Belovezhskaya Pushcha is a treasure of the nation!

What is Belovezhskaya Pushcha? First of all, this is the largest remnant of the primitive relic forest on the flat terrain. According to the ideas developed by modern scientists, this forest was located in prehistoric times on the territory of Europe, but in time it was partially cut down. In its more or less primordial form it was preserved only as a large massif on the territory of the Bialowieza region, which, in turn, is located on the lands of Poland and Belarus.

Geography of the forest

Belovezhskaya Pushcha is a place through which the border between the two states - the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Poland - lies . Next to this virgin prehistoric forest is the famous watershed of the Black and Baltic seas. Flora and fauna in this geographical area is unique. For its preservation in Belovezhskaya Pushcha four protection regimes have been created:

• Protected area;
• Recreational area;
• Zone of regulated use;
• Economic zone.

Moreover, an artificial buffer zone was created around the reserve itself. Pushcha, located on the lands of Belarus and Poland, is truly unique and the largest massif among all prehistoric forests still preserved on our planet. Pine forests (mossy and bilberry) prevail here, and the average age of each tree is not less than 80 years.

A bit of history

This reserve as a protected unique territory was already known in 1409th year. Then on the throne of the king sat a king named Jagiello. It was in his private property was this forest. This he once issued a royal decree, according to which, any hunting for large animals inhabiting the territory of the relic forest was categorically forbidden. "Belovezhskaya treasure" was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 1413, and in 1795 the Pushcha joined Russia.

"The children of your bison ..."

How do you think that connects the word "bison" with the word "Pushcha"? These are already real words-synonyms. Remember, as the famous song says: "The children of your bison do not want to die out." And it's not accidental. Emperor Alexander I in 1802, his decree completely banned hunting for bison, inhabiting the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

All in the same 1802 the given territory began to be part of the Grodno province, the official coat of arms of which was recognized as bison. But not only the bison sheltered this famous reserve. Its territory is inhabited by a huge number of different animals and plants. Let's talk about the flora and fauna of the forest.

Bialowieza Forest. Animals and plants

By the number of species of plants and animals inhabiting this territory, Belovezhskaya Pushcha has no equal in all Europe! You just think: here grow almost 1000 species of seed plants and vascular disputes. There are 260 species of different mosses, 570 species of mushrooms and 300 lichen species. The National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" is not only a breeding ground for flora, but also a real natural "zoo".

The list of fauna of this reserve includes 60 species of various mammals, 230 species of birds, 11 species of amphibians (amphibians), 8 species of reptiles (reptiles), 25 species of fish and a large number of invertebrates - more than 11,000. It is worth noting that the largest population of bison dwells On the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

Here you can meet such large herbivorous animals as red deer, roe deer, moose, wild boar. Predatory beasts in the Pushcha are represented by wolves, foxes, badgers, trot, otters, martens, etc. Zoologists, namely entomologists, say that in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha very rare and unique in their own way communities of invertebrate animals have been preserved. These include insects that live in rotten or dead wood, in mulberry mushrooms, and invertebrates preferring lowland and upland marshes.

Once the territory of this reserve was inhabited by a large ungulate animal - a tour. Unfortunately, at present its population has completely died out. Tours disappeared from the face of the Earth in the XVII century. Zoology historians say that these ungulates were much larger than the current "Belovezhskaya" giants - bison. What is a sin to conceal, bison are also on the verge of extinction ... They, like many other animals that live in this reserve, are listed in the International Red Book.

World Heritage

The national park under the name "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" in 1992 was included in the so-called World Heritage List of Humanity. This decision belonged to UNESCO. Moreover, after exactly one year the park was given the status of the so-called biosphere reserve. In 1997, the name of this reserve was awarded the diploma of the Council of Europe, an international organization that promotes cooperation between all European countries.

One of the most important events in the history of this truly unique place occurred relatively recently - in 2014. According to the decision of the session of the World Heritage Committee, adopted on June 23, 2014, the park-reserve "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" with its Belarusian and Polish territories became a single UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to visit this beautiful place!