What plants are in the Prioksko terrace reserve. Prioksko-Terraced Biosphere Reserve. Prioksko-Terraced Reserve. Plants

If you get out of the city, go into the forest and go wherever you look, you can get into amazing places. The forest path will lead the traveler to the mysterious dark spruce, to the light pine forest or to the high bank of the river, from which the mysterious misty distance opens, and among the trees a silhouette of a magnificent wild beast flashes ... All this will give you the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, one of the smallest in Russia and the only one in the suburbs. Only 110 km from the capital - and you are in a forest fairy tale.

Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve is located on the picturesque floodplain terraces of the Oka River. It miraculously combined northern taiga with dark impenetrable spruce forests and western broad-leaved forests, with unique flora and fauna, and quite unexpectedly - with untouched sections of real steppes. However, the main feature of the reserve and its greatest value is, of course, the bison nursery.

PHENOMENON OF OKSKY FLORA

Oka, or Luzhkov flora is the main mystery of these places. Where did the steppe plant communities come from so far in the north among the forests near Moscow? Indeed, the real steppes begin 600 km south of the reserve - on the East European Plain and in Kazakhstan. On the territory of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, there are about 65 species of steppe plants, among them - feathery feather grass, fescue, Bieberstein tulip, Russian hazel grouse. Steppes are located on the high floodplain terraces of the Oka (Doly tract) and along the edges of light steppe forests. For the first time, a botanical anomaly was discovered back in 1861 by a botanist, professor at Moscow University Nikolai Nikolaevich Kaufman. For many years and until now, the phenomenon of Oka flora has attracted the attention of both learned botanists and just amateur florists. There are several different versions. According to one of them, in the territory of the current nature reserve, steppes existed in prehistoric times, and the current vegetation is the remains of those steppes. According to another, steppe plants were brought with convoys of the Tatar-Mongolian cavalry or when transporting goods along the Oka, including when transporting hay from the Oryol province. These two versions were combined by the outstanding botanist A.F. Flerov: accidentally introduced seeds of steppe plants could take root on the banks of the Oka River only because there were favorable microclimatic conditions for them, similar to the steppe ones (the hot sun warms up and illuminates the southern slopes of the high banks of the river, there are areas of southern type soils mixed with carbonates). The desire to preserve the unique sections of the steppes was the reason for the creation of the reserve. Botanist Pavel Aleksandrovich Smirnov devoted his whole life to the study of the Oka flora of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. Through the efforts of these and many other scientists, in the summer of 1945, almost immediately after the end of World War II, a decree was signed on the creation of the Moscow State Reserve, which also included the Prioksko-Terrasny section of the Oka River.

HOW THE BISONS RESERVED THE RESERVE

In 1948, the Prioksko-Terrasny site received the status of an independent reserve. And in the same year, the Soviet scientist Mikhail Alexandrovich Zablotsky organized a bison nursery, which to this day carries out scientific work to study and revive at some point the practically disappeared population of the European bison. At that time, the problem was that only one bison remained in the territory of the USSR, which lived in the Askania-Nova reserve. We had to look for animals abroad. Zablotsky conducted active correspondence with the director of the Warsaw Zoo Jan Zhabinsky. An agreement was reached and the first four bison (two males and two females) went to a new nursery. They became the founders of all bison in the USSR. In 1951, the government decided to liquidate a large part - two-thirds - of the country's reserves, including four reserves of the Moscow region. Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve was preserved only thanks to the Central Bison Nursery. The reserve saved the bison from extinction, while the bison saved the reserve from closure.

In 1961, the scientists of the reserve began the main work, for which the nursery was created - reintroduction, that is, the release of bison into the wild. Over the 62 years of the nursery's existence, more than 550 bison were born here, most of them were released into the forests of Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia, where their ancestors lived before. Prehistoric giants, as before, freely walk through the dense deciduous forests. All bison born in the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve nursery have nicknames beginning with the syllable My - this is an international requirement. The data of all bison (including those living in European zoos, nurseries and zoos) are entered in a special International Stud Book.

IN THE OKA VALLEY

The reserve is located in the south of the Moscow region, in the Oka River valley, on a slope with a height of 120 to 180 m above sea level. Two rivers flow from north to south along the reserve; Ponikovka (length about 6 km, channel width up to 1.5 m) and Tadenka (length about 10 km, channel width up to 4 m).

The average annual air temperature in the reserve is + 3.5 ° С, the average January temperature is -10.6 ° С, in July +17.7 ° С. The frost-free period lasts about 117 days, frosts occur in early June. Annual precipitation is 750 mm.

FOREST KALEIDOSCOPE

Mosaic of plant communities is one of the distinguishing features of the territory of the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve. For the most part, this is the forest kingdom - 92% of the reserve's area is occupied by forests. In a relatively small area, you can find plants from different natural zones. In this natural laboratory, moving from terrace to terrace, you can walk just a few tens of kilometers, as if crossing the East European Plain from north to south: forests, forests, forests, steppes and even swamps (two riding in the northern quarters and small in the middle part and in the south, in depressions, among the pine forest).

The southern part of the reserve is the kingdom of pine forests (42.9% of the total forest area), which grow on sandy soils. Pine forests are represented by almost all types characteristic of the center of the Russian Plain. Moving to the southwest of the reserve, we will find ourselves in a natural boundary with a bizarre relief - huge sandy ramparts 12-15 m high.

