At the seminar in the Miorsky district, the issues of specially protected natural territories were considered

The role and importance of specially protected natural areas (protected areas) were considered at a scientific and practical seminar held in the Miorsky district with the participation of ecologists, staff and students of the Masherov VSU.

According to the head of the department of the regional Committee of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Marina Galich, the issues of formation of a system of protected areas, conservation of biological diversity, and development of ecological tourism were discussed. The participants of the seminar took an excursion along the ecological trail in the republican landscape reserve "Yelnya".

This is the largest unique array of upland marshes in Belarus, which plays an important role in maintaining the hydrological regime of the region and the Western Dvina River. The landscapes of the reserve are a piece of tundra that appeared on the territory of Belarus. Open upland swamps with ridge-and-trough and ridge-and-lake complexes cover about 65% of its area. The formation of the territory of the reserve is connected with the existence of a lake reservoir here earlier, which subsequently underwent jamming.

By the way, there are 325 protected areas in the Vitebsk region, including the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, the Braslav Lakes and Narochansky National Parks (partially), nature reserves and natural monuments of national and local importance. Protected areas occupy 410.3 thousand hectares, or 10.2% of the total area of the Vitebsk region.

Photo provided by the Regional Committee of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection

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