Pripyat National Park of Belarus: photos and reviews of tourists

In the Polesie region in the interfluve of Pripyat, Uborg, Stvigi is the Pripyat National Park of Belarus. Its area is more than 1 800 km ² . Specially protected area - 850 km ² . The park is located on the territory of Lelchitsky, Zhitkovichsky and Petrikovsky districts (Gomel region). The administrative center of this unique park is in the agro-town of Lyaskovichi.

History

In 1969 this part of Polesye of Belarus was declared a reserve. The national park on this land appeared in 1996, on the order of the President of Belarus. It was created on the basis of a reserve that existed since 1969.

The area of the national park in the process of reorganization was significantly increased. The national park is a key ornithological territory.

The purpose of the park

For the first time the Polish academician V. Shafer was thinking about creating a reserve in this territory. In the thirties of the XX century, he proposed to use for these purposes one of the largest in Europe Olmansky massif, which is located between the rivers Stvigi and Goryni. Around the same time, the swampman S. Kulchinsky (Poland) investigated the swamps located in the western part of Polissya. The results of his work, he published in his monograph, which was called "Peatlands Polissya."

In the early 40-ies, the scientific base for the organization of the reserve was prepared. In 1958 Academician N. V. Smolsky, who at that time held the post of director of the Central Botanical Garden of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus, instructed the swampman LP P. Smolyak to document the necessity of creating such a reserve. This work was completed in 1961.

In June 1969, on the area of 615 km ² , the Pripyat State Reserve was organized. In 1994, it was handed over to the Commission under the President of Belarus. A year later (1995), the forestry hunting enterprise Lyaskovichi was established here.

A year later (1996) the reserve was reorganized into the Pripyat National Park. The goal of education is to preserve the unique landscape of Polissya and to study its changes after the drainage of lands. In 1998 the Museum of Nature began to operate on the territory.

Pripyat National Park - protection and nature management regime

Most of the park is a protected area. Its area is more than 30 thousand hectares, which is about 35% of the entire territory. Any economic activity is prohibited here. A little more than 11% is allocated to economic and recreational zones. The main part of the park's lands belongs to the zone of regulated nature management - about 48 thousand hectares (54% of the territory). This zoning structure, in which more than 30 thousand hectares is occupied by a protected area and only 11% is allocated to zones in which active economic or recreational activities are conducted, is quite rational.

Rivers

The Pripyat National Park has the main water artery - the Pripyat River. This is the most abundant and large tributary of the Dnieper. In flood, the floodplain of the river is flooded and expands to 30 km.

In the upper course, the channel of Pripyat has numerous canals, further it is meandering, it forms oldlands, meanders, bays, there are many sandy and sticky islands. The river is characterized by a long spring flood, short-term summer low water, which is disturbed by rainfalls and annual water level rises in the autumn. The lowest level of water is observed in September-October. Pripyat freezes almost all along at the same time in the very beginning of December, the river opens in March. The water temperature in the summer does not fall below + 21 °, the maximum temperature in July is + 28 ° C.

The Pripyat National Park, the photo of which you see in our article, is limited by the tributaries of Pripyat: from the northwest by the river Stvigoy, from the east by the river Ubortia. In this regard, according to scientists, the national park is a closed hydrological area, and therefore it practically does not experience the influence of land reclamation in the neighboring territories. This is very important for the reference section of the park.

Small rivers and lakes

The network of small rivers is unique: the Pig, Old Ubort, Utvokha, Krushin, Rov - and a meliorative system with a length of about 280 kilometers. There are more than 300 floodplain lakes. In rivers flowing through the park, almost all types of fish are found. In the middle of summer, catfish, tench, perch and rudd are better than others. In the shallows of forests and flood meadows come to spawn the pike, bream, roach, Chekhon, ide.

Vegetation

More recently, less than a century ago, these lands were a swamped area. At the end of the XIX century, melioration was carried out. Channels were created. Their length reached more than 300 kilometers. As a result of reclamation in large areas of drained bogs, dense forests appeared. At present, the channels have actually lost their useful effect, and the previously drained territory is swamped again.

Today, forest swamps occupy a third of the territory and are recognized by all scientific indicators as a model of the marshes of Belarusian Polissya.

In the park, a long and fairly warm summer, mild and snowy winter, nutritious soils, a lot of precipitation and moisture promote the growth of shrubby, arboreal and grassy plants. Here grow protected and rare plant species: arnica black, water nut, salvinia floating, sea naiada, rhododendron yellow, lily-kudrevataya and others.

Forests

The Pripyat National Park is famous for its main wealth - forests. They cover more than 85% of the protected area. On the sandy islands and ridges, on the bogs the pine prevails, which occupies 52% of the area. In the transitional and lowland soils of bogs, black alder and birch forests predominate.

The pearl forests of the Pripyat Park are floodplain and dry oak forests, but their greatness is affected by hornbeam oak forests - broad-leaved forests consisting of mighty limes, oaks, ash, hornbeam and maple.

The park's flora includes 943 plant species, including 38 specially protected species, 196 moss species and 321 species of algae. It is necessary to distinguish relic species: mountain arnica, large horsetail, common lamb. Endangered species include the lily curly-haired, wolfberry-borovik, salvinia floating, hollowed hollow, white water lily, double-leafed lily, sleep-grass and others.

Animal world

The Pripyat National Park is known for its diversity, high numbers of rare species of animals that are no longer found in Belarus. More than 51 species of mammals, 7 species of reptiles, 37 fish species, 11 amphibian species have been officially registered here.

Hoofed animals are represented here by the boar, elk, roe deer. Since 1987, the bison and the red deer live in the park. The number of bison exceeds 90 individuals. The head of the red deer grows very fast, and today it exceeds 300 individuals.

The fauna of the park is supported by predators: fox, wolf, lynx, marten, raccoon dog, mink. The American mink, the muskrat , imported from other regions , is also established here . They are well established and today take their place in the park.

Especially valuable for scientific research are numerous colonies of coastal and near-water bird species: small and large white herons, red and gray herons, various species of waders, swans, ducks, quakwas and many others. Dwell in the park and birds of prey: osprey, eagle owl eagle, eagle, black kite, golden eagle and many others.

Rest in the park "Pripyatsky"

Today in the GPU National Park "Pripyatsky" a tourist department has been created, after contacting which, you can visit the most interesting excursion routes to the bog, Tsar-oak and Tsar-Pine. You can ride on the ship along the Pripyat, visit the city of Turov.

They like to spend their free time in the park anglers. A great variety of fish species attracts not only Belarusian fishermen, but also guests from neighboring countries.

For hunting fans hunting grounds are created here. For those who want to relax in the park, guest houses and tourist complexes are offered.

Guest Reviews

As already mentioned, today anyone can visit the Pripyat National Park. Feedback from those who have already had a chance to rest here - enthusiastic. Tourists liked not only the magnificent nature, but also the well-organized work of the staff, interesting excursions, which are conducted by experienced employees, able to tell a lot of interesting about their "farm".

Many tourists note the excellent conditions for living. There is a small comfortable hotel, you can stay in a hunting lodge with a guarded parking lot. Some travelers are attracted by hiking trails. On the banks of Pripyat there are convenient parking lots for rest.