The hilly area of \u200b\u200bthe tract was overgrown with light pine trees with an ash-gray carpet of lichens from Icelandic and deer moss. There is almost no grass cover and undergrowth, there are only small heather pockets. In such a forest there are few animals - there are no shelters for them. Roe deer, elk, and deer pass through the pine forest to fodder places; sometimes there are flocks of small passerines and woodpeckers.

Let's head east, beyond the Ponikovka river, to the old, almost two hundred-year-old pine forest, which occupies the main area of \u200b\u200bthe reserve. The pine here is different - green-moss. It is pleasant to walk on a soft bed of green moss, which covers small hills and trees. In such a pine tree you can see the undergrowth of buckthorn, juniper, warty spindle tree, gorse dye and oak. In spring, lilies of the valley bloom among the moss, high celery, less commonly bought medicinal. Blueberry and lingonberry bushes will give us delicious and very healthy berries. We’ll go down a little lower, the pine will be different, with the scientific name “dolomoshny” - with powerful pillows of moss cuckoo flax. Grasses in long losers are rare, sometimes you can find forest reed and blue lightning. In these areas of the forest, birch trees often grow between pines. We go up to the high terraces of the banks of the Oka River and see different types of grass pine trees that grow in relatively dry conditions. In their stand we will find oak and linden, in the undergrowth we will find honeysuckle, juniper, mountain ash and even hazel. The bracken fern gives these pine trees a magical and mysterious view of the fantastic forest inhabited by elves. But perhaps the most interesting and complex in the botanical sense is the lime-oak broad-grass pine, which is found on the watershed in the reserve. Many plant species growing in both broad-leaved forests and pine trees have formed an amazing community in it.

FIR FORESTS

We will go into the dense spruce forests that are located along the valleys of the small rivers Ponikovka and Tadenka. There is little light in the dark coniferous spruce forest. Even on a bright sunny day it’s dark here. Due to the fallen needles, which are hardly processed by soil microorganisms, the soil is acidic and there is little humus (nutrients). Not all plants can survive in such conditions. In such a forest there are few or almost no shrubs, and there are only shade-tolerant plants. Grasses and shrubs multiply more often by shoots and rhizome than seeds, forming clumps, groups. Some herbaceous plants are devoid of chlorophyll; therefore, they have white or gray color of shoots (pododelnik, frankincense, etc.). Other plants do not drop leaves in the winter, keeping them green under the snow (Orusnica, wintergreen). Corollas of flowers of plants are white, pale pink, pale blue. In the dark coniferous forests one can meet representatives of the taiga fauna: capercaillie, hazel grouse, pine nut, black woodpecker, and various species of owls. It is rather damp here; forests are often swampy.

In contrast to the harsh gloomy spruce forests in the oak forests and linden-oak forests it is spacious and light. Small islands of these forests are found in the central, northwestern and southeastern parts of the reserve, in places with carbonate soil. Hazel, honeysuckle, buckthorn brittle grow in them. In the spring, in April, when snow still lay in places, early spring plants — ephemera and ephemeroids bloom in the oak forests with carpet: corydalis, goose onions, oak anemone, spleen, and woodcuts. These plants bloom before the oaks turn green. Here the usual inhabitants for broad-leaved forests are found: yellow-necked mouse, hazel dormouse, green woodpecker, jay. In ancient times, broad-leaved forests covered large areas of the East European Plain. Man with an ax and fire almost destroyed these beautiful forests. The reserve is the last hope for their restoration.

The wildlife of the reserve is diverse, there are representatives of both the taiga zone and broad-leaved forests: wild boar, elk, roe deer (a species completely destroyed and restored in the reserve in 1959), a fox, and a hare. The brown hare is rare, found on the outskirts of the steppe plots. By the beginning of the 20th century, the European beaver was completely exterminated in the center of the Russian Plain. In 1948, work began to restore its numbers in the reserve. To date, the southern Moscow population of beaver is stable, animals successfully breed and settle on the European Plain. There are few large predators in the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. Occasionally, a lynx and a wolf come into its territory.

Studying to do closer

Reserves are created not only to preserve wildlife, but also to study the animal and plant world, the course of natural processes, and Prioksko-Terrasny is no exception. Researchers of the reserve study air pollution, soil and its impact on nature, they keep a "Chronicle of nature" - a kind of book where all the events taking place in the reserve are recorded throughout the year: weather, arrival and departure of birds, registration of animals and birds and much more . This record has been kept since 1949. Based on research, reserve scientists write books, publish scientific articles, and make films. Environmental education is a very important job. Some prohibitions cannot be dispensed with, it is necessary to explain to people why nature requires protection, to show forest beauty, to teach to understand the beautiful. The employees of the department of environmental education successfully cope with this task. There is a Museum of Nature at the reserve; educational trails for adults and children are organized along ecological trails. The bison nursery is open to all comers; up to 50 thousand people visit it annually.

The reserve protection service constantly monitors the territory and suppresses various offenses. Each state inspector is assigned a specific section of the reserve - a detour that he goes around daily.

