The largest swamps in the world top 10. Large swamps of Russia: unique ecosystems
February 2 is World Wetlands Day. It was on this day that the “Convention on Wetlands”, or “Ramsar Convention”, was signed in the Iranian city of Ramsar, the purpose of which is the conservation and rational use of wetlands of international importance, mainly as habitats for waterfowl. On this occasion, we decided to talk about the most famous swamps in Russia.
VASYUGAN SWAMP
The Vasyugan swamp, which appeared about 10 thousand years ago, is the largest swamp on earth. It occupies about 5 million hectares, which is 21% more than the area of Switzerland. The swamp spreads across the territory of the Novosibirsk, Tomsk and Omsk regions, between the large Siberian rivers Ob and Irtysh. Initially, there were 19 separate swamps on its territory, which merged into a continuous body of water, and the process of swamping the territory continues. The Vasyugan swamp gives rise to many rivers: Ava, Bakchar, Bolshoi Yugan, Vasyugan, Demyanka, Iksa, Kanga, Nyurolka, Maly Tartas, Maly Yugan, Om, Parabel, Parbig, Tara, Tui, Uy, Chaya, Chertala, Shegarka and others. The Vasyugan swamp is a natural phenomenon that has no analogues in the world. It is the main source of fresh water in the region and a giant natural filter: bog peat counteracts the greenhouse effect by absorbing harmful substances and sequestering carbon, and bog vegetation actively saturates the air with oxygen. The Vasyugan swamp is also of economic interest: it is rich in minerals. In its western part, oil deposits are being developed, in the east - peat deposits, and in the north - iron ore deposits. However, the development of the mining industry also has negative effects: the flora and fauna of the swamps are under threat. An environmental hazard is also posed by falling stages of launch vehicles launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which contaminate the area with heptyl residues.
The swamps are home to reindeer, golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, osprey, gray shrike, peregrine falcon, squirrels, moose, sable, wood grouse, ptarmigan, hazel grouse, black grouse, as well as mink, otter and wolverine. The flora of the swamps is also unique: there are a large number of rare and endangered plant species. Siberian scientists came up with a proposal to create a protected area on the territory of the Vasyugan swamp back in the late 50s. They failed to achieve the status of a nature reserve for the unique swamp, but the Vasyugansky complex reserve was created. There are currently plans to give it the status of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
UPPER DOUBLE
In Western Siberia, a large area of the Ob River floodplain, called Upper Dvuobye, is classified as wetlands of international importance included in the Ramsar list. A unique complex of large and small channels, land islands and lake-like reservoirs is located in the Oktyabrsky and Khanty-Mansiysk regions of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. Starting slightly below the mouth of the Irtysh, it stretches more than 200 km downstream of the Ob. The Upper Dvuobye is a place of mass nesting of waterfowl; bird species listed in the International Red Book nest here or stop on their migration route: osprey, white-tailed eagle, red-breasted goose, Siberian crane, and little swan. The Upper Dvuobye is home to valuable commercial species of fur-bearing animals and fish. In 1982, the Elizarovsky Nature Reserve was created on the territory of the wetland.
POLISTOV-LOVATSKAYA SWAMP SYSTEM
The Polistovo-Lovatskaya bog system is the largest bog in Europe, consisting of 15 fused bog massifs, many small and large lakes and rivers. It is located just 100 kilometers from the border of the European Union, between the Pskov and Novgorod regions. About half the area of the swamps, which are more than 10 thousand years old, is protected by two reserves - Polistovsky and Rdeisky, created in 1994 to preserve and study the marshes and their flora and fauna. Heather, cotton grass, cassandra, lichens, dwarf birch, marsh cranberries, and cloudberries grow in the swamps. There is a rare form of pine, usually less than 1 m in height. Rare bird species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation nest in the reserves. For example, the largest population of curlew in Europe lives on the territory of the Polistovsky Nature Reserve. The swamp system is the largest natural habitat in northwestern Russia for some endangered bird species: the European black-throated loon, the golden eagle, and the Central Russian ptarmigan. Of the mammals on the territory of the reserve and its protective zone, representatives of 36 species of animals are found, of which the red noctule and the flying squirrel are regionally rare, and the European mink is being prepared for inclusion in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.
