Project on the theme of the diversity of nature in Chechnya. Mountain Chechnya
Natural features of the Republic of Chechnya
The Chechen Republic is located in the northeast of the North Caucasus and Eastern Ciscaucasia.
The western border passes with Ingushetia, in the north-west it borders with the Republic of North Ossetia Alania. The northern border runs with the Stavropol Territory, and in the east the border runs with Dagestan. The ridges of the Caucasus ranges separate it in the south from Georgia.
The length of the Republic from north to south is 170 km, and from west to east – more than 100 km.
A distinctive feature of the Republic is the exceptional diversity of natural conditions, which is clearly expressed in soil and vegetation cover, in differences in relief and climate.
The relief is divided into four parts - flat, foothill, mountain, high mountain:
- The flat northern part is occupied by the Terek sand massif with a height of 0 to 120 m. In the northeast there is a flat plain of the Terek delta. In the east is the Gudermes Plain;
- The foothill part is formed by the Tersky, Sunzhensky, Grozny, Gudermes ridges and an elevated plain south of the Sunzha River. The heights of this part are no more than 500 m. The Sunzhenskaya Plain from the north adjoins the ridges of the Black Mountains;
- South of the Black Mountains is the Rocky Range;
- In the south of the Republic there is the Side Range - this is a high-mountainous part of the territory. The altitudes here become much higher and reach 1000-2500 m.
The temperate climate of the Republic changes with altitude and as it moves from north to south. The climate is formed through the interaction of local and general climatic processes. Hot and long summers, short and fairly mild winters.
Continental air of temperate latitudes dominates the plains and foothills throughout the year.
Temperature distribution is greatly influenced by altitude above sea level. The highest temperatures in the Terek-Kuma Lowland in July reach +25 degrees. On the Chechen plain it is +22...+24 degrees, and in the foothills it is already +21...+20 degrees.
With altitude, the January temperature decreases - on the Chechen Plain the temperature is -4...-4.2 degrees, in the foothills -5...-5.5 degrees. At an altitude of 3000 m it drops to -1, and in the area of eternal snow it is already -18 degrees.
Precipitation is unevenly distributed. The smallest amount of 300-400 mm falls on the Terek-Kuma Lowland, and to the south it gradually increases to 800-1000 mm.
Note 1
The Republic is characterized by dangerous geological processes, including seismicity, subsidence, landslides, landslides, avalanches, landslides, mudflows, karst, erosion, and floods.
The varied climate and topography create the preconditions for a variety of flora. Forb-fescue vegetation is characteristic of the desert steppes of the Terek sandy massif in its northern part.
Saline-meadow and saline-swamp vegetation grows in the lower reaches of the Terek in the extreme northeast of the Republic.
Floodplain meadows in combination with shrub and forest vegetation grow in the depressions of the Terek and Sunzha valleys.
In more humid areas, the natural vegetation is represented by feather grass steppes. Oak forests grow in the low mountains, while beech predominates in the middle mountains.
Subalpine meadows replace continuous forest vegetation in the upper middle mountains. At an altitude of 1800-2800 m they occupy vast territories.
Alpine meadows begin at an altitude of 2700-3500 m.
Note 2
Vast areas of flat areas are almost all plowed and natural vegetation has been replaced by cultivated vegetation.
Natural resources of the Republic
The main wealth of the Chechen subsoil is oil - in total there are about 30 hydrocarbon deposits. There are 20 deposits within the Tersky Range, 7 deposits on the Sunzhensky Range, and 2 deposits in the Black Mountains monocline.
Note 3
Of the total number of fields, 23 are oil, 4 are gas-oil, 2 are purely gas fields. Chechen oil is paraffinic in composition with a high gasoline content.
Chechnya is rich in building materials. A large deposit of cement marls has been explored in the valley of the Chanty-Argun River. Huge reserves of limestone. In the Assinsky Gorge there are limestones of beautiful colors.
Between the Gekhi and Sharo-Argun rivers there are deposits of gypsum and anhydrite. Large sandstone deposits of the Sernovodskoye, Semashinskoye, Chishkinskoye deposits.