"RESERVED PEOPLE"

The story of the reserve will not be complete, if you do not remember those who connected their lives with nature. The "reserved man" chose a life path that does not promise money and material wealth, he lives and works in the reserve and does not want to refuse such a life. Indeed, thanks to the difficult, difficult, and sometimes selfless work of these people, the natural wealth of the reserve was preserved and increased. MA Zablotsky founded the Central Bison Nursery, made it the center of breeding, research and methodological work on bison restoration in Russia. As a result of many years of work by L.V. Zablotskaya, the beaver population was restored in the reserve. In 1955, V.F. Arseniev created the Museum of Nature in the reserve, which still receives visitors. In 1945-1947, a researcher at the then Moscow Reserve A.T. Romashova conducted a fundamental study of the fauna of vertebrate animals. She was the first to collect and systematize data on the diversity of the wildlife of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. The employees of the reserve are constantly conducting scientific work.

Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve - located in the Moscow Region. It was organized in 1945 as one of the branches of the Moscow Reserve. Its area was 4821 ha. In 1948, the reserve received independence, and in 1966 the area of \u200b\u200bthe protected area was expanded to 4945 ha.

The reserve is located 12 km from the city of Serpukhov on the left bank of the Oka River Valley and occupies a small strip of floodplain and all floodplain terraces covered with forest. By geographical location, the reserve got its name.

Scientists consider the valley of the Oka River, deeply cut into coal-limestone, ancient: it was formed before the onset of glaciation on the East European Plain. In the Oka Valley there are traces of glaciers - these are the remains of moraine on the slopes of the indigenous coast and terrace. The reserve territory gradually decreases to the Oka (from 180m absolute height in the north to 120m in the south). The main relief forms are: the root slope of the Oka Valley and floodplain terraces. The first floodplain terrace with a width of 100-300m and a height of 13-15m above the level of the Oka River is most clearly expressed. It is at the base composed of fractured limestones, and alluvial sands lie above them. Such a geological structure of the terrace predetermined the formation on its surface of sand hills, ramparts and depressions between them, as well as numerous karst funnels (with a diameter of 3-25 m at a depth of 1-9 m).

The southern edge of the first flood-plain terrace descends to the floodplain, which extends in a narrow strip in the south of the reserve and enters the first flood-plain terrace between the sandy shafts. These "bays" are called dales.

High terraces are more ancient: they also have a limestone base and are overlain by thick loose deposits - sand and loam. Therefore, their ledges are already smoothed and weakly distinguished in the relief. Sandy shafts 2-3km long, 10-15m high are very interesting and mysterious. They extend along the floodplain and floodplain terraces, forming an arc with a bulge to the east. Apparently, water and wind participated in their creation.

The climate of the reserve is characterized by warm summers with an average July temperature of +18.1 ° С, and maximum - up to +39 ° С. Winter is moderately cold: the average January temperature is -10.2 ° С, but frosts can reach -40 ° С. Snow has been falling since mid-October; its highest height occurs in early March, and by mid-April it melts. Snow has a great impact on the life of plants and especially animals. The annual rainfall is about 580 mm, but the evaporation is less, because the whole territory of the reserve with sufficient moisture. In early spring, the soil is saturated with winter-spring moisture, the rivers are filled with melt and rainwater and flow into the Oka, which has spilled over the floodplain. In lakes, the water level also rises, and karst funnels turn into small temporary water bodies. Swamps swell with moisture and become impassable. Everything revives around: birds fly in and build their nests, the first flowers begin to bloom.

The territory of the Prioksko-Terrasny Forest Reserve is located at the northern border of the mixed forest subzone. Here coniferous forests are found with deciduous, but in the reserve you can also see typical corners of the northern taiga with swamps covered with hummocks and overgrown with sundew and cranberries. And how pine forests are diverse: either they are moss-lichen on brown forest soils, then green grasses on soddy-weakly podzolic soils, then lingonberry burs on soddy-medium-podzolic soils. There are pine-birch forests with an admixture of spruce, linden and aspen. Under such forests soddy-slightly podzolic soils are formed with signs of waterlogging. In places with a close occurrence of limestone, broad-leaved forests of oak, linden and maple grow with their companions: in the undergrowth - hazel and spruce warty, and in the grass cover - litter, medunica, hoofed grass and many others. At the southern border of the reserve, in the clearings among the forest, typical steppe vegetation with fescue and feather grass occurs.

Mixed-deciduous forests - the habitat of a variety of animals. In the protected forest there are 54 species of mammals, 135 species of birds, 10 species of reptiles, 5 species of amphibians and an abundance of insects.

The species composition of animals formed gradually after the organization of the conservation regime. Some animals were brought here - bison, red deer and sika. Wild boar, Siberian roe deer and otter migrated from neighboring forests of the Moscow region. In the summer, the otter leaves for breeding outside the reserve in floodplain lakes and elders. You can always find a squirrel, but its amount varies depending on the seed yield of conifers. In 1948, two pairs of river beavers were moved here from the Voronezh Reserve and released into the Tadenka River. They quickly got accustomed to a new place: they built a dam, a dam, huts and began to breed. In 1955, two more pairs of beavers were brought from the Berezinsky Reserve. They also quickly took root, multiply and settle in the neighboring territories of the Moscow region. Now in the reservoirs there are about a dozen settlements, more than 100 beavers live in them. They love the bark and wood of willow, aspen and poplar. Use these trees to build dams.