The uniqueness of the Polistovo-Lovatsky swamp system also lies in the fact that it is the largest natural fresh water filter in Europe. In the raised bog there is a constant accumulation of organic matter. Various types of pollutants - radionuclides, heavy metals, organochlorines - are fixed by the organic substances of the swamp and remain in the ground along with the peat. Thus, at the “output” of the marsh massif of the Polistovsky Reserve, practically distilled water remains, which then flows into the basins of the North-Western region: Lake Ilmen, the Neva River and the Gulf of Finland.
SINYAVINSKIE SWAMPS
These swamps became notorious during the Great Patriotic War. Located near Shlisselburg in the Leningrad region, they became the scene of perhaps the most fierce battles of the entire war; it was along them that the line of the Volkhov Front passed for two and a half years, and three offensive operations were undertaken to break the blockade of Leningrad. Some eyewitnesses of the events say that the front in the Sinyavinsky swamps was the most terrible of all in this war. Peat bogs created big problems during the offensive. Any movement here was possible only along roads inaccessible to heavy artillery and tanks. In addition, a limestone ridge occupied by the Germans rose above the swamps - the famous Sinyavinsky Heights. From a height of 15-20 meters, the enemy could easily track all movements. 156,927 soldiers and officers took part in the Sinyavinsk offensive operation in the fall of 1942, of whom only 3,209 remained alive. To this day, search teams find the remains of soldiers “lying,” “sitting,” and even “standing” in trenches and trenches. Every year, operations are carried out in the swamps to search for missing persons, install monuments and obelisks in the areas of regimental cemeteries and mass graves.
SESTRORETSKY SWAMP
Located near St. Petersburg, the Sestroretsk swamp is one of the rare natural objects that has been practically unaffected by human impact, while being located within the boundaries of a large city. In 1978, geological surveys were carried out in the swamp: the only human intervention. The swamp was never drained, so those typical swamp complexes have been preserved here, giving an idea of the terrain on which St. Petersburg was built. The area of the swamp is about 1900 hectares, which makes the Sestroretsk swamp one of the largest swamps in Europe. Largely thanks to it, the bird population in the north of the continent is preserved: the swamp is a stopover site for migratory birds on the White Sea-Baltic flyway. Quite rare species are found here: lesser red-necked grebes, gray duck, merlin, curlews, and white-backed woodpecker. Two species of birds living in the Sestroretsk swamp are included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation - the white partridge and the curlew. In 2011, the largest natural reserve of regional significance in St. Petersburg was created on the territory of the swamp.
Swamps are unusual landscape areas of varying sizes. Sometimes overly wet areas of the earth look ominous and frightening, but sometimes it is simply impossible to take your eyes off them. In addition, in the swamps you can find rare birds and animals that amaze with their grace, skill in camouflage and extraordinary appearance. These days, every tourist can book a tour of the most interesting swamps in the world.
Pantanal Swamp
The area of the Pantanal is about 200 thousand km². Many countries in the world cannot match the scale of wetlands. The swamps are located in Brazil (Paraguay River basin). It has been established that the Pantanal was formed due to a tectonic depression into which water entered. In this regard, the sides of the swamp are limited by cliffs.
The area of wetlands is influenced by the region's climate. In rainy weather, the swamp “grows” before our eyes. Tourists get the impression that they are admiring a huge lake, which is overgrown with vegetation. In winter, the swamp consists of mud mixed with plants, which looks unaesthetic.
A variety of grasses, shrubs and trees grow in this region. A special feature of the swamps are water lilies of gigantic size. They are so big that they can support an adult. Among the common animals, it is worth highlighting crocodiles. There are about 20 million of them in this area. In addition, the Pantanal is home to 650 species of birds, 230 species of fish and 80 species of mammals.
