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Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve
Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve (Belarusian: Бярэзінскі біясферны запаведнік) is a nature reserve in the northern part of Belarus, 120 km from Minsk. It is located on the border of Vitebsk and Minsk regions. The centre of the reserve is the village of Domzheritsy in Lyepyel District.
The reserve serves for the protection and breeding of rare species of animals and birds, which are listed in the Red Book of Belarus. Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve is a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
The total area of the reserve zone is 85.2 thousand hectares. Over 60% of the territory is covered with marshes. Many endangered species of animals, birds, plants and insects are registered in the reserve. Twenty-three rare European biotopes are recorded here.
The idea to create a nature reserve in the area was first voiced by Anatoly Vladimirovich Fedyushin, a scientist and a head of the site investigation committee assigned in 1924 by state officials. Berezinskiy Nature Reserve was established on January 30, 1925. It became one of the first nature reserves in the USSR. In 1927, the first inventory work started; in 1928–1930, the resettlement of 30 farmsteads from the protected lands began. In 1929, forest inventory work was organized; in 1935, experimental farms for beaver and elk breeding were established. In 1936, the area of the reserve was expanded to 67.3 hectares, but in 1938 Belarusian authorities excluded 18.7 hectares of land from it under the reason of having no "valuable species of fauna".
During World War II and the German occupation, the reserve was seriously damaged: all archives, scientific collections and materials were destroyed, service buildings were burnt down. The total damage caused to the Berezinskiy Reserve was estimated at 18.7 million roubles. In 1951, the authorities decided to liquidate the nature reserve and open a hunting reserve in its place. In 1958, however, the Berezinskiy was restored to its initial status.
In 1979, Berezinsky was granted the status of a biosphere reserve. In 1993, the Council of Europe included it in the network of biogenetic reserves, and in 1995 awarded it with the European Diploma for successful work on the conservation of biodiversity and natural complexes. The diploma is awarded for a period of 5 years, and the reserve has been successfully evaluated in the future and has been awarded a renewal of the diploma in 2000, 2005, and 2010.
Berezinskiy Biosphere Reserve became a Ramsar site in 2010. As of 2019, the Reserve leads conservation, scientific, environmental education, tourism and commercial activities. The Reserve has received a certificate of compliance with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and is engaged in logging and timber processing business.
The marshes of the Reserve cover an area of more than 520 km2, which makes it one of the largest marshlands in Europe. The predominant type is fen (more than 54.5%), 35.3% are midland bogs, 10.3% are raised. The Berezina river flows through the reserve for 100 km, fed by more than 50 small tributaries. In its basin there are four large interconnected lakes: Olshitsa, Plavno, Manets, Domzheritskoe, as well as many smaller lakes.
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Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve
Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve (Belarusian: Бярэзінскі біясферны запаведнік) is a nature reserve in the northern part of Belarus, 120 km from Minsk. It is located on the border of Vitebsk and Minsk regions. The centre of the reserve is the village of Domzheritsy in Lyepyel District.
The reserve serves for the protection and breeding of rare species of animals and birds, which are listed in the Red Book of Belarus. Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve is a part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
The total area of the reserve zone is 85.2 thousand hectares. Over 60% of the territory is covered with marshes. Many endangered species of animals, birds, plants and insects are registered in the reserve. Twenty-three rare European biotopes are recorded here.
The idea to create a nature reserve in the area was first voiced by Anatoly Vladimirovich Fedyushin, a scientist and a head of the site investigation committee assigned in 1924 by state officials. Berezinskiy Nature Reserve was established on January 30, 1925. It became one of the first nature reserves in the USSR. In 1927, the first inventory work started; in 1928–1930, the resettlement of 30 farmsteads from the protected lands began. In 1929, forest inventory work was organized; in 1935, experimental farms for beaver and elk breeding were established. In 1936, the area of the reserve was expanded to 67.3 hectares, but in 1938 Belarusian authorities excluded 18.7 hectares of land from it under the reason of having no "valuable species of fauna".
During World War II and the German occupation, the reserve was seriously damaged: all archives, scientific collections and materials were destroyed, service buildings were burnt down. The total damage caused to the Berezinskiy Reserve was estimated at 18.7 million roubles. In 1951, the authorities decided to liquidate the nature reserve and open a hunting reserve in its place. In 1958, however, the Berezinskiy was restored to its initial status.
In 1979, Berezinsky was granted the status of a biosphere reserve. In 1993, the Council of Europe included it in the network of biogenetic reserves, and in 1995 awarded it with the European Diploma for successful work on the conservation of biodiversity and natural complexes. The diploma is awarded for a period of 5 years, and the reserve has been successfully evaluated in the future and has been awarded a renewal of the diploma in 2000, 2005, and 2010.
Berezinskiy Biosphere Reserve became a Ramsar site in 2010. As of 2019, the Reserve leads conservation, scientific, environmental education, tourism and commercial activities. The Reserve has received a certificate of compliance with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and is engaged in logging and timber processing business.
The marshes of the Reserve cover an area of more than 520 km2, which makes it one of the largest marshlands in Europe. The predominant type is fen (more than 54.5%), 35.3% are midland bogs, 10.3% are raised. The Berezina river flows through the reserve for 100 km, fed by more than 50 small tributaries. In its basin there are four large interconnected lakes: Olshitsa, Plavno, Manets, Domzheritskoe, as well as many smaller lakes.