Each season of the year is characterized by special animal behavior. In winter, a large role in their life is played by snow cover, which lies on average 130 days. On the fresh snow surface, one can trace the numerous paths of hares (roe and white hare), traces of the fox, marten, weasel, ermine, dark ferret, etc. On the snow you can see the struggle of different animals - their victory and defeat. Under the Christmas trees, green "rugs" form - this is the work of squirrels that feed on the buds of spruces, and the remains of shoots, twigs are thrown down. So these "rugs" are formed. Boars feed acorns in winter, so under the oaks you can see the dug up snow and the ground with fallen leaves. Roe deer and deer winter in places where the snow cover is not deep and where they can freely get food from under the snow.

In spring and early summer, bird voices sound in the forest: nightingales, Orioles, thrushes, tits, finches, mumble grouse, cook cuckoos, grouse goats, grouse whistle. The largest bird in the reserve is the capercaillie (weighing up to 6 kg or more), and the smallest is the yellow-headed kinglet (weighing 5-6 g). Throughout the summer, a large motley woodpecker taps its beak with confidence with its beak and looks for insects under the bark. Many birds fly from the southern regions: some stay in the reserve for the summer, others fly further north after a rest, and return in the fall.

In autumn, deer and moan moans are heard in the forest. The fight and fights of horned ungulates flare up. At this time, their mating season begins.

Bison Nursery

To restore large bison ungulates that had disappeared in the wild, the Central Bison Nursery was organized in the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. The bison is an ancient animal, it is considered a contemporary of the mammoth. In freedom, he was completely exterminated. All over the world in 1927 there were only 48 bison living in zoos and menageries. The last wild bison disappeared in Belovezhskaya Pushcha in 1919, and in the Caucasus in 1927. The bison is a strong beautiful animal with hollow horns, somewhat reminiscent of a domestic cow. His run is easy and fast, and his jump is bold and big: he jumps a ditch up to three meters wide and obstacles up to two meters high. The life expectancy of a bison is no more than 30 years. Bison used to inhabit European deciduous and mixed forests. Due to excessive hunting, bison were exterminated. In the fall of 1948, two pairs of purebred bison were brought to the Moscow Region: one from Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the other from the Caucasian Bialowieza. In 1950, the first calves were born from these pairs. If the calves were from Bialowieza bison, then they received names with the first syllable “mo”, for example, the bull-calf Mighty and the heifer Molniya, and if from the Caucasian-Belovezhskaya bison, then with the syllable “mu”, for example, heifers Muravka, Murzilka. Thus, by the nickname it was possible to judge the origin of each bison. In the bison nursery, the conditions in which their ancestors lived were created. The nursery area is 200 ha. The territory is divided into corrals, limited by a wire mesh and connected by long corridors. In corrals of 25-50 ha, a family of Bialowieza or Caucasian-Bialowieza bison is usually kept. The family consists of 4-5 females, one male and young bison (up to 9-10 months), who are still fed mother's milk. Thus, each bison accounts for 5.6-6 ha of forest pasture. In summer, bison feed on lush grass, leaves of trees and shrubs (willow, oak, aspen), they love acorns. In winter, animals gnaw at the bark of trees, dig up snow and eat evergreens.

Since 1951, one-year-old bison have been combined into a separate herd, and in early May they are released into the woods. There, bison find a youth herd (two-year-olds), with whom they go to feed, drink, rest. Usually a young herd of bison grazes in the summer 6-7 km from the nursery. Bison become strong, adapted to independent life. In autumn, animals come to the feed area to lick salt licks (red clay with rock salt) or feast on beets and ground oats.

In the forest, bison shun man and, as a rule, run away from him. In nurseries, they are bolder. At the call of a hunting horn they gather for feeding. In other reserves of the country bison nurseries have also been created. But the nursery of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve is the main one. A pedigree bison book is kept there.

Riddles of the flora of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve

  Steppe meadows can be found in the south of the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve. This is the famous Oka flora. The corners of the steppes in the valley of the Oka River, near the village of Luzhki, were first visited in 1861 by professor of Moscow University N.N. Kaufman. The richness of the flora of the vicinity of Luzhkov struck the professor, and then he was put forward the problem of Oka flora. A systematic study of the vegetation cover of the Oka Valley between Serpukhov and Kashira was begun in 1923 by P.A.Smirnov, a botanical scientist, a great connoisseur of the Oka flora. The botanical scientists discovered and studied the wealth of the Oka flora gradually. So, in 1956, three new plants were discovered in the vicinity of Luzhkov, and in 1957, four more. Oka flora, according to P.A.Smirnov, contains 891 species of plants (now there are more than 930 of them). For many plants, the boundaries of the range pass through the reserve, for example, the southern border of spruce, gray alder, and sphagnum bogs. The steppe plant poppy reaches the semi-desert to the south, but does not occur on the watersheds north of the Oka Valley. Of the plants, there are a large number of steppe trees (about 100 species), of which there are many bushes - steppe cherries, lax buckthorn, Russian broom, dyeing gorse. Of the grassy steppe plants - fescue, Biberstein tulip, purple goat, bluegrass, tall barley, elecampane rough, black hellebore, Russian valerian, and the most interesting and rare plants - feathery feathery and hazel grouse Russian. These plants quickly disappear due to plowing the steppes and collecting them for bouquets. The ranges of the feathery feather grass and the Russian hazel grouse south of the Oka Valley are hundreds of kilometers away and are located in the steppes of the East European Plain and Kazakhstan. Grouse Russian - a rare plant for the suburbs and grows only in the southern, steppe areas of the reserve.

