums are being prepared (project "River going into the sky"). They plan to develop a single standard for servicing tourists, jointly negotiate with domestic and foreign tour operators, perform at tourist exhibitions with one Volga stand, unite sanatoriums and rest houses into the Volga Health Resorts network.

Types of tourism developed in the recreational area of ​​the Middle Volga region:

• cultural and educational (excursion) tourism;
• ecological tourism;
• health-improving rest;
• rural and ethnographic tourism;
• hunting and fishing;
• cruise tourism;
• religious tourism;
• event tourism;
• sports tourism (yachting, water, caving, skiing, cycling and equestrianism);
• rest in boarding houses and recreation centers.

A unique network of various specially protected natural areas has been formed in the Samara Region. It is based on federal protected areas: the Zhiguli State Nature Reserve named after V.I. I.I. Sprygin, Samarskaya Luka National Park, Buzuluksky Bor National Park; as well as protected areas of regional importance and other protected areas.

Zhiguli State Reserve named after I.I. Sprygin.
The reserve is located in the Middle Volga region in the most elevated part of the Samarskaya Luka - Zhiguli mountains - in the western part of the Samara region.
The reserve is particularly distinguished by the diversity of flora and fauna.
The floristic richness of the reserve is currently determined in 1149 species of autotrophic plants.
Of the 1022 species of vascular plants of the flora of the reserve, 178 species are recognized as having special scientific significance.
Most of the territory of the reserve (95%) is covered with forests.
In the reserve, meetings of 229 species of birds (about 80% of the species of the avifauna of the Samara region) were reliably recorded, of which
150 are regularly found on the territory and near the borders of the reserve
The modern composition of the mammalian fauna includes 48 species of animals belonging to 6 orders, 15 families and 34 genera (which is 63% of the number of mammal species in the Samara region).
The fauna of invertebrates is also very diverse - more than 7 thousand species.
At the same time, even in specially protected natural areas, there are facts of processes of degradation of ecological systems. Here, the area of ​​pine forests has significantly decreased, and tall oak forests have almost completely disappeared. The economic development of the territory of the Samarskaya Luka caused significant damage to the flora and fauna.

National Park "Samarskaya Luka"
Modern ecosystems of the Samarskaya Luka are a refuge for a large number of endangered plants and animals. In the flora of Samarskaya Luka, 1302 species of vascular plants were noted, among which 102 species are endemic and 60 species are relict plants. 44 species of vascular plants are extremely rare.
The degree of conservation of natural territorial complexes in the park is lower than in the territory of the Zhiguli Reserve, while the species diversity of the national park is richer due to floodplain species - 61 species of mammals, 213 species of birds (about 150 nesting), 9 species of reptiles, 8 species of amphibians and about 45 species of fish.
As a result of intensive logging, carried out before the establishment of the national park, the structure of forest communities has changed significantly. Basically, middle-aged forests dominate with the dominance of one of the species: linden, oak, aspen.
The state of trees and shrubs according to the results of 2011 is assessed as satisfactory.
According to the results of 2011, there was no noticeable decrease in the number of the main species of vertebrates.

National Park "Buzuluksky Bor"
On the territory of the Samara and Orenburg regions in the floodplain of the Samara River, its tributaries of the Borovka and Koltubanka rivers, on the first and second terraces above the floodplain, there is a unique forest massif Buzuluksky pine forest.
Facilitating rainfall and snow accumulation, favoring the transfer of surface melt water to groundwater, boron restrains water erosion of soils and regulates water reserves in the basins of the rivers Borovka, Chertakly, Mushtai, Koltuban, Taneevka and others.
In the modern vegetation cover of the Buzuluk pine forest, according to the floristic studies carried out in recent years, there are 679 species of vascular plants belonging to 353 genera, 96 families, 7 classes and 5 divisions. 55 species of mammals, about 180 species of reptiles, 6 species of amphibians, 24 species of fish live on the territory of the forest. Of the total number of inhabitants of the forest, some species are protected and listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the Orenburg and Samara regions.

Specially protected natural areas of regional importance
The system of specially protected natural territories of regional importance in the Samara region is currently represented by one, the largest category of protected areas - natural monuments of regional importance (in 2011 there were 214 of them).
The share of the area of ​​protected areas of regional importance in the total area of ​​the territory of the Samara region in 2011 reached 0.8%.
As of December 31, 2011, the inventory and land management of all existing natural monuments was completed, their boundaries were approved, the regulations for natural monuments of regional significance were developed and approved by the Government of the Samara Region.

RpeviewPicture:

The Volga region covers the territories in the middle and lower reaches of the Volga. These places are famous for their diverse and attractive landscapes, which are protected in small but quite numerous nature reserves and national parks. The Volga region is usually divided into the right-bank Privolzhskaya Upland, where, among others, the reserves "Privolzhskaya forest-steppe" and "Prisursky", the national park "Samarskaya Luka" are located; and the left-bank Trans-Volga region, where the "Kerzhensky" reserve is located.

The ethnic diversity of the Volga region is great, which is manifested in handicrafts, costumes, folklore of the Mari, Chuvash, Tatars and other peoples who have long inhabited these places.
All protected areas of the Volga region have their own characteristics, for which they are worth visiting. Thus, some of the most primitive forms of dinosaurs were found in the Nurgush Reserve, in the oak forests of the Mordovsky Reserve there are huge trees over 300 years old, and in the Smolny National Park in the spring you can watch the passage of waterfowl.

Republic of Mari El, Kilemarsky and Medvedevsky districts

History of creation
State Reserve "Bolshaya Kokshaga" was established in 1993. Prior to that, the Mari Nature Reserve existed on the territory of Mari El, which completely burned out in the hot, dry summer of 1972.
The purpose of the creation of the reserve is to protect forest ecosystems on the border of the southern taiga and broad-leaved forests. Its total area is 21.4 thousand hectares.