Swamp Sudd - a miracle of our planet
Sudd occupies a leading position in the ranking of the largest swamps in the world. Its area is 57 thousand km². The location of the swamp is South Sudan, the White Nile Valley. The majestic swamp is constantly changing. For example, during times of severe drought, its area can decrease several times, and during rainy weather it can triple.
The flora and fauna of this area is amazing. About 100 species of mammals and 400 species of birds have found their home here. In addition, various cultivated plants grow in the swamp. Among the animals you can find antelope, Sudanese goat, white-eared goat and other species. The vegetation is represented by hyacinths, papyrus, common reed and wild rice. Sudd is popularly called the “water eater.”
Huge swamps of the world
The Vasyugan swamps are not inferior in size to the previous examples. This is a wetland area with an area of 53 thousand km², which is located in Russia. A feature of these areas is their slow but gradual increase. It was revealed that 500 years ago the swamps were 4 times smaller than in our time. The Vasyugan swamps consist of 800 thousand small lakes.
The Manchac Swamp is considered a gloomy and mysterious place. Some call it the ghost bolt. The wetland is located in the United States (Louisiana). There are frightening rumors and dark legends about this place. Almost the entire area is flooded with water, there is little vegetation around and everything has depressing black, blue and gray colors.
In Russian culture, swamps are not liked; they are avoided, considered dangerous and mysterious. Evil spirits most often live in them, as evidenced by a huge number of proverbs like “sits like a devil in a swamp” or “if there were a swamp, there would be devils.” Mysterious will-o'-the-wisps ("dead man's candles") have given rise to a large number of legends and fairy tales.
There are a huge number of swamps in Russia - they are one of the main elements of the landscape and many of them are impassable. But few people know that fire in a swamp occurs due to the combustion of ordinary swamp gas. Villagers, who tell horror stories about kikimora, go there in the fall in search of berries and herbs, but in general, the swamp is not only a natural filter of fresh water, but also a wonderful place that, if you manage to get there, cannot be forgotten.
1.Swamp Staroselsky moss is located in the Central Forest Reserve in the Tver region, just 330 km from Moscow. Here you can see real taiga, untouched by man since ancient times, walk along an ecological trail with a guide and walk along a springy wooden flooring that will take you deep into the swamp, which is about 10 thousand years old! In the middle of the swamp, you can climb onto a wooden tower and enjoy complete silence.
2.Sestroretsk swamp is located in the resort area of St. Petersburg. As you know, in 1703 the area of the future St. Petersburg was a complete swamp. The Sestroretsk swamp adjoins the Sestroretsk Razliv, created under Peter I. The Sestra River divides the swamp into two parts. Here, in the swamp, battles took place during the Great Patriotic War, and military dugouts still remain on the towering dunes.
3.By Mshinsky swamp In the Leningrad region, tourist excursions are constantly conducted, where you can photograph birds and animals, as well as watch them for a long time. The Mshinskoe swamp is a state nature reserve of federal subordination and belongs to territories of international importance. You can come here by train or by car, but you can only get there along hard-to-reach paths.
4. In the Novgorod region, in the Rdeisky Nature Reserve, there is the largest swamp massif in Europe, covering an area of 37 thousand hectares - Rdeyskoe swamp, considered one of the most unique swamp systems in Russia. Not the least important role is played by the Rdeisky Monastery, located in a hard-to-reach part of the swamp, of which little remains today, which, however, does not reduce the number of tourists and pilgrims trying to get to it through the swampy swamp. The reserve here was created in 1994 with the aim of preserving and studying the swamp, rare and endangered species of plants and animals. This place has the Old Russian name "Rdeisko-Polistovsky", associated with the names of two local lakes.
5.Vasyugan swamps are the largest swamps in the world! More than a quarter of the Earth's peat bogs are concentrated here. The Vasyugan swamps cover an area of 53 thousand square kilometers, which is larger in size than the average European country. Swamps lie on the territory of several regions: Tomsk, Omsk, Novosibirsk and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. The Vasyugan swamps provide fresh water to the entire Western Siberia, according to scientists, they resist the greenhouse effect and are on the verge of an environmental disaster due to oil and gas fields, as well as due to the constantly falling stages of launch vehicles from the Baikonur cosmodrome.