The steppes in the valleys are especially beautiful and rich. The valleys are surrounded on three sides by sand banks covered with pine forests. In the spring, water saturated with thin silt particles slowly comes here from the floodplain. Water gradually evaporates and seeps through the sandstone into limestone, leaving a thin bulk containing nutrients. On this moist fertile soil in the spring, lush shrubbery and grassy vegetation develops. Beautiful valleys at the end of spring. "Among the spring greens, graceful bells of a Russian hazel grouse are bending. An emerald wave of fescue is shimmering and golden feather grass sultans are swaying. Steppe cherry blossoms abundantly, rose hips are festively blushed with flowers, and viburnum adorns itself with luxurious brooches of white petals."

There are several assumptions about how and when the steppe vegetation appeared among the forests of the Moscow region. Some believe that sections of the steppes have remained from the preglacial period. At the southern borders of its distribution, the oncoming glaciers were divided into separate sections and did not occupy the entire Oka Valley. Remains of preglacial steppes remained in the shelters not covered by glacier. Other scientists associate the appearance of steppe vegetation in the Oka Valley with humans: plant seeds penetrated on the hooves of horses and cart wheels, moving from south to north. Many scientists suggest that the seeds of the steppe plants were brought to the Oka floodplain during the spring floods.

Steppe plots in the Prioksko-Terrasny Zapovednik (valleys) are of great scientific value, since they are rare natural-territorial complexes of the Oka Valley, characterized by a special relief, soil, moisture, flora and fauna.

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Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve   It is considered one of the best nature reserves. An area of \u200b\u200babout 50 km² is mainly forests that occupy more than 90% of the territory. The reserve is interesting for botanists because it has a steppe flora that is not typical for this climate zone, and ordinary tourists come here first of all to observe bison in a local nursery.

Where is: address and phone

What is the best way to get from Moscow

1. The reserve is located about 100 kilometers south of therefore, if you decide to get there by car, you need to go along the E-95 highway, then along the M2 highway and, after reaching the Serpukhov / Danka sign, turn right.
2. Turning left and driving another 4 kilometers, you find yourself in Danki, and there it will be quite simple to find the administrative center of the reserve.
3. If you decide to use public transport, then you have to travel by train from the Kursk station.
4. From the Serpukhov station in about half an hour you will reach the reserve by buses No. 31, No. 41 or No. 25. Buses run infrequently, so it is better to ride on morning trains.

Visiting rules: working hours, ticket prices, promotions and discounts

Entrance to the reserve is open from 8:30 to 17:30, tours are conducted from 09:00 to 16:00 (seven days a week).
  Recording on a tour of groups of more than 10 people is carried out by phone.
  In the reserve   prohibited:

• damage trees, break bushes and branches, pick flowers, pick fruits, mushrooms, berries, and mow and burn grass;
• walk on the lawns and sunbathe on them, swim, set up tents, light bonfires and have picnics;
• litter and spoil the property of the reserve;
• visit the reserve with any kind of weapon, as well as pets;
• go far from the main excursion group and go beyond the established barriers;
• touch animals and museum exhibits, as well as use additional equipment for shooting without the permission of the reserve management;
• visit the reserve while intoxicated, as well as smoke, drink alcohol or drugs on its territory.

Prices for services:

• Preschool children are allowed on all excursions and tourist facilities is free.
• Ecotropy “Through the Foliage”   - 300 rubles. (children 7-17 years old - 150 rubles).
• Ecopark "Tree-House"   - from 250 to 1000 rubles. (depending on the age and number of visited objects).
• Central Bison Nursery   Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve (with a visit to the Museum of Nature and the observation tower) - from 400 to 4000 rubles. (depending on age and citizenship). Access to the nursery is open only with a guide.
• Guest accommodation   - from 300 to 700 rubles per day.

Plants and animals of the Prioksko-Terrasny reserve

• Flora   The reserve is quite diverse. Higher vascular plants (herbs, shrubs, trees) are represented by 980 species, among which are oak, linden, maple, birch, spruce, pine, hazel, viburnum, steppe cherries, honeysuckle, feather grass, Biberstein tulip, gorse, sedge, saber, lingonberries, cranberries and blueberries.
  As for other representatives of the flora of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, there are also more than 130 species of mosses, about 140 species of lichens, more than 20 species of liverworts and about 700 species of cap mushrooms.
• No less diverse and fauna. Of the invertebrates, the most widely represented are spiders (more than 280 species) and butterflies (620 species). Small vertebrates are represented by amphibians (10 species) and reptiles (5 species). The most widely represented in the fauna of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve are birds, which number more than 140 species. Most often you can see hazel grouse, cuckoo, large spotted woodpecker, sparrowhawk, great tit, songbird and blackbird, finch, chaff and flycatchers. Mammals are represented by 62 species, among which bison, red deer, elk, roe deer, wild boar, wolf, lynx, badger, marten, weasel, squirrel, otter and beaver should be separately identified.