Mumil and ocher are mined here from mineral paints.
Deposits of hard and brown coal are known, but the reserves and quality are low, so they are not of industrial importance.
Ore deposits have not been sufficiently studied; several deposits of copper and base metals are noted in the upper reaches of the Armkhi and Chanty-Argun rivers.
Mineral sulfate-calcium hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen sulfide-chloride-sodium sources with high mineralization and high hydrogen sulfide content are highly valued.
The Republic is not sufficiently supplied with underground fresh water.
Surface waters are distributed unevenly - the mountainous part and the Chechen plain have a dense and branched river network. The territories north of the Terek have almost no rivers, which is due to the climate. The main river is the Terek, the second largest is the Sunzha River.
In addition to rivers, there are lakes in Chechnya, found both on the plains and in the mountains.
There are few lakes, but they are diverse in origin and water regime - eolian, floodplain, landslide, dammed, karst, tectonic and glacial. Aeolian lakes often dry up in summer.
The natural reservoirs of Chechnya are high-mountain snow and glaciers. Large glaciers are associated with the northern slope of the Side Range. The morphological types of glaciers in Chechnya are valley, cirque, and hanging.
There are 10 valley glaciers, 23 cirques and 25 hanging glaciers within the Republic.
Chechen forests occupy an area of 361 thousand hectares or 18.7% of the territory of the Republic. The forest fund contains relict beech forests, which are suppliers of valuable wood. In addition to them, forest-forming species are Caucasian hornbeam, low-trunked birch, ash, and light maple. There are all the necessary natural conditions for the development of recreational resources.
Environmental problems of the Republic
Environmental problems are also typical for this Caucasian Republic.
Among them, the most serious include:
- pollution of air, water, soil at the local level in areas of untouched landscapes;
- destruction of flora and fauna in areas of industrial influence;
- intensive use of resources leading to the depletion of renewable and non-renewable natural resources.
As for regional environmental problems, they are determined by the level of anthropogenic load and the natural features of the region.
Natural and climatic conditions, the history of the formation of the territory determine the ecological situation of the capital - the city of Grozny, especially its industrial zone, which is located in a closed space from the point of view of geomorphology.
In such a space, emissions from industrial enterprises into the atmosphere stagnate for a long time, and natural air renewal is small.
The main air pollutants are Nurenergo JSC, oil refining, oil production and construction industry enterprises.
Pollutants are hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides.
Causes of air pollution:
- enterprises do not implement environmental protection decisions satisfactorily;
- large irrecoverable losses;
- weak control over the state of the environment by departmental organizations;
- poor control over the operation of treatment facilities;
- low efficiency of installed gas purifiers.
Being a part of nature, society should strive for mutually beneficial cooperation with nature.
The natural monument “Lake Kezenoy-Am” (Chechen - K'ozana Iam) is located in the Vedeno region of the Chechen Republic. Hydrological natural monument of regional significance. Located in the belt of subalpine meadows. It is fed by inflowing streams and groundwater. It has no surface drainage. Water level...
Dear friends, like-minded people, visitors to the website of the regional branch of the OECD!
The section “Natural Attractions of the Chechen Republic” will contain photographic material related to specially protected natural areas (SPNA). The pictures were taken in 2009-2011. during the period of work of the head of the regional branch of the NGO "Public Environmental Control of Russia" A.A. Luluyev as director of the State Institution "Directorate of Specially Protected Natural Areas of the Chechen Republic". These are amateur photographs. At that time, the idea (project) of creating a collection under the code name “The Chechen Republic - a land of amazing contrasts of nature” was hatched, but due to the transfer of the project initiator to another job, it could not be realized...
Council of the regional branch of the NGO "Public Environmental Control of Russia" in the Chechen Republic
The Chechen Republic is located in the northern Caucasus, which has long been attracting with its wildness and unbridled nature. Despite the relatively small area, the diversity of flora and fauna is provided by different climatic zones and zones, which change noticeably from the south to the north of the country. The nature of Chechnya changes depending on the nature of the relief. It was conditionally differentiated into four zones, including:
- Terek-Kumskaya lowland;
- Terek-Sunzha Upland;
- Chechen Plain;
- Mountain Chechnya.