6.Tyuguryuk swamp- the largest in Altai and as beautiful as everything in this region. The Tyuguryuk swamp is surrounded by high mountains up to 2400 meters above sea level, despite the fact that the swamp itself is located on a ridge at a level of 1500 meters. Plants listed in the Red Book grow on it.
7.If you still believe in legends, then you need to visit Great Swamp in the Vologda region. Local residents talk about a “swamp baby” with long gray hair, living in the abandoned village of Tretnitsa on the shore of the swamp and about the remains of a wooden boat with gold at the bottom. At the same time, they themselves actively collect cranberries and blueberries in the swamp.
8. One of the oldest reserves in the Moscow region is "Crane Homeland"- the site of the largest pre-migration gathering of gray cranes in central Russia. The list of birds found in the reserve includes 227 species, of which 54 are listed in the Red Book of the Moscow Region and 14 in the Red Book of Russia. “Crane Homeland” consists of two parts: “Dubna Swamp Massif” and “Apsarevskoye Tract” and is currently fighting against illegal construction on its territory, which could lead to the destruction of the unique reserve.
9. It is believed that the Moscow River flows from Starkovsky swamp near the Smolensk region. A chapel was built at the source of the river in 2004.
10.Eutrophic swamp is located near the city of Kirovsk at the foot of the Khibiny Mountains and near Mount Lysaya. The area of the swamp is almost 10 hectares. The eutrophic swamp is a habitat for, for example, such uncultivable plant species as fireweed and many other plants listed in the Red Book. Therefore, since 1980, logging, tourism and any activity leading to pollution of the natural monument has been prohibited in the swamp.
Sudd is a country of swamps in eastern Africa, where the air is unusually clean. Instead of paths, narrow boats make small passages for themselves, diverging into stripes of water in the mud. But the most amazing thing is that in this gloomy swamp there live people who have enough to live on even tiny pieces of land in the middle of an impenetrable swamp.
THE NILE ABYSS
For a long time, the Sudd, one of the largest swamps in the world, was the main obstacle on the way of explorers to the sources of the Nile.
The Sudd - endless swamps in South Sudan - stretch along the White Nile, in an area called Bar El Jabal. In fact, the river valley in this place is designated very conditionally, since it simply does not have banks as such here. Instead, there is a vast swamp under a green blanket of swamp vegetation. If you leave the open water of the river and go deeper into the labyrinth of swamps for hundreds of kilometers, you can easily get lost among the monotonous landscape, focusing only on the strip of water astern, which is quickly covered with duckweed.
The Sudd is one of the largest swamps in the world, and it is also the largest freshwater swamp in the Nile basin, where there are many swampy places even without it.
The size of this giant swamp varies depending on the season: when it rains, the area of the Sudd can increase to 130 thousand km2, and the water level in the swamp can rise by one and a half meters.
In Egypt and Sudan, the Sudd swamp gained the reputation of a “water eater”. Since the slope of the White Nile in this place is completely imperceptible, the flow is very slow. Water flows freely through a labyrinth of canals, lagoons, reed pools and papyrus fields, and during this time half the volume of the entire water mass evaporates from a flat surface under the scorching sun.
Under the water there is a half-meter layer of dense clay soil that inhibits seepage. The aquifer was discovered at a depth of 30 m, which proved that the Sudd swamps do not depend in any way on the mass of groundwater, it is filled exclusively with the waters of the White Nile.
The Sudd territory is the most fertile region of South Sudan, if not all of East Africa: the swamps contain large amounts of silt rich in organic matter.
The fauna in these parts is extremely rich; there are more than 400 species of birds alone, including the shoebill, or royal heron, pink pelican and crowned crane. More than a hundred species of large mammals live here, mainly antelopes, which escape the Saharan heat in the swamp and feed on wild rice. Such vulnerable species as the Sudanese goat, or Nile lychee, tiang, redunka, and white-eared kob also find refuge here. The shallow waters of the Sudd are home to crocodiles and hippopotamuses, and the inland areas are home to the rare wild dog and African elephant.