The territory of the reserve is represented by river and lake-glacial plains. The highest point is 132.2 meters above sea level.
The largest river, the Bolshaya Kokshaga, the left tributary of the Volga, crosses the territory of the reserve in its central part. In total, about 20 rivers, streams and streams flow here. There are also three lakes on the territory of the reserve - Shushier, Kosheer and Kapsino.
The climate is temperate continental, with frosty winters and moderately hot summers.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The territory of the reserve is covered mainly with pine and birch forests. There are few spruce forests. They are located in the northern part of the reserve, mainly in the river valleys. In floodplain tracts, along the river. B. Kokshaga, mainly oak-linden plantations grow, and along small rivers and streams - fluffy birch or black alder with a small admixture of spruce. In extensive depressions, marshes of a transitional type are common, also covered with downy birch and black alder. Small areas of the floodplain are occupied by water meadows.
The fauna here is typically forest. There are numerous elk, white hare, squirrel, wild boar. Of the predatory mammals, the pine marten, polecat, and ermine are common; a brown bear and a wolf meet.
Of the birds, capercaillie, black grouse are often found. Common cranes, gray herons, as well as eagle owls, goshawks and sparrowhawks nest. Black stork, short-toed eagle, peregrine falcon, osprey, listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, were noted.

What to watch
Several ecological trails and excursion routes are organized on the territory of the protected zone of the reserve and the nearby territory. Hiking trails lead from the village of Starozhilsk to Salt Lake, or from there to Palenoye Lake.
The water route runs along the Bolshaya Kokshaga River from Starozhilsk to the village of Kokshomary, and the walking route - "Monuments of Nature", from Starozhilsk to the village of Markitan.
Soon the Museum of Nature and Ethnography of the Mari people will be created here. A lot of material on the history of the Mari people has already been collected, and a room for the museum has been chosen.

Buzuluk Forest National Park

Orenburg region, Buzuluk region and Samara region, Bogatovsky, Borsky and Kinel-Cherkassky regions

Founding history
Buzuluk forest is a unique forest in the steppe Trans-Volga region. This site dates back to the post-glacial period, its age is 6-7 thousand years. Then island pine and birch forests appeared on this territory. The actual pine forest with an undergrowth of deciduous plants formed about three to four thousand years ago.
To protect these relic pine and pine-broad-leaved forest cultures on the border of the Orenburg and Samara regions, in December 2007, the Buzuluksky Bor National Park was established. The area of ​​the protected area is about 106.8 thousand hectares.

Physical and geographical features
The Buzuluk pine forest is located 15 km north of the city of Buzuluk in a vast river basin with a depth of 100-150 meters. The river Borovka flows along the massif, in the south of the forest it flows into the river Samara.
More than 60 thousand hectares of the Buzuluk pine forest are occupied by sands, the thickness of which in some places reaches 90 meters. The vastness of the sandy massif is explained by the fact that in the region of the forest, there was probably an ancient sea. There are steppes around the forest, which have a long history of economic development.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The specificity of the landscape of the park lies in the unique combination of forest, steppe, meadow and marsh communities. More than two thirds of the massif is occupied by pine forests. Among them, mossy, complex and grassy pine forests are the most typical. The attraction of the forest are two pine trees aged 300-350 years.
Bor is bordered on almost all sides by a strip of deciduous forest bordering on the steppe. A strip of deciduous forests - oak, poplar and alder forests - stretches along the course of the Borovka River, separate areas of aspen and birch forests are scattered throughout the pine forest.
On the territory of the park, the growth of 13 species of rare plant species included in the Red Books of Russia and the Orenburg region was noted.
The terrestrial vertebrate fauna includes 55 mammal species, 180 bird species, eight reptile species, six amphibian species, and 24 fish species. The proportion of species included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation is very high. This is a Russian muskrat, a European mink, a river otter. Elk, roe deer, wild boar, badger, marten, common squirrel, beaver live in the park.
The IUCN Red List includes white-tailed eagles, peregrine falcons, bustards, little bustards, lapwings, and Russian desmans living on the territory of the Buzuluk forest.

What to watch
At present, the Buzuluk forest is the most valuable object of historical and cultural heritage, where, starting from the 80s of the 19th century, reference forest plantations were created that enriched the world forestry and forest reclamation science. In the summer, in the park you can enjoy the cleanliness of fresh air, the bright beauty of landscapes, sit in silence on the banks of a river or lake and go fishing or pick mushrooms and berries. In winter - go skiing on snow-covered hills and admire the centuries-old pine trees in snowy attire.

Republic of Tatarstan, Zelenodolsk and Laishevsky districts

Founding history
The idea of ​​organizing a reserve in these places arose as early as 1917, but it was realized only in 1960, when the Volga-Kama Reserve was created with a total area of ​​​​more than 10 thousand hectares. It consists of two separate sections - Raifsky and Saralovsky, located at a distance of about 100 km from each other.

Physical and geographical features
The formation of the relief and hydrological network of the reserve is connected with the history of the development of the Volga and Kama valleys, which arose long before the Ice Age on the Russian Plain. The territory of the Raifsky section of the reserve is confined to a wide lowering of the middle Quaternary terrace of the Volga, the Saralinsky section is located at the confluence of the Volga, Kama and Mesha rivers. Here, from the so-called Bald Mountain, wonderful views of the reserved forest and the reservoir open up.
In the reserve there is a very beautiful Raifskoye Lake, into which the Sumka River flows. There are other, smaller forest lakes.
The climate of the reserve is temperate continental. The average temperature of the coldest month - January -10.2ºС, the warmest - July +19.3ºС; the absolute minimum temperature reaches -41ºС, the absolute maximum +36ºС.

Diversity of flora and fauna
More than 90% of the area of ​​the reserve is covered with forests. Spruce-fir forests, various types of pine forests, oak forests, mixed forests, linden forests, birch forests, aspen forests, and floodplain alder forests are widespread in the Raifa section. Since the 16th century, there have been no fellings for the main use here, therefore, overmature forests with 200-300 year old pines, spruces, and oaks have been preserved. Swamps are diverse, mostly transitional.
Pine and linden forests predominate on the Saralovsky site. Steppe pine forests are confined to sandy hills and ledges of terraces, and mixed herb and feather grass steppe communities are found.
Such species listed in the Red Book of Russia as feather grass, red pollenhead and others grow in the reserve.
The fauna combines taiga, oak and steppe complexes. Hares live here - hare and hare, elk, wild boar, muskrat. Occasionally there are a wolf, a bear, a lynx, an ermine, a forest polecat, a roe deer, a reddish ground squirrel.
Birds are numerous: black grouse, hazel grouse, gray partridge, quail, turtledove, wood pigeon, corncrake, chariot, gray heron is common.