Each zone has a unique landscape, flora and fauna.
Flora of Chechnya
The Terek-Kum lowland can hardly be called the most diverse and colorful, since in part of the wetlands, mainly wormwood-saltweed crops grow: sarsazan, kargan, solyanka, potashnik. Along the rivers there are isolated shrubs and trees - willow grass, comb grass, as well as significant thickets of reeds.
Feather grass and various cereals grow on the Tersko-Sunzhenskaya Upland. In spring, the open spaces are decorated with colored sedge and red tulips. The dense undergrowth is formed by bushes of privet, birch tree, elderberry, buckthorn and. The most common trees are oaks, kakaragas, wild apples and pears. The sun fills various varieties of grapes and melons with sugar. Orchards are ripening.
On the flat and mountain slopes of the Chechen region, bushy fluffy oak, dwarf tree, cotoneaster, barberry, and rose hips abound. It is rare, but you can still find true beech forests and relict Radde birches, untouched by humans. A special feature of this birch tree is its bark, which has a pinkish tint, as well as enlarged leaves and a modified shape of the tree. Blooming rhododendrons and tall grasses complement the majestic picture of the mountains.
Animal world
The sparse vegetation of the lowland, oddly enough, attracted a large number of animals. The following people feel comfortable here: gophers, jerboas, field mice, hamsters, hedgehogs and numerous lizards, snakes and vipers. Hares, antelopes, corsacs (small foxes), wild boars and jackals are often seen. There are cranes on the banks of rivers. Larks, steppe eagles and bustards soar in the sky.
Foxes, badgers and wolves are also found in the forest-steppe zone.
The fauna of the plain and mountainous Chechnya is richer. Impenetrable mountain forests are home to bears, lynxes, and wild forest cats. There are roe deer in the clearings. Among other animals that have found shelter in this region, you can see the wolf, hare, marten, fox, badger and other fur-bearing animals. The chamois is considered a rare, endangered species, which has chosen as its habitat subalpine meadows and the borders of forests and Dagestan aurochs, which live in herds not far from the snowy peaks.
The largest bird among the fauna inhabitants is the black-headed vulture. Snowy mountain slopes are inhabited by snowcocks. Rocky cliffs have become a nesting site for chukar partridges - stone partridges.
At the foot of the mountains and on the plains there are many birds. You can find Caucasian black grouse in dense thickets of rhododendrons. Hawks and buzzards circle over the expanses of meadows. Woodpeckers, tits, and thrushes live in the bushes. Nuthatch and warbler scurry about. Jays and magpies are teasing. Beech forests are inhabited by owls.
You can admire the greatness of Chechnya’s nature indefinitely, finding new delights of the landscape every minute.
Photo sketches from a trip to the mountains of the Itum-Kalinsky region of Chechnya, the southernmost in the republic and rich in historical and natural monuments. In an ordinary car, a Priora with an Ingush flag) with license plates near Moscow, we visited the construction site of the Veduchi ski resort; we drove almost to the border with Georgia, to one of the largest necropolises in the North Caucasus, Tsoi-Pede, and spent the night several times in a tent under the Milky Way; and also examined some battle towers, which are available to any tourist who decides to independently get acquainted with the nature of the Chechen Republic. Now there are no difficulties or dangers with this, which is proven by our bersaev experience:)
Before starting the photo story, there is a map of the area to better understand the scale of the trips. By car you can drive from Shatoy to Itum-Kale, then either turn towards Sharoy, passing Tazbichi, or go towards Veduchi, or, having passed the border post, go towards Tsoi-Pede.
1. The first place where tourists coming to the Itum-Kalinsky district stop is the Ushkaloy Towers. One tower was destroyed to its foundation in 1944, the second was damaged in 2001, both were restored in 2011.
2. Once we drove by in the evening and photographed the towers, illuminated by car headlights, against the backdrop of the Milky Way.