The most typical types of vegetation for fertile swamp areas are papyrus, common reed, hyacinth, pyramidal barnacle, wild rice, hippo grass and cattail.
During floods, many plants are torn off and form floating islands, whose length sometimes reaches 30 km. True, these islands are crumbling quite quickly.
Since ancient times, residents of the banks of the Nile have tried to reach its sources, hoping to reach the habitat of the gods who control this mass of water. In those days, this was vitally important, because the harvest, and therefore the fate of people, depended on the Nile. But, having risen to the Sudd swamps, the travelers retreated, unable to break through the swamp vegetation.
European travelers took into account the experience of the ancient Egyptians and looked for the sources of the Nile not from the north, but from the coast of Equatorial Africa.
THE FUTURE OF SWAMPS IS AT THREAT
If the Jungali Canal, designed to reduce water evaporation, is completed, the swamps will disappear, and this is what the local residents - great patriots of their swampy homeland - fear most of all.
The Ramsar Convention, the first global international treaty dedicated entirely to wetlands as a specific type of ecosystem, listed the Sudd as a wetland of international importance.
Nilotic peoples live in the swamps; there are no cities here, but there are separate villages of a clan or tribe, usually consisting of two to three dozen houses.
The dwelling of the Nilotes is called “tukul”: it is a round hut with a conical roof and walls made of branches coated with a mixture of clay, dung and straw. Due to dampness, these houses have to be rebuilt every 5-6 years on average.
Almost all the inhabitants of the swamps have preserved ancient traditional beliefs, support the cult of ancestors and the forces of nature, and keep wooden idols in their houses.
The idols represent the most important gods, the main one being Dengdita, or the god of the Great Rain, who is considered the creator of the swamps and the people living on them. The custom of sacrificing domestic animals to the gods, which are slaughtered by the best harpooner in the area, has been preserved (the inhabitants of Sudce still catch fish with this ancient tool).
Despite the fertility of the Sudd region and the inexhaustible reserves of silt, it is impossible to engage in agriculture here on a large scale: the swamps suck in any agricultural equipment. In some dry areas, millet, maize and beans are grown. But basically, crop farming here is represented by tiny vegetable gardens on hummock islands, livestock farming is reduced to keeping a couple of goats per family (the cattle are fed barnyard grass, which is collected from a boat right in the swamp), and the main source of food is the White Nile, where the “swamp people” fish .
The ongoing civil war in Sudan has caused great damage to the nature of the swamps, where rare animals, especially elephants, are being exterminated with the help of modern automatic weapons. To protect the fauna of the Sudd Swamp, three reserves have been created: Zeraph Island, Shambe and Mongalla.
A much greater danger to the Sud-da swamps is posed by the completely peaceful project of building the Jungali Canal by joint efforts of Egypt and Sudan. Based on the fact that half of the water from the southwestern tributaries of the Nile does not reach the lower reaches of the river due to the Sudd swamp, where it evaporates, the authorities of the two countries decided to provide the population of the lower Nile with water by building the Jungali bypass canal south of Sudets. The first canal project appeared back in 1907, in the 1950s. it was decided to build a canal, and construction itself began in 1978. By 1984, when Sudanese rebels forced the authorities to stop work, 240 of the 360 km had been completed. By 2008, with relative peace established, Sudan and Egypt decided to complete the work within 24 years. The canal will give Egypt another 5-7% of the water currently consumed, but will completely destroy the Sudd swamps, which will dry out and turn into a scorched desert.
FUN FACTS
■ The Arabic word “sudd” literally means “barrier”, “obstacle”. In relation to the White Nile region, the meaning of the word has narrowed, and now this is the name for any floating accumulation of vegetation that interferes with the movement of a boat on the water.
■ The shoebill, or royal heron, that lives in the swamps, is a very tall and large bird: its height reaches 1.2 m, and its wingspan is 2.3 m. Its nest, made of reeds, is also striking in size: the base reaches a diameter of 2. 5 m. The German name of the bird - “Schuchschnabel” - is translated as “boot beak”, which very accurately conveys the shape of the bird’s heavy beak.