What to watch
In the Raifa section, excursions will be held for you in the museum of nature and in the arboretum of the reserve, founded in 1921. About 500 species of trees and shrubs from North America, Europe and Asia are collected here.
On the shore of Raifa Lake is the Raifa Monastery of the 17th century, which you can also visit with a guided tour.

Samara region, Stavropol district

History of creation
For the first time the reserve was organized in 1927 under the name "Middle Volga". In the period from 1935 to 1966, it was closed several times, but since 1966 it has been functioning again, although its area has become smaller - now it is 23 thousand hectares.

Physical and geographical features
The reserve includes the central massif of the Zhiguli, bounded from the west by the Morkvashinsky and from the east by the Shiryaevskaya valleys. The height of the mountain range within the reserve ranges from 250 meters above sea level in the west and east to 371 meters in the center. Within the reserve, the ridge is cut by two valleys: Bakhilova Polyana and Molebnaya ravine.
The climate in the area of ​​the reserve is continental with hot summers and frosty winters. The coldest month is January (-11ºС). The warmest month is July (+20ºС). The absolute maximum air temperature over the past 20 years was +41ºС, and the absolute minimum was -44ºС.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The flora of the Zhiguli is amazing and diverse. Next to the typical representatives of the forest-steppe of central Russia, taiga and desert plants grow, inhabitants of the warm Mediterranean, harsh Siberia and the Urals. Inhabitants of the northern taiga forests - bearberry, two-leaved mink, some ferns; desert plants - wormwood saltwort, thin-legged hard-leaved, Popov's forget-me-not; Mediterranean species - speckled charcoal, alpine aster.
The so-called "mountain pine forests" with a number of rare and relic species are very interesting. Zhiguli narrow-local endemics include Zhiguli spurge, kachim, sunflower and others.
The wealth and features of the Zhiguli fauna are explained by a number of favorable circumstances: the relative antiquity of the territory, geographical location, favorable conditions for the conservation of species during periods of glaciation, a large variety of natural complexes and their best preservation compared to the surrounding territories.
The largest representatives of the animal world are ungulates: elk, wild boar and roe deer. Moreover, it is curious that a few centuries ago, a wild boar was knocked out by hunters on the Samarskaya Luka. As a result of organized protection in the second half of the 20th century, its numbers began to grow again, and now the wild boar is the most numerous species of ungulates in the territory.

What to watch
There are several routes on the border of the reserve: "Stone Bowl Spring", "Burlak Adits", "Mount Strelnaya". You can combine their passage with a rest in the Samarskaya Luka National Park, which adjoins the reserve from the west, south and east.

Kerzhensky Reserve

Nizhny Novgorod region, Borsky and Semenovsky districts

History of creation
There were plans to create a reserve even before the Great Patriotic War, but they could only come true in 1993, when the Kerzhensky Reserve was founded. Nine years later, it was included in the international network of UNESCO biosphere reserves with the name "Nizhny Novgorod Trans-Volga".
The reserve is engaged in the protection of intact southern taiga ecosystems of the Trans-Volga region, as well as wetlands. One of the important reasons for the creation of the reserve was also the presence of desman in this area.

Physical and geographical features
The reserve is located on the left bank of the Kerzhenets River, 50 km from its confluence with the Volga. The territory is generally a flat lowland with sand dunes, mounds and ridges located on it.
Within the reserve, a number of tributaries flow into Kerzhenets: the rivers Makarikha, Rustaichik, Cherry, Pugay and others.
The climate is temperate continental. Average January temperatures are -12ºC, July +19ºC.

Diversity of flora and fauna
More than half of the territory of the reserve is occupied by pine forests. In addition to them, birch forests, partly spruce forests are common. Alder forests grow along the valleys of forest rivers and streams, in swampy areas.
The Red Book of Russia includes neottiante klobuchkova growing here, Traunsteiner's fingernail, red fingerhead.
Of the animals, the brown bear, pine marten, polecat, ermine, European mink, wolf, and beaver lynx are constantly living. There are such birds as capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse, Russian partridge. Of the rare animal species, the Russian muskrat has been noted. Of the birds - black stork, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, osprey and a number of others.

What to watch
The reserve is located in very picturesque places. It is believed that this is where the taiga begins.
One of the main local attractions is the village of Lykovo, founded in the 17th century. The tsar's forester was exiled here, having somehow offended himself before the tsar. But the forester did not lose heart, began to tear the bast and float it to the Makarievskaya fair, on which he got rich ... And now in the village houses of the 19th century with wood carvings have been preserved, there is a skeleton of a church that once burned down from a lightning strike.
Excursions along the eco-trails "Nightlife of Nature" and "Floodplain of the Kerzhenets River" are conducted in the reserve.

Mari Chodra National par To

Republic of Mari El, Morkinsky, Zvenigovsky and Volzhsky district

History of creation
National Park "Mari Chodra", or "Mari forest" in Russian, was created in 1985. The territory of the park with an area of ​​36.6 thousand hectares is covered with beautiful pine forests and broad-leaved forests.
The main tasks of the park were the preservation and restoration of landscapes, characteristic flora and fauna, natural monuments; protection of natural complexes, including lakes of sinkhole-karst origin, and their use for recreational, educational and scientific purposes.

Physical and geographical conditions
The national park is located in the southeast of the Republic of Mari El, in the basin of the river. The Ilet is a left tributary of the Volga and is part of the mixed forest belt of the forest zone. The territory is a slightly undulating plain with absolute heights of 75-125 meters above sea level.
There are a large number of lakes and rivers in the park. The main river of the park is the Ilet with its left-bank tributaries: Yushut, Arbaika, Uba, the Petyalka River flows into it from the right. During the warm period of the year, the water content of the river allows tourist boats to pass through. In the Klenovaya Gora area, more than 20 springs come out to Ilet. The most significant is the Green Key, beating at the foot of the mountain on the left bank of the Ileti.
Forest karst lakes are very clean and transparent, some of them - Yalchik, Glukhoe, Kichner, Shulgandan - are natural monuments.
The climate of the area where the national park is located is temperate continental, characterized by relatively hot summers and frosty winters with stable snow cover. The average temperature of the warmest month (July) is +18.3°C, the coldest (January) is -14.1°C.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The park is dominated by forest vegetation, where the largest proportion is pine forests, spruce forests are mosaically represented, there are oak forests. Various types of birch and aspen forests occupy about a third of the park area.
Rare plant species growing in the park on the border of their ranges include: laxative joster, forest apple tree; red-fruited corow, common heather, dyeing dock, Arnell's sedge, Ural tsitserbita and others.
In the fauna of the park there are taiga species - brown bear, elk, capercaillie, hazel grouse; types of coniferous-deciduous forests - yellow-throated mouse, squirrel, green woodpecker; as well as forest-steppe species - hare, field mouse, reddish ground squirrel, common hamster. The red fox is often seen. The muskrat also lives in the park - a rare species listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Red Book of the Russian Federation.
More than 43 species of fish live in the rivers and lakes of the park - such as catfish, pike, gold and silver carp, carp, tench, bream. A rare species, the European grayling, lives in the channels of the Ilet River.

