In the watershed between the Volga and the Don is locatednatural reserve "Volga forest-steppe". In 1924 it was created to preserve the northern steppes and wooded areas and was called Penza. In 1927, having attached sites from other provinces, the reserve was given the name Sredne-Volzhsky. In 1937, the name was replaced by Kuibyshev, and it was considered a reserve until 1951.
Further, by decision of the government, he was transferred tomaintenance of state farms, which led to the loss of most of the meadow territories. Only in 1989, the reserve was created again on the basis of five large plots of land: three large steppes - Poperechenskaya, Kucherovskaya and Ostrovtsovskaya, and two forest sites - Borok and Ukhovya Sura. The territory of the reserve - 8373 hectares. Around him, the land belongs to the buffer zone, in which its economic use is restricted. On such a vast territory of the middle Volga region, naturally, the range of natural conditions is different. These are mainly mixed forests and virgin steppes unique in their flora and soil composition.
The soil
Very picturesque view of the reserve due tovarious landforms. This is an ancient river network, and marshy lowlands, and water bodies. The main wealth of reserves of the Penza region is the soil. Plowed agricultural fields lie behind the buffer zone of the Kuncherov steppe. If you can get here by transport, the Ostrovetsky and Poperechenskaya steppes have neither dirt roads nor water bodies. The soil cover of the steppes and forests is diverse. The so-called gray soils predominate in the forests. Chernozem soils predominate in the steppe massifs, and the standard meadow soils have a humus layer from 80 to 100 cm.
Flora
The nature of the reserve is forests and steppes.Pine and oak are forest forming species. The steppes are subdivided into meadow, shrubby, swampy meadow. Steppe is always associated with feathering. It is especially beautiful in June and July, when silver threads of a feather grass sway in the wind and enliven the steppe. At the same time, it is all in the flowers of the grass. The flora of the reserve is extensive and is represented by horsetails, moss trees, gymnosperms and angiosperms, numbering 850 species, eight of which are listed in the Red Book. Lichens in the steppes of the middle Volga region 108 species. Fungi there are 119 species distributed in the conservation area. There are 72 species of mosses in the wooded zone. In the Red Book were 4 species of kovyly growing in the reserve.
Fauna
Wildlife reserves of the Penza regionhas over 800 different species of insects. Amphibians are found in rivers and swamps, of which there are 11 species in the reserve. In the forests and meadows of the protected area live lizards, vipers, frogs. The aviafauna of the region is represented by 154 species of birds. Among the rare are recorded steppe lunar and bustards. On the territory of the reserve, quail, corncrake, crested tit and three-toed woodpecker make their nests.
World of mammals in the Privolzhskaya reserveforest steppe is represented by 44 species. The rare representatives of this class include otter, lynx, and ermine. Foxes meet on the slopes of gentle ravines. The forest-steppe zone of the reserve determines the composition of the fauna, including animal species typical of both forests and fields. These include voles , mole rat, jerboa. In the winter, hundreds of wood grouse and black grouse, wild boars and moose live in the forests. They are hunting species, and hunting is allowed on them in the winter period.
Kucherovskaya and Poperechenskaya steppes
Along the southwestern section of the Kucherovskaya forest-steppethere is an asphalt road connecting the village of Shatkino and Old Chirchim. The network of unpaved country roads passes along the borders of the forest massif, which enables the local population to enter the reserve and makes it difficult to protect this territory. Along the western border of the Kuncherovskoy forest-steppe a stream flows, originating from the beating springs in the beams. On the territory of the steppe there is a pair of swamp. On the southern slopes of the steppe, relict grass predominates - desert sheep.
Попереченская степь далека от дорог и населенных points. There are no reservoirs either. The only primer leads to the village of Transverse. For patrolling the reserve around it there is a dirt road. This steppe is located on the plateau between the rivers Archada and Khoper.
Ostrovtsovskaya forest-steppe
Let's talk about it.Ostrovtsovskaya steppe reserves of the Penza region is considered the most beautiful. She is far from civilization. The southern and eastern parts of the steppe are bordered by a deep beam. The steppe is dotted with many streams that run to the Hopper River. At different times of the year, the steppe has its own unique outfit. In the spring, it is colored with white and pink almonds and thorns. Lilac heads of irises and spring adonis are visible in the grass. In the summer, the steppe is colored with wild mallow and lilac oregano flowers. White daisies look like bright spots among silver waves of feather grass. Summer is a wonderful time for insects fluttering over meadow flowers. They are just being studied by scientists, and such as the stag-beetle and the beauty-bird are listed in the Red Book.
Borok and Upper Soura
Pine prevails in the wooded part of Borka.In addition to it, in the conservation area grow mountain ash, maple, viburnum, buckthorn, bird cherry. The territory of the forest belt goes along the floodplain route of the Kadada river. Borok woodland carries water conservation value of the protected area. Mass cutting down of trees in this area of the forest did not happen due to assignment of the status of a natural monument to Bork in 1965. The inhabitants of the forest living on the coast of the rivers are the muskrat and the beaver.
The second forest plot from the reserves of Penzathe region is the Upper reaches of the Sura, located on the highest part of the Volga Upland. This forest area is the largest of the five belonging to the reserve. Here, in the forest belt of the oldest pine plantations, the Sura River originates. This forest area is not rich in water. There are keys and a couple of lakes. One of them is Lake Svetloe, to which the hiking trail leads. This excursion route was initiated by employees of the reserve, and accompanied by it passes. Through the forest area stretches a large number of dirt roads, designed to patrol the reserve.