■ Sudd swamps are a place where papyrus grows, which requires special care and is not able to tolerate rising water levels above one and a half meters. There are periods in the swamps when, as a result of catastrophic floods, the papyrus is torn off and everywhere clogs all the channels, clogging the swamps from the White Nile.
■ There is a lot of wild rice growing in the Sudd swamps. Here are ideal conditions for it, as this plant prefers to grow
in deep standing water, in periodically flooded areas, in clay soil. Wild rice of the Sudd region is a distant ancestor of the widely cultivated African naked rice.
■ The swamps are home to the world's largest population of white-eared kob antelope, reaching 1.2 million individuals, more than Tanzania's Serengeti National Park.
■ Contrary to popular belief, the wild dog does not eat carrion
and unlike its domesticated counterparts, it finds prey using sight, not smell.
Average altitude above sea level: 380-450 m.
CLIMATE
Tropical.
Rainy season: April-September.
Average January temperature: +25°C.
Average July temperature: +37°C.
Average annual precipitation: 700 mm in the north, 1000 mm in the south. Relative humidity: 80%.
An area of the earth's surface that has excess moisture is called a swamp. Associations with this word in the culture of different nations are often negative. Legends about all kinds of evil spirits, danger and mystery are associated with it. Meanwhile, these are multicomponent natural complexes that have a unique structure and are necessary for the Earth’s biosphere. In Russia, just under 10% of the area is covered with swamps.
Biological role of wetlands:
- Maintains carbon levels in the atmosphere, helping to reduce the planet's greenhouse effect
- They are a natural reservoir of fresh water
- Organic residues accumulate: peat and silt
- This is a habitat for moisture-loving plants and animals
Based on the nature of the nutrition of bog complexes, their type is determined. There are three main ones:
- Lowland swamps are located in low-lying areas of the terrain and are watered by ground and surface flows. This type has the most mineralized content. Such swamps are located mainly near rivers.
- The raised bog is fed by precipitation and is depleted in mineral salts. Characteristic of northern, tundra zones.
- The transitional type is a cross between the first two types.
On the territory of Russia there are swamps in all natural zones. However, the West Siberian region is the world leader in the presence of swamp landscapes. 42% of its territory is covered with peat, half of the swamps have a high-fed nature. In forested areas, the peat layer reaches up to 6 meters. A third of the world's peat deposits are located in the Russian Federation, thanks to the West Siberian lowland and its marshy topography.
In the European part of the country, most of the swamps are in Karelia (up to 70% of the region's surface).
In Eastern Siberia, the swamps are not particularly deep, but when lakes become overgrown, five-meter peat deposits are formed.
In the northern regions, the climate is favorable for the formation of swamps; negative temperatures and eternal cold help moisture accumulate and evaporate poorly. Even foothills and, in some cases, mountainous areas are swamped.
The Far Eastern region is also heavily swamped, with some places impassable. River valleys, lowlands and watersheds - quite large areas are covered by swamps.
53000 sq. km., this is the area of the largest swamp cluster in Russia and one of the largest swamps in the world. Both highland and lowland swamps are represented.
It is located in Western Siberia on the territory of four administrative regions, between the Ob and Irtysh rivers. Its age is 10 thousand years. Once separate 19 swamps merged together, and most of this area became swamped relatively recently on the geological scale (500 years ago).
In the vast expanses of the Vasyugan swamps, there are about 800 lakes, from which the rivers Tara, Tui and Iksa, Om, Vasyugan and many others originate.
These wetlands are a huge reservoir of fresh water in the region, home to numerous populations of reindeer and moose, sables and squirrels, peregrine falcons and eagles, wood grouse, partridges, hazel grouse and other animals.
The vegetation is represented by rare species, including cloudberries, blueberries and cranberries - traditional swamp berries.
The Vasyugan area is also valued for the presence of minerals of sedimentary origin: peat, oil, and iron ore.