What to watch
The national park is ecologically clean, the most picturesque corner of the Mari nature. Here you can find traces of a bear and an elk, mighty trees felled by beavers, rare plants.
Interesting historical objects - the old Kazan tract and "Pugachev's Oak". According to ancient legends, near this oak, pursued by the tsarist troops, Emelyan Pugachev stopped to rest with his troops. From here he monitored the burning Kazan. The size of an oak is very different among the stands. This is a gigantic tree with a powerful trunk, the diameter of which is 159 cm.
You can explore nature and see all the sights of the park by following the numerous horse, water or hiking trails, accompanied by experienced guides of the park.

Mordovian Reserve

Republic of Mordovia, Temnikovsky district

History of creation
The Mordovian Reserve was established in 1935 to preserve and restore the forest massif of the southern part of the taiga zone with spruce plantations, to preserve and enrich the animal world by acclimatizing the most valuable species.
The reserve was named after the famous political figure Peter Smidovich, who did a lot to protect the nature of Mordovia.

Physical and geographical features
The reserve lies in the interfluve of the Moksha and its right tributary Satis, the relief is slightly dissected, characterized by small elevations between the floodplains of the rivers and logs.
The main river of the reserve is the Pushta. Moksha, Satis, Arga and a number of others also flow here. In summer, the channels of most rivers are waterless. There are many oxbow lakes in the reserve, the largest of them are Inorkp and Valza.
The climate of the territory is moderate, characteristic of the middle latitudes. The average temperature in January is -12°С, in July +20°С. The seasons are characterized by sharp fluctuations in temperature.

Diversity of flora and fauna
Almost the entire territory of the reserve is covered with forests, about half of which is occupied by pine forests. Birch forests predominate in the western and eastern parts, linden forests in the central part. In the Moksha floodplain, oak forests grow at the age of 140-150 years, occasionally there are even giants over 300 years old.
Among rare species in the reserve there are real lady's slipper, red pollenhead, reviving moonwort, which has not yet been found anywhere else in Mordovia.
It has already been said above that the reserve is engaged in the acclimatization of various species on its territory. In total, six species were brought into the territory, including the river beaver, which had previously been practically exterminated in the region, the Russian desman, sika deer, Ascanian deer, Siberian roe deer and bison.
In the reserve there are birds listed in the Red Book of Russia, including saker falcon, golden eagle, little bustard, black stork and others.

Nechkinsky National Park

Udmurt Republic, Votkinsky, Zavyalovsky and Sarapulsky districts

Founding history
The Nechkinsky National Park, located in the middle reaches of the Kama, is very popular with tourists who love outdoor recreation.
The park was established in 1997 for the protection and recreational use of valuable natural complexes of the Kama River valley - taiga forests, mixed forests and forest-steppe, numerous swamp complexes. Its area is now almost 21 thousand hectares.

Physical and geographical features
The national park is located in the middle reaches of the Kama River, on the coast of the Votkinsk reservoir. The right- and left-bank parts of the territory are very different: the Kama region is an elevated plain, densely and deeply dissected by valleys of small rivers, gullies and ravines, the left bank is represented by a floodplain and floodplain terraces.
The main rivers of the park - the Kama and its tributary Siva - have a typical flat character and are characterized by small slopes. The Kama along almost its entire length has a steep, steep right bank with a ledge height in some places more than 160 meters and an almost even flat left bank.
The territory of the Nechkinsky Park is characterized by a temperate continental climate with long cold winters, well-defined but short transitional seasons - autumn and spring, and warm summers. The warmest month is July, the average temperature is +19ºС. In January, the average temperature is -15ºС, and the minimum is -49ºС.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The territory of the Nechkinsky National Park is located in the subzone of coniferous-deciduous forests.
The flora of the park is characterized by increased diversity - more than 70% of the species of the entire natural flora of Udmurtia grow here in a small area, and three species are found only on its territory. This is a reed butterbur, creeping umbilical, field denets.
Four plant species are listed in the Red Book of Russia. This is a real lady's slipper, neottiante klobuchkovy, calypso bulbous, red pollenhead.
Of the representatives of the animal world in the national park, there are five species of birds listed in the Red Book of Russia - the black stork, the osprey, the white-tailed eagle, the eagle owl and the curlew.
Tourists can observe the life in natural conditions of an ordinary hedgehog, red evening, fox, elk, squirrel, chipmunk, muskrat, white hare.

What to watch
There are several interesting natural monuments in the park. Thus, the mouth of the Siva River is interesting as a spawning ground for valuable fish species, the Nechkino tract is a standard of the watershed, the Sidorovy Gory is a landscape monument of nature.
There are also several archeological monuments here - sites of the Stone and Bronze Age, an ancient settlement of the early Iron Age.
The park staff conducts ecological excursions, which include getting to know the life of the inhabitants of wild nature sites, as well as coastal and river landscapes.
Tourist routes pass along picturesque paths, equipped with places for rest and swimming.

Nurgush Reserve

Kirov region, Kotelnichesky district

History of creation
The Nurgush nature reserve was established in 1994 on the site of the nature reserve of the same name, which existed for more than 40 years. The total area of ​​the reserve is almost six thousand hectares. The purpose of its creation is the protection of intact typical middle taiga landscapes in the floodplain of the Vyatka River with characteristic flora and fauna.