Sights of the reserve

• Central bison nursery.   The Bison Nursery is, perhaps, the main reason why the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve is famous in world scientific circles. In a fenced area of \u200b\u200b200 hectares, bison live and breed. About 25 bison are constantly located here, although the nursery is designed for 60 animals. This is the central nursery of Russia, from where young animals are transported throughout the country to create similar protected objects. There are also 5 bison - American bison relatives.
    Check with the staff of the reserve when the bison have lunch, and you can admire these powerful animals when they come to the feeders. You can also sometimes see how the bison scratches its neck against the fence and at the same time funny groans with pleasure. But it’s more interesting to see how young bison, who are in a separate fence like a kindergarten, walk with each other.
    But most of all, the local celebrity will amuse you - the ferret Ivan. He dances and somersaults in front of the bison, and when they come closer, he hides under the feeding trough. And so every day.
• Ecotropy “Through the Foliage”.   This is an integral part of the excursion to the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. Convenient and safe ecological trail, laid at a height of 8 meters. Consists of viewing platforms connected by cable bridges. At a height you can not only study the crowns of trees in more detail and observe the fauna living in them, but also fill your gadgets with photos and videos of the picturesque landscapes of the reserve. To pass the ecotropy, no special safety devices are required.
• Ecopark "Tree-house".   The system of routes for children and adults of different difficulty levels, allowing you to combine outdoor activities with cognitive travel. Quests provide for overcoming suspension bridges and cable crossings on the way to completing tasks related to the life of plants and the inhabitants of the protected forest. The program is designed very interesting and creative, so knowledge of the flora and fauna of the reserve will be well fixed in the memory of your children.
• Museum of Nature.   Here you can find out what animals and how many bison live in the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, see stuffed animals. Guides in an interesting form tell about the history of the reserve, discover new facts from the life of the animals we know, and also demonstrate a rich collection of insects
• House of Leshii.A place that children especially like. The inhabitant of the forest hut - Terras Terrasovich. Goblin is a protector of animals and plants. He guards the forest and can punish those who behave badly towards its inhabitants. The interior of the hut is very original: the furniture is made of old stumps, and various antique utensils are on the shelves. Nearby is a pond, as if descended from pictures of children's fairy-tale books.
• Integrated background monitoring station.   Here you can get some rather interesting information of an ecological nature, as well as see the original 3D installation “Seasons”, inside of which a feeling of being in nature surrounded by animals is created.

History of creation

• Work on the organization of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve began immediately after the victory in the Great Patriotic War. The place was not chosen by chance. Here back in the middle XIX century   Southern steppe plants that were not characteristic of this climatic zone were discovered.
• The foundation date of the reserve is considered June 19, 1945.   First, he entered the structure, being one of its five parts.
• In 1951   Four reserves were abolished in the year, leaving only one - Prioksko-Terrasny, since at that time there was already a bison breeding nursery, which by that time was on the verge of extinction.
• In 1966   the area of \u200b\u200bthe reserve was increased by 80 hectares, and in 1983   year, they organized work on monitoring the environmental situation in the Moscow region.

Interesting facts about the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve

1. Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve is the only state   nature reserve in the Moscow region.
2. Since 1979   The reserve is located in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
3. First bison - Buslav - was brought to the reserve in 1948   from the Polish nursery Bialowieza. Soon from there he was brought to reproduce the prongs of Plesse and Pustulechka for reproduction. With them (apparently, "for safety reasons") they also brought the bull Pletsuha II. A typical bison family consists of one male and 5-6 females. But the head of the family is not the bison, but the largest bison.
4. Despite its impressive size, the bison can reach speeds of up to 50 km / h   and jump over an obstacle 2 meters high.
5. During the existence of the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve, more than 500 bison.
6. In the reserve you can "Adopt a bison", i.e. a person or group of people can provide annual funding for maintaining the bison they like and come to him at any time.

Photo of Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve

Modern technical capabilities have made it possible to build a high-altitude ecotropic “Through the Foliage” without harming the trees.

The exposition of the Museum of Nature as widely as possible represents the wildlife of the reserve.




  You can meet deer in the reserve.


  In the reserve you can relax on the shores of a quiet forest lake.

Prioksko-Terrasny Biosphere Reserve - video

An interesting story about the Prioksko-Terrasny Biosphere Reserve. Enjoy watching!!!

  The Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve is a great place to relax for Muscovites and city guests. Each city dweller, and especially a resident of the metropolis, will be pleased to be distracted from the noise of the city and breathe in the clear forest air, admire the pristine nature, observe bison and other rare animals, learn a lot of interesting things about nature, and also walk along fascinating ecological paths.

From visiting the reserve you and especially your children will have a lot of pleasant experiences. Well, be sure to purchase some memorable souvenirs with the emblem of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve.

The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, without a doubt, can be called an untouched corner of wildlife, which is located near Moscow. Wikipedia contains data that it was organized in June 1945, only about ten kilometers from Serpukhov, the protected area allows it to contain a wide variety of species of plants and animals.

It is the only nature reserve that has remained in the Moscow region. What the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve is famous for - this will be discussed in this article.

It is located on the left bank of the Oka River, where ancient limestone terraces are located, partially covered with sand, in whose honor the reserve was named.

This territory is famous for the fact that there are places with steppe vegetation, which are located much north than the usual range of the steppe zone. Steppe sections are interspersed with pine forests.