One of the most important beneficial properties of a swamp is the purification of the atmosphere by absorbing harmful substances.
The problems of pollution of the Great Vasyugan swamps are oil and gas production in nearby areas.
Swamp with an area of 604 sq. km., located in the Leningrad region. This is a raised bog, with a peat layer up to 6 meters. A federally protected site, this swamp is a habitat for rare birds and animals.
White and black storks, eagle owls, swans, ospreys, bitterns and other birds nest in marshy landscapes. Almost the entire perimeter of the area is surrounded by forests. Near the lakes there are pine trees and wild rosemary thickets.
Research studies and tourist excursions have been organized on the territory of the reserve.
The area of the marshland is 370 square meters. km. Located in the Novgorod region, Rdeisky nature reserve.
The Rdeyskaya swamp is the largest in Europe and a unique ecosystem in Russia. The place is difficult to pass, however, in the seventeenth century, a reclusive monastery settled in the swamps of the Novgorod region. It is of interest because it is located in a hard-to-reach corner of the swamp, on the shore of Lake Rdeiskoe. The once destroyed cathedral is being restored again by the hands of volunteers.
The swamps are heavily polluted with mercury, even though there is no industry nearby. This is of interest for study; there is also an increased content of cesium and titanium, cobalt and arsenic. However, other elements are normal.
The vegetation of the swamp is typical for such a landscape, dwarf trees, shrubs, berries and mosses.
This is the name of a nature reserve near Moscow, on the territory of which there are swamps and lakes. Wetland reserves are of reserve international importance. Swamp area 300 sq. km.
These places are unique from an ornithological point of view. 218 species of birds inhabit these forest lands, 38 of them are protected species listed in the Red Book.
Ducks, shorebirds, wild swans and geese nest in the thousands within the Great Swamp each spring.
In the autumn, before flying south, about two thousand gray cranes gather in its vicinity.
In winter, these places are distinguished by the concentration of polar owls that leave the frozen tundra.
The fauna is typical for the European part of the country: moose and wolves, roe deer, deer, bears and lynxes. Badgers and otters live there.
Transitional and raised bogs contain ancient vegetation, and there are also exhausted peat quarries.
The swamp is overgrown with willows and reeds, adjacent to them are elm, birch and alder groves.
The problem with the territory of the reserve is illegal construction in favorable areas.
On the territory of three municipal districts of the Vologda region there is a huge Great Swamp. Its surface area reaches 33 square meters. km.
Mixed forests hide swampy landscapes from everyone; there are islands of land ranging from several hundred meters to a kilometer in length. They are covered with trees. There are swamp lakes, and the Svetitsa River originates from the depths of the swamp.
Cranberries, cloudberries and blueberries grow here. The Velikoye swamp is 11 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide.
There is a huge swamp (104 sq. km.) in Altai. This low-lying swamp is located in picturesque places at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level.
The swamp massif is enclosed between high mountains, thanks to which it was formed. Precipitation falling in the basin space cooled and evaporated poorly, and the peat, freezing, retained water on the surface. Among the plants, Altai Siberia is widespread; it is listed in the Red Book.
In the vicinity of St. Petersburg there is a swamp with an area of 18.8 square meters. km. Refers to protected areas of local importance.
During the Second World War, wetland areas were the scene of military operations. In addition, the unique nature of the reserve is in its original form. This gives a complete picture of the region on the site of which the construction of the city began by Peter the Great.
In the vastness of the Sestroretsky Nature Reserve, research work is being carried out, and seasonal bird nesting sites are being protected. There are dune deposits here that need to be protected.
The swamp with this name extends 330 kilometers from the capital of Russia in the Tver region. Area 6.2 sq. km. The depth of peat reaches up to five and a half meters. According to the type of nutrition, the swamp is raised.
A local nature reserve, represented by juvenile taiga forests. Ecological tourist routes have been organized that you can walk along. For tourists, there are wooden walkways leading into the bosom of the swamp. The springy sheet is very impressive. And in the very wilderness of Mshara there is a wooden tower, from which a beautiful view of the surrounding area opens and there is complete silence.