Bryansk Forest Reserve

Bryansk Forest Reserve is divided in two by the Nerussa River, one of the most beautiful rivers of the Bryansk region. Its sources are on the south-western slope of the Central Russian Upland, and the river flows into the Desna, a left tributary of the Dnieper. Within the reserve, the width of the Desna valley reaches 15 km, and the width of the floodplain – 5 km.

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‘ A walk through the reserve

A walk through the “Bryansk Forest” can seem really fairytale-like. Here the crowns of age-old trees are rustling, birds are singing, grass is rustling. There are floodplain terraces and valleys, where there are dunes up to 9 meters high, there are shallow hollows, hollows and karst sinkholes.

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There are a lot of small rivers in the reserve: Krapivna, Kolodez, Kolomina, Knyazhna, Betcha, Gastinka, etc.

. There are few real lakes, mostly they are old lakes.

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General information

  • Full name: State Natural Biosphere Reserve “Bryansk Forest”
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  • IUCN Category: Ia (strict nature reserve).
    • Date of foundation: July 14, 1987.
  • Region: Bryansk Forest.
  • Region: Bryansk region, Suzemsky and Trubchevsky districts.
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  • Area: 12186 hectares
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  • Relief: plain.
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  • Climate: subcontinental.
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  • Official website: http://bryansky-les.ru/.
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  • E-mail: zapole@bk.ru.

History of creation

The Bryansk Forest Reserve was established in 1987 to protect intact forests of the typical Central Russian Polesie. In addition, the border between the southern taiga and broad-leaved zones passes here. The history of the creation of the reserve is quite complicated, because for the forest at all times there was an active struggle between economic developers and nature defenders.

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‘ ‘Bryansk Forest’ – a reference ecosystem of the European part of Russia

The project version of the reserve included an integral natural complex of forest landscapes in the Desna valley, as well as its tributaries. It was planned to organize the reserve on an area of approximately 35,000 hectares, but it was not easy to do so. In the end, after several years of red tape, it was still established, but on a much smaller area than originally planned. In 2001 “Bryansk Forest” received the status of a UNESCO biosphere reserve as the core of the biosphere reserve “Nerusso-Desnyanskoe Polesie”.

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Vegetation

‘ The Bryansk Forest Reserve is home to one of the rarest relict and endemic animals in Russia – the Russian vykhukhol (Desmana moschata). Apart from it, there is only one more species of this genus in the world – the Pyrenean vykhul (Galemys pyrenaicus). The fur of this animal is ус

The most common representatives among the mammals of the reserve “Bryansk Forest” are the white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor), the common pintail (Sorex araneus), the European mole (Talpa europaea), the red vesper (Nyctalus noctula), the forest bunting (Pipistrellus nathusii), the water nightjar (Myotis daubentoni), the bicolored leatherback (Vespertilio murinus). The wolf (Canis lupus), fox (Vulpes vulpes), wood marten (Martes martes), elk (Alces alces), wild boar (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus), European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), etc., are also frequently found.

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The Russian vykhukhul (Desmana moschata) and the giant vesper (Nyctalus lasiopterus) are included in the Red Book of Russia.

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‘ class=”fancybox” >One of the most beautiful birds of the reserve is the gray magpie. The bird got its name due to its resemblance to a magpie.

Among the rare species of birds in the reserve there are black stork (Ciconia nigra), great spotted eagle (Aquila clanga), pygmy owl (Aegolius funereus), forest lark (Lullula arborea) and gray magpie (Lanius excubitor), which is also called a bird-swallower. The point is that he makes stocks for a rainy day, poking his prey on the branches of blackthorns.

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Among amphibians, the background species are the common newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), common toad (Bufo bufo), sharp-legged and grass frogs (Rana arvalis and R. temporaria). Few species are five: crested newt (Triturus cristatus), red-bellied murrelet (Bombina bombina), common garlic frog (Pelobates fuscus), green toad (Bufo viridis) and common quack (Nula arborea).

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Reserve regime

The reserve is open to the public subject to agreement with the administration and obtaining a pass. There are a number of interesting ecological routes, such as “Zapovednaya River”, “Eastern Trail”, “Zapovedniye plesy”, “Zapovedniye”, “Zapovedniye”, “River without banks” and others. There are partisan camps of the Great Patriotic War times in the protection zone. The experience of environmental education in the reserve “Bryansk Forest” is recognized as one of the best in Russia.

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How to get there

You can get to the reserve by train Bryansk – Suzemka, you need to go to the stop Pl. Nerussa. Then you need to walk 1.5 km along the asphalted road to the turn to the central farmstead of the reserve. You can get to the reserve by car from Bryansk, Trubchevsk or Suzemka.

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Where to stay

There are quite a few hotels and inns in the Bryansk Forest area. You can always stay with local residents or by agreement with the administration in the reserve’s cordons.