Physical and geographical features
The relief of the reserve is an alternation of long narrow elevations and depressions. The depressions are occupied by channels and shallow reservoirs, deep depressions (4-6 meters) - floodplain lakes, oxbow lakes. In the area of ​​​​the reserve on the Vyatka River there are 3 islands: Pishchalsky, Bezymyanny and Oseredok.
The Vyatka River is the main river of the reserve; it delineates the boundaries of the territory in the north, east and south. In addition to several other rivers, there are more than 80 lakes on the territory of the reserve, the largest of which are Krivoe, Chernoye and Turgush. These lakes are located in the center of the reserve and are interconnected by permanent channels. During spring floods, almost the entire reserve is flooded with water.
The climate of the territory is temperate continental with long cold snowy winters and moderately warm short summers. The air temperature of the warmest month - July is +18ºС, and the coldest month - January -13.9ºС.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The reserve is a continuous array of broad-leaved-coniferous swamp forests. Coniferous forests occupy about 20% of the area, including spruce, pine and fir forests. Significant areas are occupied by secondary deciduous forests: aspen and birch forests.
Here you can find the real lady's slipper, bulbous calypso and Tarunshteiner's toe, listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.
A typical feature of the fauna of the reserve is that it includes species characteristic of the steppe, taiga and nemoral systems.
Desman, common shrew, muskrat, American and European mink, otter are typical. Bear and badger are not very common due to the fact that almost the entire territory is flooded with water.
Of the birds, there are many species whose lifestyle is associated with reservoirs and swamps. Of the rare species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the osprey, white-tailed eagle, black stork, red-throated goose, lesser white-fronted goose and others live here.

What to watch
Not far from the reserve is one of the world's largest habitats of dinosaurs, and their most primitive forms. You can learn more about these ancient animals in the paleontological museum of Kotelnich.
There are many places in the reserve that are attractive for researchers, artists and just idle vacationers.
For those who like to collect the gifts of nature, there is a real expanse here, a lot of different berries and mushrooms. It is good to fish in Vyatka: in May-June they take pike, bream, and sabrefish well. In winter, bream, perch, and pike are caught from the ice.

Volga forest-steppe Reserve

Penza region, Kuznetsk, Kameshkirsky, Neverkinsky, Kolyshleysky and Penza districts

History of creation
Although the reserve "Privolzhskaya forest-steppe" dates back only to 1989, the first protected area - "Poperechenskaya steppe", was organized here back in 1919.
The main purpose of the work of the reserve is to preserve the unique steppes of the northern type. In addition to three steppe areas, the reserve also includes two forest areas, and its total area is 8.3 thousand hectares.

Physical and geographical features
The reserve is located in the south-west of the Volga Upland, within the main watershed between the Volga and the Don.
Within the boundaries of the "Upper Sura" section, the Sura River with numerous small tributaries flows through the territory of the reserve. There is also a small lake Svetloye of glacial origin. The Borok site is bounded on the southeastern side by the Kadada River, a tributary of the Sura. There is a sedge-grass swamp on the site "Kuncherovskaya steppe".
The climate of the territory is temperate continental. Winter is moderately cold, the average January temperature is about -12°C. The summer is warm, the average temperature in July is about +19°C.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The flora of the reserve is extremely diverse. Among the vegetation within the reserve, pine and mixed forests, oak forests and meadow steppes predominate. The meadow steppes are given a unique look by feather grasses, swaying in the wind with silvery threads in June.
The Red Book of Russia includes 4 types of feather grass found in the reserve: pubescent, pinnate, beautiful and Zalessky's feather grass.
The location of the reserve in the forest-steppe zone explains the presence here of animal species characteristic of both forests and steppes. The pine marten, badger, elk, wild boar live here. There are rare for the region lynx, otter, ermine, river beaver, steppe lemming, speckled ground squirrel.
The role of the protected area as a reserve of hunting and commercial species of animals is important. Here, in winter, about 30 elk, dozens of wild boars, hundreds of capercaillie and black grouse find shelter.
The world of birds of the reserve is diverse. Of the rare ones, the common honey buzzard, golden eagle and saker falcon, bustard were noted, nesting of the steppe harrier, rare for the region, was registered.

What to watch
The area of ​​the reserve location is interesting for both natural and cultural attractions. In the village of Radishchevo, you can visit the museum complex of the noble estate of the 1st half of the 18th century A.N. Radishchev, in the villages of Ablyazovo and Demino - Orthodox churches of the 18th century, and in Demino there are also two Muslim mosques. In the village of Tikhmenevo there is a museum of the history of the surrounding villages, culture and life of the Russian population and a visitor center of the reserve.
You can swim and fish in the protected area of ​​the Borok protected area, and in the Kuncherovskaya Forest-Steppe area you will be offered an unusual walk on a horse-drawn cart, during which you will get acquainted with unique plant associations, soils and plant species.
On the eco-trail in the buffer zone of the Upper Sura section, you will be introduced to the types of forest vegetation, flora and fauna, and traditional types of nature management.
Very small groups can visit protected areas to observe and photograph beaver settlements.

Prisursky Reserve

Republic of Chuvashia, Alatyrsky, Yalchiksky and Batyrevsky districts

History of creation
The Prisursky Reserve was established in 1995 to protect the southern taiga valley forests and wetlands with their inherent flora and fauna, in particular to protect the desman and seasonal concentrations of waterfowl. Later it was expanded with the creation of two new sites in the east of Chuvashia, which are important for the protection of fragments of steppe vegetation with marmot settlements. The total area of ​​the reserve is 9.1 thousand hectares.

