Have you ever heard of fabulous Lapland? Of course! However, not everyone knows about the existence of the Lapland Reserve. What is he famous for? How is it arranged? In this article, we will try to answer these and many other questions related to this amazing place.
First, let's find out where the Lapland Reserve is located. It is located in the north, in the Murmansk region. It is already almost 100 years old, and in addition to the residence of the real Santa Claus, there is a lot of interesting things here for both ordinary tourists and scientists. The territory of the reserve is striking in its size - it exceeds 278,435 hectares, 8574 of which are occupied by the water area of lakes and rivers. Due to its size, the Laplandsky nature reserve is one of the largest in Europe.
History
This protected area was created by decree of the Leningrad Region Executive Committee in January 1930. In those days, the territory of the Kola Peninsula belonged to the executive committee of the Leningrad Region. For 20 years, the reserve was a reindeer herding ground, but was closedfor an indefinite period in 1951. Fortunately, this situation was resolved relatively quickly, five years later the Laplandsky reserve was again opened, registered, and received the status of a state one.
It should be noted that the borders of "Lapland" changed periodically, and most often in the direction of reduction. This is due to the development of minerals in the second half of the last century in the territories of Monchetundra. Despite this, in 1983 a very impressive territory in its western part (129,577 ha) was added to the reserve. It equated to almost 100% of the original area. The state allocated this land to Laplandia as compensation for the land in the eastern part of the reserve, rendered useless by emissions from the Severonickel plant.
In mid-February 1985, the Lapland State Biosphere Reserve was taken under the protection of UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. Ten years later (1995) the Fairytale Lapland project was launched. Since that time, the reserve began to represent not only research and ecological, but also cultural value.
Lapland State Nature Biosphere Reserve - Landscape
During the Valdai glaciation, the Kola Peninsula covered the same ice sheet that covers Greenland today. It disappeared 10,000 years ago, leaving powerful ridges of moraine and powerful outcrops of rocks smoothed by a glacier, which are called "ram's foreheads", in the lowlands. After glaciation there are practically no sedimentary rocks. They are being replacedexposed layers of Archean age, mostly gneisses.
After the melting of the glaciers, the vast territories of the Kola Peninsula were empty for a short time. At first, winds and birds brought lichen and moss spores, grass seeds here. Plants contributed to the slow destruction of the stone appearance of the Kola Peninsula and the formation of a layer of soil. Pretty soon, the badlands were populated by invertebrates, which contributed to the change in the landscape.
Then forests and tundra began to form, eventually taking on the current shape.
Rivers and streams
Lapland Reserve (Monchegorsk) is represented by widespread species of animals and plants of the north of Eurasia. Due to the previous glaciation, this land, as, indeed, for the whole of Scandinavia, is characterized by a complete absence of endemics.
Ecosystems of Lapland have been created quite recently, so the process of introducing various new species of animals and plants from outside is still ongoing. The species diversity of fauna and flora is constantly changing, it is relatively small.
The Lapland Reserve is replete with high-water rivers and fast mountain streams. In some areas they are calm, have steep sod banks. In other areas, they are rapids, in high water with white breakers.
There are many small and large lakes on the territory of the reserve, with stone, and sometimes with sandy or sedge-covered shores. Moss forests stretch along the river valleys. The slopes of the mountains are covered with shady green moss spruce forests. Wide valleys with flowing streams,which are bordered by a narrow ribbon of delicate birches, alternate with huge scatterings of stones, which are covered with bright spots of multi-colored lichen.
The largest lake is Imandra, with an area of 880 km2. It has over 150 islands. The largest rivers are Strelna, Varzuga, Umba.
Tundra
Lapland Reserve (Murmansk region) is distinguished by vegetation, which is determined by its geographical location - 120 km north of the Arctic Circle - and mountain landscape. After the ice melted, the soil surface was colonized by lichens and mosses. In the harsh conditions of the mountain tundra, mountain reindeer moss is common - a favorite delicacy of reindeer. In some areas, they are replaced by carpets of shrubs, crowberries, blueberries, lingonberries, and bearberries. Shrubs of rhododendron and partridge grass (dryad) are adjacent to them.
In some areas there are rosette or cushion forms of saxifrage, low linnaeus, fescue, dwarf birch. During the flowering period, these places are unusually beautiful.
Polar taiga
One of the main assets of the Lapland Reserve are forest areas that have been growing on these lands for 3 to 10 thousand years. The average age of the trees growing here is 300 years. Some specimens reach a height of 15 meters. The active development of the polar taiga is associated with a rather mild climate and the complete absence of permafrost in the subsoil.
In winter, the soil is reliably protected by snow cover, and therefore does not freeze too much. Trees growslowly, but they reach very impressive sizes, not at all resembling the forest-tundra forest of Siberia.
Local pine has short needles that last not three years, but about seven years. In recent years, this breed has been recognized as a separate form - Friza pine.
The usual spruce for us has been replaced in the reserve by Siberian spruce with small cones characteristic of this species.
Subarctic and warty birches grow both in spruce forests and in forests. The sparse undergrowth consists of mountain ash, Siberian juniper, goat willow and other types of willows.
In the ground vegetation layer of the reserve, evergreen shrubs are widespread - crowberry, lingonberry, linnaea, blueberry, several types of wintergreen. There are a lot of evergreen herbaceous plants here - hairy sorrel, meadow grass.