In contact with

Getting to know plants

Among the rare and beautiful species that grow in the reserve and listed in the Red Book, it is worth noting:

1. 1. Grouse chess. This plant is considered the most famous representative of the grouse family. It got its name because of the spotty color, which is similar to the plumage of the bird of the same name. The flowers, resembling a drooping bell in shape, are painted in a brownish-reddish hue with an original checkerboard pattern.

The perennial bulbous plant Grouse chess reaches a height of 30-35 cm and blooms in two to three weeks from April to May

1. 1. Russian grouse is a grassy bulbous plant about half a meter high. The slightly flattened bulb reaches a diameter of 2 cm. The almost filiform thin upper leaves are twisted around the circumference. Violet-brownish flowers have greenish stripes along the petals. Flowering occurs in early May.
   2. Orchids (the so-called northern ones): Orchis helmet-bearing and burnt, Venus slipper yellow or real, Neotthiantus napellus, Palmworm Trauntensteinra. All varieties of northern orchids cause genuine surprise, but the yellow or real slipper especially attracts attention. The original flower of this orchid consists of yellow lips and tepals with a brown-red hue. These types of orchids must be treated very carefully and reverently, since they are extremely rare in nature.

The height of the plant Venus slipper present can be from 25 to 50 cm

1. The feather grass is feathery. The height of this perennial plant can vary from 30 to 80 cm. Leaf blades reach a width of 2 mm. Flowering time falls on the end of spring and the beginning of summer.

Getting to know animals

In the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, located in the suburbs (Serpukhov district), a large number of invertebrates are noted like in no other. This is about 250 species of spiders and more than 600 species of butterflies.

Among all this diversity, it is worth highlighting the spectacular and large butterfly of this territory, which is listed in the Red Book and is part of the Sailing Family.

Swallowtail named by Swedish naturalist Karl Linnaeus after the character of Greek mythology by doctor Swallowtail

This is an ordinary swallowtail, whose wings are painted in an intense yellow hue. The front of the wings has a black stripe, spots and veins. The back is elongated up to 1 cm and painted in yellow, blue.

Also on the back of the wings is a reddish-brown eye, surrounded by a black stripe. The wingspan of a swallowtail is from 6, 5 to 9.5 cm.

Famous bison

In 1948, the Central Nursery was established here to breed purebred bison, restore its population and return it to nature.

The bison, considered almost a contemporary of the mammoth, is the largest ungulate living on the European continent

For these representatives, almost 200 hectares of forest territory have been allocated, which is separated from the rest of the reserve by a fence made of netting netting.

The height of this animal is about two meters, and the length can vary from three to three and a half meters. The weight of an adult bison almost reaches a ton. The body of this forest bull is covered with soft, thick and long hair. It adds stateness and power to the bison.

Interestingly, the voice of this large animal is somewhat reminiscent of uterine grunt, which weakly combines with a general impressive appearance. The first mention of the bison dates back to the third century BC.   This forest beast has always been a symbol of the forces of nature and is often worshiped.

Worth knowing:   this is the only species that has been restored and returned to nature, at the moment this species is carefully protected. A large number of nurseries and zoological gardens around the world participated in these works. Now there are almost four and a half thousand of these animals all over the world and three thousand of them live in natural conditions.

The lifespan of males is 19-20 years, and females can live up to 30 years. Bison begin to bring cubs at the age of three. The entire period of gestation of bison is almost nine months.

Most bison are born in May-June.

The main diet of these animals consists of grassy and woody crops. Most of all, bison like acorns, thin shoots with oak, aspen and willow leaves, as well as the bark of young trees.

In the summer, these animals are fed with feed and other feeds. In the cold season, cut beets, carrots and dried grass are added to this. Surely in each part of the pen there is salt with mineral additives. Small bison begin to feed at the age of two months.

It includes a visit to the Central Bison Nursery, where you can watch animals from a tower about five meters high. Also during this tour you can see deer and bison.

Formally, for sika deer, the local climate is considered alien

More detailed information about the Prioksko-Terrasny Zakaznik, the mode of operation, how to get there, the price of tickets, as well as a list and pictures of plants and living animals, etc. can be found on the official website http://pt-zapovednik.ru

Watch the video that tells about the features of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve:

The islands of wildlife in the conditions of the dying ecology of the Earth remain protected areas. The Prioksko-Terraced State Nature Biosphere Reserve named after Mikhail Zablotsky is one of the most striking examples of this. The territory on which not only the natural flora and fauna of this region has been preserved, but also representatives of the biosphere that are not typical for this area.

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Where is it and how to get there?

This conservation area is located in the Moscow region, not far from the city of Serpukhov and covers an area of \u200b\u200babout five thousand hectares. You can get here from Moscow, from the Kursk station by train, intercity buses or personal vehicles.

The reserve and its staff will delight adults and children with thematic excursions. There is an opportunity to ride a horse and a balloon, and most importantly - to see wild animals and rare plants, some of which are endangered species on our planet.

Information about the reserve, a map of its area, a brief description of the excursions, which animals and plants are here, as well as contacts and how to find it on the map, are presented on the official website.

History of creation

A natural biosphere reserve was founded in the summer of 1945. Of the five nature reserves in this region, it has by now remained the only nature reserve in the Moscow Region, a corner of wildlife where you can meet wild animals and rare flora in the natural habitat.