Physical and geographical features
The reserve is located on the western and eastern slopes of the Volga Upland. The average heights of the territory are 120-180 meters above sea level, and the highest point reaches 221 meters. The territory has a slight slope from the northeast to the southwest.
The reserve is located on the right bank of the Sura River and closely adjoins its floodplain. Other rivers of the reserve are Lyulya and its tributaries: Orlik, Abachka, Sultanka.
The climate of the region is temperate continental, characterized by cold winters and hot summers. The average temperature of the coldest month - January is -12.5ºС, the average temperature of the warmest month - July is +19ºС.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The territory of the reserve is dominated by northern broad-leaved forests with a small proportion of spruce. The coniferous forests of the Surye currently represent small areas of pine forests. In deciduous forests, birch, aspen, linden dominate, alder, oak, and willow are somewhat less common.
On the Yalchik site, rare and endangered plant species have been preserved: hairy feather grass, protozoa protozoa, steppe sage, Zinger's astragalus and others. A relict steppe biogeocenosis has been preserved on a site in the Batyrevsky district.
Typical representatives of the animal world are elk, bear, wolf, wild boar, hare, fox, marten and otter.
The main protected animal species in the reserve is the Russian muskrat.
On the lakes there are nesting sites of a huge number of waterfowl and near-water birds. Birds such as the Greater Spotted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Oystercatcher, Eastern Imperial Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Osprey and Eagle Owl, listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, have been registered on the territory of the reserve.

What to watch
Particularly interesting for tourists is the site of the reserve, located in the Batyrevsky district. Climbing the slope from the highway, passing 200 meters away, you can observe the life of the marmot colony and the foxes living among the marmots.
In the floodplain of the Sura River, it is possible to organize horse trails through picturesque places, with views of the numerous lakes of the floodplain and the river itself. There is also an artesian well with healing hydrogen sulfide water.
And if you are attentive and careful, you may be able to see one of the Red Book inhabitants of the reserve.

Samara region, Stavropol, Volzhsky and Syzran regions

History of creation
The Samarskaya Luka National Park was founded in 1984 to preserve natural complexes, develop national culture, and create conditions for the development of sustainable tourism. There are many tourist bases and rest houses on the territory of the park. There are summer and winter routes. The residents of Zhigulevsk, to which the park adjoins in the south, are especially lucky, so getting out into nature is not difficult for them.

Physical and geographical features
The national park is located in the eastern part of the Zhiguli Upland, in the bend of the Volga - Samarskaya Luka.
The northern part of the territory is occupied by the Zhiguli Mountains with the highest elevations up to 370 meters. To the south, the relief goes down, turns into a plain.
The only river of the national park is the Volga. The Volzhskaya HPP built here has a significant impact on the hydrological regime of the park.
The climate of the territory is continental. The temperature of the coldest month - January, is -10ºС, the warmest - July, +20ºС.

Features of flora and fauna
On the territory of Samarskaya Luka there are forest-steppe and steppe pine forests, broad-leaved forests, steppes, floodplain vegetation. The forests are dominated by deciduous, mainly linden forests, oak forests and aspen forests.
Of particular interest are endemic plants of the Samara Luka and the Zhiguli Upland: Volga carnation, Zhiguli kachim, Zhiguli spurge, Zhiguli thyme. The relics are spotted charcoal, Cossack juniper, Tatar corostavnik, Shiverekia Podolskaya, Robert's geranium and others.
The fauna of the park is diverse, about a third of the fauna of terrestrial vertebrates in the park are located at the borders of their ranges.
Here live a giant evening and Russian muskrat, listed in the Red Book of Russia. Of the almost 20 species of birds listed in the Red Book, one can note the white gull, the European black-throated diver, the long-legged buzzard, and the black stork.

What to watch
Of the archaeological sites, one of the largest settlements of the Volga Bulgaria of the 9th-13th centuries, the Murom town, is very interesting. Mnteres are also represented by settlements of the Bronze and Iron Ages - Lbishche, on the Bald, Zadelnaya and White mountains.
Here is the house-museum of the wonderful Russian artist Ilya Repin, and in the village of Bolshaya Ryazan there is a colorful ethnographic museum.
The territory is rich in natural resources for hiking, cycling, skiing and water tourism. A network of tourist routes has been laid throughout the park, the most famous of which is the Zhigulevskaya Round the World.

Republic of Mordovia, Ichalkovsky district

History of creation
Picturesque landscapes, floodplain lakes, healing springs, dense forests - all this attracts tourists to the Mordovian Smolny National Park.
The park was created in 1995 to protect the typical landscapes of Mordovia, valuable from an ecological and aesthetic point of view, as well as to use them for recreation.
The maximum length of the park from west to east is 35 kilometers, from north to south - 18, and the total area is 36.4 thousand hectares.

Physical and geographical features
The territory of the national park is confined to the northwestern part of the Volga Upland. The relief is moderately dissected, characterized by a significant network of ravines in its northeastern part. The maximum mark - 217 meters above sea level - is located in the northern part of the park.
All rivers of the park belong to the basin of the Alatyr River, the left tributary of the Sura. These typically flat rivers are characterized by a slight fall and a relatively slow flow. In addition to rivers, there are more than 30 springs in the park, swamps and lakes, including two Oak lakes - natural monuments.
The national park is located in the forest-steppe zone of the temperate zone. The average temperature of the coldest month - January -11.5ºС, drops to -47ºС were noted. The average temperature of the warmest month - July +18.5ºС.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The vegetation of the park is very rich and unique. The most common type of vegetation is pure and mixed pine forests. There are few pure spruce forests, but there are pine forests with an admixture of spruce. Broad-leaved forests are represented by linden forests and oak forests.
Rare species of aquatic flora are noted on the territory of the park - chilim, or water chestnut (a species included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation), large naiad, small caulinia. These species are rare throughout central Russia.
In total, more than 40 species of vascular plants are included in the list of rare and endangered in the Republic of Mordovia. These are two-seeded sedge, grass pondweed, aspic sedge, graceful cottongrass, chokeberry cotoneaster and other species.
The fauna of the reserve has not yet been studied enough. Elk, wild boar, pine marten, ermine, beaver live here. Such animals of the park as the little shrew, common shrew, hazel dormouse, dormouse dormouse, river beaver, badger, European mink, lynx, roe deer and a number of others are listed in the Red Book of Mordovia. In addition, 18 animal species are listed in the annexes of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
In the park there are 7 species of birds listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This is a greater spotted eagle, imperial eagle, white-tailed eagle, steppe kestrel, steppe harrier, corncrake, great snipe.
Pike, roach, rudd, tench, minnow, burbot, perch, ruff, rotan, silver carp and other species live in rivers and lakes.