3. In Itum-Kale, the administrative center of the district, there is a local history museum named after Khusein Isaev, located in the Pakochsky castle. I had already been there in 2012, so on this trip I only took a photo from the road.
4. Village Veduchi. In a couple of years, it is planned to build a large modern ski resort here. Currently, transport infrastructure is being connected to it, and we can enjoy the still untouched nature:
5. The restored tower in Veduchi, in the background is an ordinary rural mosque. We spent the night in it on the first day of the trip (when we reached the village at nightfall and could not find a place for a tent). Mosques in Chechnya do not close at night; any traveler can stay in them.
6. View from the village to the neighboring slope, ski slopes are planned here.
7. I think there are a lot of people here who want to build a dacha with a view of the mountains)
10. One of the gorges in the Veduchi area. We went down to this river.
11. You can wade across the river by car, or walk across the bridge (I love those))
12. We spent the rest of the day in the area of this mountain river.
13. Another day we drove towards Georgia, to the Tsoi-Pede necropolis. View from the village of Tazbichi on the road that leads there.
14. Route along the Argun River (Chanty-Argun).
15. In the depths of the hill you can see the ruins of the Kirda tower; it was damaged during the last military campaign.
16. A few kilometers from the border with Georgia, at the confluence of the Meshekhi River (on the left) into the Argun (on the right), there is a rocky ridge with the Tsoi-Pede necropolis, on the southern outskirts of which stands a battle tower.
17. Like Vovnushki in Ingushetia, the tower stands on the very edge of the cliff, and amazes with the complexity of its construction. In the lower part it is fastened with metal brackets, which prevent its destruction - the tower needs repairs.
18. The weather began to deteriorate, we did not go up to the Tsoi-Pede necropolis, but decided to climb higher, to the abandoned villages above it. This is the view from Kamalha.
19. In mountainous Chechnya, I was struck by the abundance of agricultural terraces - it was a lot of work to create them at such a height.
20. Road to Georgia, to Shatili. Below there is a border post, which is not allowed to be photographed.
21-22. Tsoi-Pede necropolis, view from above. There are over 40 tombs - solar burial grounds, some more than 10 centuries old.
23. We went up to the village of Korotakh.
24. A few years ago there was a battle tower here, but now it has collapsed.
25-26. Solar burial grounds.
26. 12 km from here is mountainous Ingushetia. I hope that someday I will be able to walk from here to the Ingush village of Gul, the first one on the side of the border.
It started to rain and we returned back.
27. The third, last part of our hike took place in the Tazbichi area, where there are several battle towers. We spent the night under a tree, sheltered from the rain.
28. In the morning they began to remove the Etkala battle tower.
29. It was restored in 2012.
30. Dyor battle towers.
31. You can climb into the lower one.
32. It’s more difficult to get to the top one.
33. This is how it looks from above, on the slope of the Khacharoy-duk ridge.
34. Let me remind you that on the other side of the ridge is Veduchi.
35. Khaskala battle tower, the oldest in these places, built in the 10th-12th centuries.
36. The near corner collapsed and was quickly but roughly restored.
37. Views of the surrounding area around the tower. If it were up to me, I would move to live in such places!)
41. From the village of Tazbichi there is a direct road to Sharoy, which we drove by car.
42. Sunset over Itum-Kali is filmed by a wonderful guy Abdullah Bersaev bersaev , which I talked about earlier.
44. Khaskala battle tower at sunset.
45. Somewhere there, in the depths of the mountains - Ingushetia :)
47. Here, at an altitude of 1500 meters, we spent the night. The Internet works in these places, I posted this photo on Instagram right from our tent, it collected a record number of likes))
In the morning we moved to Sharoy, but I will write about this some other time. And from the Itum-Kalinsky district, I showed only a fifth of the photos taken, sometimes not the most beautiful, but characteristic, so that you can form an opinion about these wonderful places. In 2015, I hope I will return here for a longer period so that I have the opportunity to see all the sights of the area in detail and make photo reports on them. Thank you for your attention:)
My previous photo reports from the Chechen Republic:
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