  Homestead

Geographically, the reserve is located on the Oka River, this area is characterized by the presence of ancient terraces naturally washed out of limestone-sand mixture. The features of the reserve's region determined its name. The main feature of the reserve, noted by its creators, is vegetation not characteristic of this region.

Despite the territorial location in the northern part of Moscow Region, the southern steppe flora is widely represented on the banks of the Oka. Scientists were struck by an unusual combination of terrain: the steppe and forest-steppe climate harmoniously coexists with the taiga. Such a neighborhood has become possible on the territory of the reserve, largely due to its terraced structure and creates here a special microclimate inherent only to this place.

The object was registered in 1979 in a special way and is under the protection of UNESCO as one of the few on the planet a piece of land with a preserved natural biosphere. In 2015, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of Russia, Prioksko Terraced Reserve received the title of M.A.Zablotsky.

What is famous for?

The nature reserve is a place inhabited by almost nine hundred species of plants, more than fifty species of mammals and about one hundred and fifty species of birds of nature. Also here in natural environmental conditions are reptiles and invertebrates.

What is famous for the Prioksky object is the fact that there is a bison reserve on its territory - it was founded in 1948 and is now truly unique. The fact is that by the beginning of the last century, bison, as a species, had practically disappeared in the European region. In total there were no more than fifty individuals left. Biologists in a timely manner attended to their breeding in the most imitating natural conditions.

  Bison. Youth group. Photo by Olga Kalinina

The bison reserve for its entire existence gave birth to about six hundred purebred animals released into natural habitats. It is a terraced reserve that needs to be thanked for the fact that bison in nature exist to this day and are preserved as a species of animals.

Some interesting points can be added to the interesting facts about the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve:

The nature reserve is famous not only for its history, flora and fauna, but is also widely known throughout the country as the only one located near a huge metropolis - the capital of Russia.

Animals and plants of the reserve

The reserve on the Oka River boasts a rich flora. Coniferous and deciduous forests are decorated with spruce, pine, oak, birch, aspen. You can also find rare plants here. Briefly about the copies listed in the Red Book:

Special attention should be paid to the plants included in the Red Book of the Moscow Region - there are about eighty species here! The most famous of them are: Bieberstein tulip, gray Veronica, straight clematis, black hellebore, etc.

  Bieberstein Tulip

An important part of the ecosystem of the terraced reserve is invertebrate animals. The territory is replete with a huge assortment of butterflies - there are about six hundred species of them seen here! The main value of the park is the ordinary Machaon, listed in the Red Book of the Moscow Region, this is a large, bright butterfly, which has almost disappeared in this area.

  Common swallowtail

The exact number is not known, but according to the notes of the reserve's workers, about three hundred species of spiders live on its site.

The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve numbers about one hundred and forty species of birds; representatives of sixteen orders of birds live on its territory. About half of the passerine family, but there are also chicken and predators. Basically, these are birds migrating or migratory, but many families remain wintering in the reserve. Due to the mixing of terrain types, here you can meet both birds from taiga strips of Russia and representatives of broadleaf forests.

  Goshawk

The fauna in the reserve is diverse and is present in various species: about a dozen amphibians, reptiles, more than fifty species of wild mammals. Of the latter, almost all animals here are characteristic of the Russian Plain: roe deer, elk, wild boar, badger, hare, weasel, beaver, and others. However, there are certain types of mammals that are typical for representatives of the southern taiga: shrew, vole, lynx or broadleaf forests: hazel dormouse, southern hedgehog, wild boar.

  Hazel Dormouse (rodent)

The park has a large population of beaver. Although in the first decades of the twentieth century, this species of animals was on the verge of extinction due to the constant demand among hunters and poachers. Several pairs of animals from different regions of the country were brought into the reserve; for them, through the efforts of employees, ideal conditions were created for life and breeding of offspring. At first, the offspring was small, the cubs had to be fed and nursed by hand, but by about the 60s the population had rapidly gone up. For animals, special reservoirs and conditions are created for the construction of minks and houses, the amount is from time to time inventoried and analyzed.

Of course, the main attraction in terms of fauna is the bison reserve. It was he who at one time actually saved the Prioksko-Terrasny from closing. When this species of animals was on the verge of extinction, they were able to arrange special conditions for breeding and comfortable living of these powerful, beautiful animals.

  Sponge with a baby. Photo by Olga Kalinina

A specialized nursery occupies about two hundred hectares of the reserve’s area; these are absolutely natural living conditions for animals. The animals are in spacious enclosures made of mesh. They are looked after, monitored by nutrition, hygiene and reproduction. The cubs are specially fed, and, if necessary, nursed. The bison nursery allowed to remove this species of animals from rare ones, saved it from extinction, and thanks to it, the bison population was successfully settled in the forests of Russia and even abroad in natural habitats.

  Bison in the Aviary

The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve is still a natural environment for many, including rare species of animals, plants and birds. His task: a comfortable existence for the entire ecosystem of the region. Here the natural flora and fauna is preserved, scientific research is regularly conducted. By the way, the reserve has no territory fencing - its territory freely contacts the surrounding areas - this is done so as not to disturb the natural ecosystem.

  Protokskoe Lake

Unfortunately, in the twenty-first century, when the ecology of our planet is deteriorating every day, such, even if artificially maintained, remain the only opportunity for the natural existence of many representatives of the animal and plant world, as well as maintaining the general circulation of substances in the biosphere of our planet.