What to watch
In the national park you can completely relax, enjoying clean air, forest lakes, berries and mushrooms. Having settled in summer bases, in the building of the administration of the park or a sanatorium, do not forget to walk along the routes developed for you by the employees of the environmental education department. This way you will learn more about the nature of the park, see wonderful natural monuments - Oak lakes, the "Yasli" tract, the Elnichnoye Lake raised bog and other places.
In spring, you can watch the passage of waterfowl in the floodplain of the Alatyr River, organize a picnic on specially equipped sites with gazebos, swim, pick mushrooms and berries for yourself.

Khvalynsky National Park

Saratov region, Khvalynsky district

History of creation
The rounded sides of the hills bask in the sun and sparkle with the whiteness of chalk outcrops. The trill of the lark spreads far, far and calls to rise after itself into the bottomless depths of the sky. The Volga beckons with coolness, and the forests with a mysterious canopy, tints of green colors and bewitching smells of flowering herbs. All this is the Khvalynsky region.
The history of the formation of this territory is interesting. Hundreds of millions of years ago, here was the lowest point of the platform on which the Russian Plain now stands. All of it was covered by ancient seas, on the territory of this region their waters were the longest. In the warm, shallow waters of these seas, myriads of living creatures, ending their life, fell to the bottom, creating deposits of chalk and other sedimentary rocks up to several tens of meters thick.
Approximately twenty million years ago, all this rose in the form of a young Volga Upland with the highest point in the vicinity of Khvalynsk. And in 1994, the Khvalynsky National Park was created here in order to preserve the unique natural complexes of the region.

Physical and geographical features
The park is located in the northeastern part of the Saratov Right Bank, on the highest mountains in the Saratov region. This is a high plateau - 200-300 meters above sea level. The general character of the relief is elevated, rugged, wavy and hilly. Numerous ravines, beams. The natural boundary in the east is the river. Volga, in the north and north-west, the region borders on the Samara region, in the south - on the Volsky region.
In the Khvalynsk region, the Volga reaches its greatest depths - up to 22.5 meters. The speed of the current, like all lowland rivers, is small.
The climate of the region is characterized by sharp continentality with large daily and annual fluctuations in air temperature. The average temperature in January is -13ºС (minimum -43ºС), in July +21ºС (maximum +39ºС).

Diversity of flora and fauna
The forest vegetation of the park is formed by pine forests on chalk outcrops, pine forests on tertiary sands, as well as oak and linden forests on gray forest soils. The originality of the forests of the park is also manifested in the existence of "chalky" forests. Cretaceous pine is both a relic, endemic and natural monument of the region.
21 plants found in the park, mostly relics and endemics, are listed in the Red Book of Russia, including sagebrush, fragrant levkoy, fine-leaved peony, Volga cinquefoil, and beautiful feather grass.
The relict plants of the park include horsetail (field and wintering) and ferns (common bracken and rare ferns - lanceolate-comb lancet and female nodule). Relicts are also two-spike conifer or Kuzmicheva grass and Scots pine.
The real lady's slipper is included in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
On the territory of the park there are hare, beaver, fox, wolf, badger, forest and steppe ferrets and other animals. Conditions are favorable for the habitat of many birds of prey in the national park. It should be noted the importance of the high density of the marmot, which is the food base for the burial ground. Common buzzard, common kestrel, common honey buzzard reach high numbers. In winter, a significant number of white-tailed eagles are observed.
Of the animal species listed in the Red Book of Russia, 3 species of insects are found in the park (Hungarian ground beetle, stag beetle and steppe bumblebee), 7 species of birds and the steppe marmot, or marmot. Wolf, lynx and 29 species of birds are listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, incl. gray crane, osprey, white-tailed eagle, saker falcon, eagle owl.

What to watch
In addition to the Cretaceous pine, there are three more natural monuments in the park: "Tract Belenkaya Mountain", "Fragment of the Vorontsov-Dashkov Park", "Khvalynsky Springs".
The tract of Mount Belenkaya is distinguished by a huge variety of vegetation and the beauty of the landscape.
On the territory of the "Fragment of the Vorontsov-Dashkov Park" a unique plant - an introduced plant - comb fir is protected. A tree more than 30 meters high grows next to the manor house.
Ecological trails of the park pass through picturesque places with interesting flora and fauna, and include sightseeing. So, traveling around the “Reserved Land”, you can learn a lot about the layering of the forest, about the life of the anthill and its inhabitants - ants, about the long-lived oak and much more from the life of plants, animals, forest nature. Ecotrail "Monk's Cave" includes a description of the historical and cultural features of the region, "Journey along the bottom of the ancient sea" will introduce the history of the formation of the Khvalynsky mountains. The Mikhailovsky Dawns trail is interesting, demonstrating to tourists the uniqueness of the flora and fauna of the Cretaceous outcrops and including visiting snake lakes with therapeutic mud. It is also worth walking through the "Land of Mushroom Mists" and other fascinating trails.
Excursions in the national park include, in addition to ecological trails, the Forest Museum and the Teremok enclosure. The first inhabitant of "Teremok" was a camel. Now you will also see the imperial eagle, spotted deer, wild boar, marmot, mandarin duck, silver pheasant and other animals there. Here you can feed the deer by hand. You can ride horses - in the saddle or on a cart, in winter - in a sleigh.

Chavas Varmane National Park

Chuvash Republic, Shemurshinsky and Batyrevsky districts

History of creation
The Chavash Varmane National Park was established in 2003 on the territory of the Chuvash Republic with a total area of ​​25.2 thousand hectares.
Once this territory was a zone of contacts between steppe nomadic and forest agricultural cultures. In the Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC), the tribes of the Srubna culture lived here. In the 1st millennium, this territory was inhabited by Iranian-speaking Burtus, Turkic-speaking Khazars, and ancient Mordovians.
Since the time of the “wild field”, the territory has been inhabited by representatives of all ethnographic groups of the Chuvash, but at the same time, the history, culture and life of the “Simbirsk” Chuvash have been embodied here, first of all.

Physical and geographical features
The territory of the national park is located in the northern part of the Volga Upland, the relief is a series of local watersheds. Absolute heights of 120-160 m predominate. The maximum heights are noted in the eastern part of the park (265 meters).
A large number of rivers and streams flow through the territory. The most significant are the White Abyss, the Black Abyss, Abamza, Hutamatvar and others. There are over 20 lakes, there are artificial reservoirs.
The climate of the region is temperate continental with rather long cold winters and warm summers. The average temperature in January is -12.8ºС, in July +19.2ºС.