The moss layer is abundantly expressed. In pine forests, mosses, as a rule, are combined with cladonia lichens (alpine, deer and soft). The upper border of the forest is marked at an altitude of 380 m.
Animals of the Lapland Reserve
The nature of this picturesque place cannot be called pristine. For centuries, the Sami have been successfully engaged in reindeer herding and, accordingly, exterminated predators.
By the beginning of the last century, very few reindeer and large predators remained in Lapland.
Reindeer
In the west of the Kola Peninsula, only about a hundred heads of deer survived at that time.
It was necessary to take urgent measures to protect these animals, so in 1930 it wasthe Laplandsky nature reserve was organized. Soon, security measures gave the first positive results.
Today, more than a thousand individuals constantly live in the reserve. Deer prefer white moss forests and mountain-tundra landscape. The Lapland State Reserve is rich in their favorite food - reindeer moss. Thanks to many years of protective activities of the reserve's employees, wild deer settled throughout the peninsula, most of all in its mountainous and wooded western part.
At the beginning of the 20th century, beavers and elks returned to the Lapland Biosphere Reserve after a long absence. It is interesting that moose came to these places from the south and southwest on their own, and beavers were specially brought from the reserve of the city of Voronezh. While both species are few.
Predators
The Lapland Natural Biosphere Reserve also has large predators on its territory. The most common is the brown bear. Wolverines, wolves and lynxes are not numerous here. There are also foxes, but their numbers are extremely small. Weasel, pine marten, ermine are quite common. Snowy winters are quite comfortable for voles and lemmings.
Birds
It is impossible to tell in detail about all the birds that inhabit the Laplandsky Reserve in a short article. Therefore, today we will limit ourselves to only those species that are of great conservation importance in this reserve.
20 species of waterfowl have been noted here for nesting and migration. It should be noted a small goose - white-fronted goose. LastThis species is rapidly disappearing from almost the entire territory of its range. Unlike other northern geese, the Lesser White-fronted Goose nests along the banks of mountain rivers and streams.
The first place in importance in the reserve is occupied by grouse - hazel grouse, capercaillie, black grouse, tundra and ptarmigan. The last species lives in the mountain tundra, the rest settle in the forest.
Such predatory and rare birds as the osprey, golden eagle, gyrfalcon, white-tailed eagle, feel quite comfortable in the reserve.
Owls
I would like to tell you more about these representatives of birds. It is difficult to find another place on Earth like the Lapland State Biosphere Reserve, where eight species of owls would live in a fairly large but limited area.
The most common species is the little hawk owl. She is a representative of the native species of northern forests. Its plumage color blends harmoniously with the background created by northern birch forests.
Its "sister" - the Great Gray Owl - is the largest owl of the boreal forests, but it is quite rare. She prefers to settle in forests interspersed with open spaces, such as sphagnum bogs.
The Rough-legged and Passerine Owl is the smallest owl in Russia. She chooses dense spruce and spruce-birch forests to live in.
Short-eared owls, the Ural Owl and the Eagle Owl are the largest in the world's fauna. Not numerous, but quite typical for the Lapland Reserve, white or snowy owls.
Due to the fact that the nights are bright in the Arctic, owls are forced to fly todaylight hunting. The season of white nights is long - one hundred days (from the beginning of May to the second half of August). During this time, owls need to raise and feed the chicks. Therefore, it is not difficult to see a flying owl in the daytime in the reserve.
You can often observe the short-eared owl in protected areas. She slowly flies around open places, looking for prey. Like most owls, her hearing is her most important sense, although her eyesight is not weak.
In the sunlight, a hawk owl can be seen in the forest. Two species of owls behave quite secretly, you can meet them only by chance. They arrange their "pantries" in the hollows of trees. Here they bring carcasses of mouse-like rodents, sometimes small birds, for storage.
It is even more difficult to meet an eagle owl and an owl. They are born hunters. In addition to small rodents, which form the basis of their diet, they are not averse to feasting on various birds and mammals. The tawny owl catches hazel grouse and squirrels, will not miss a chance and will overcome the ermine.
A large eagle owl in the Lapland Reserve often hunts black grouse, hares and capercaillie. Cases have been recorded when he successfully hunts a marten. True, if he misses, he himself can become a victim.
Owls, thanks to their auditory location, are able to catch rodents under a thick layer of snow, so almost all species, except for the short-eared owl, are sedentary.
Scientific activity
The main direction of scientific activity of the Lapland Reserve is to maintain and increase the populationwild reindeer throughout the Kola Peninsula. In addition, the tasks of employees include constant monitoring and study of the impact of industrial enterprises located near the reserve on the environment and ecology. Diverse flora and fauna attracts not only local employees, scientists from abroad often visit here.
The study of the living conditions and habits of wild deer began in 1929, before the opening of the reserve. The first count of these animals was carried out by M. Krepe on mountain winterings.
Tours
Lapland Nature Reserve is a picturesque place. In addition to magnificent mountain landscapes, centuries-old forests and wild animals, here you can get acquainted with the cultural heritage of the Sami, and in winter visit Father Frost's tower.
Visits to the reserve are possible only by prior arrangement with the administration. To organize an excursion, you must use the contact information indicated on the website of the reserve.