Diversity of flora and fauna
The basis of the flora of the park are species characteristic of broad-leaved, coniferous-broad-leaved and pine forests, meadows and, to a lesser extent, steppe species. Unique in their value are preserved areas of primary mature forests with pine, spruce, oak, linden, elm, ash, black alder.
Here you can find real lady's slipper, calypso bulbous, red pollenhead listed in the Red Book.
Almost all types of vertebrates living in the Chuvash Republic are represented in the national park. About 40 species live here near the boundaries of their ranges.
The Red Book golden eagle, serpent eagle, burial ground, osprey are protected here.

What to watch
There are eight hiking trails in the national park, laid through the most picturesque places.
In the area of ​​the national park, you can see the places where people once prayed and made sacrifices to pagan gods and spirits.
An important historical monument is the Karlinskaya (or Tetyushskaya) notch line. In the XVI-XVII centuries, it was a serious barrier against the attack of the steppe nomads on the Russian state.
In the villages of Shemursha, Bolshebuyanovo and Trekhboltaevo, there are interesting local history museums that are also worth visiting.

Tatarstan is a region with endless forests, spacious well-groomed fields, deep rivers, numerous springs and lakes. The nature of this region is rich in deciduous and coniferous forests, which are the habitat of various forest inhabitants, and the most beautiful numerous reservoirs are full of various types of fish.

The reserves of Tatarstan include beautiful ice lakes, deep caves, forests and other natural objects. Having been here, you can feel all the magical power and power of nature.

general information

What reserves and national parks are there in Tatarstan? The natural reserve fund of Tatarstan includes a total of 154 specially protected natural objects, including the following:

• State Volga-Kama Biosphere Reserve;
• "Lower Kama" - state national park;
• 24 different profiles of natural state reserves of regional significance;
• natural monuments (total 127) of regional importance, including 64 water (springs, lakes, rivers) and 63 land;
• one natural, specially protected area of ​​local importance.

All of them occupy an area of ​​133,625 hectares, which is about 2% of the entire area of ​​the republic.

Below is a list of the most significant nature reserves and national parks in Tatarstan. On the territory of the republic, the Volga-Kama Reserve and the Nizhnyaya Kama National Park are especially large and important natural objects (for more information about them, see the article below).

List of national reserves of Tatarstan

1. Bilyar State Historical-Archaeological and Natural Museum-Reserve (village of Bilyarsk).
2. Historical and architectural Bulgarian museum-reserve (Spassky district).
3. Volga-Kama State Natural Biosphere Reserve (Raifsky area).
4. Yelabuga Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve (city of Yelabuga).
5. Iske-Kazan Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve (v. Kamaevo).
6. The Kazan Kremlin is a historical, architectural and art museum-reserve (Kazan).

Among the large natural areas protected by the state is the Nizhnyaya Kama (a national park near the city of Yelabuga).

Let us present in more detail the two most significant natural objects for the republic and the whole country.

Volga-Kama Nature Reserve of Tatarstan

In the eastern territory of the European part of Russia (the east of the Republic of Tatarstan), where the Kama flows into the Volga and where the border between the forest and steppe zones is located, the Volga-Kama Reserve extends. It consists of 2 separate sections: Saralovsky (Laishevsky district of the republic) and Raifsky.

The unique reserve of Tatarstan was founded in 1960. The purpose of its creation is the study and preservation of the natural complexes of the Trans-Volga region.

The Saralovsky section, which includes the water area of ​​the Kuibyshev reservoir, has its own characteristics. Here you can observe the life of animals in natural conditions.

The main attraction of this site is the white-tailed eagle bird (listed in the International Red Book). There is a specially equipped place where you can admire this rare bird, flights of gulls, kites and other birds. Here, it is quite common to see an elk swimming across the channel, a raccoon dog and a beaver.

The area of ​​the entire reserve is 10 thousand hectares.

Raifa section

This part of the reserve is located on the territory of the Zelenodolsky district. Its natural zone is a real pearl of the Volga region. It's hard to find a place like it. In a relatively small area, forests of almost all types characteristic of central Russia grow, as well as plantations that are more than 250-300 years old.

What is one Lake Raifskoe worth - a wonderful reservoir with dark blue water! On the territory of the site there are also lakes formed as a result of karst processes, and sphagnum bogs, reserves of relics of the glacial era.

The Raifa Dendrological Garden (area - 3.5 hectares) in its departments presents Asian and American vegetation for visitors. In total, more than 500 species of shrubs and trees grow here - the largest collection in the entire Volga region.

On the territory of the protected zone of this site there is a unique historical architectural monument of the 17th century - the male Raifa Bogoroditsky Monastery.

The Raifa Museum of Nature exhibits more than 50 species of the inhabitants of the reserve. The complex is equipped with multimedia equipment that allows showing films and lecturing on natural topics.

Nizhnyaya Kama National Park

The park is located on the territory of 2 administrative districts of Tatarstan: Tukaevsky and Yelabuga. There are several water (Kriushe and Kama rivers) and land (through forests) routes for tourists on the territory of the park.

The territory occupies a section of the lower reaches of the Kama and, in its relief, is a dissected stepped plain with watershed heights up to 165 meters on average. A characteristic feature is the wide development of a ravine-beam network, mainly tied to the right, higher bank of the Kama.

The fauna is represented by representatives of the animal world typical of the eastern part of central Russia, but taiga and steppe species of mammals and birds give it a special flavor: chipmunk, red-backed vole, steppe lemming, hoopoe, roller roll.

The park was founded in April 1991. Its area is 26.2 hectares. The park is located not far from the cities of Nizhnekamsk, Yelabuga and Naberezhnye Chelny.

It should be noted that there are about 80 archaeological sites near the city of Yelabuga: Yelabuga site of the Bronze Age (2000 BC); Neolithic site (3000 BC); Elabuga or Devil's settlement (VIII-XIII centuries AD); Tanai settlement and its dwellings; several cemeteries.

Conclusion

All the reserves that exist in Tatarstan store a huge natural wealth and important information about ancient historical events, about the culture of past times, traditions and customs of the peoples who once lived in these most beautiful places rich in natural gifts.

And today, a huge work is being carried out in the republic on a national scale to increase such sites in order to preserve and enhance the natural and historical heritage.