The Baikal-Lena State Natural Reserve was established in 1986.
The Baikal-Lensky Nature Reserve is located on the northwestern
coast of
Lake Baikal, stretching
along the western coast of Lake Baikal for about 120 km with an
average width of 65 km.
Its area is 659.9 thousand hectares,
it is 100 km of the Baikal coast, the Baikal Range and the endless
taiga. From here, the longest river in Russia, the Lena River, takes
its source.
Baikal-Lensky is the largest nature reserve in
the area of Lake Baikal, where all the landscapes of the northern
Baikal region are represented: from relict steppes and mountain
forest-steppe to mid-mountain and mountain taiga and high mountains
with loaches, massifs of dwarf pine, mountain tundra and alpine
meadows. All landscapes of the reserve are natural and practically
not disturbed by human activity.
The reserve serves as a huge
reserve, where a high density of Barguzin sable, brown bear, otter,
musk deer, red deer, wild reindeer and elk is preserved. This is a
genetic bank that stores the entire variety of specially protected
species of animals and plants of the Baikal region.
By the end of the 20th century, the recreational load on the nature
of the Baikal region increased strongly and rapidly. In the second half
of the 1950s. Baikal nature conservation enthusiasts, in particular,
zoologist O.K. Gusev, biologist, corr. RAS G.I. Galaziy and chairman of
the Baikal Commission of the Geographical Society of the USSR,
geographer V.V. Lamakin proposed to reserve not only parts of the
eastern coast of Lake Baikal and Ushkanya Island (which was planned by
V.N. Sukachev at the beginning of the century), but also a site on the
western coast of the lake - from Cape Ryty to Cape Kotelnikovsky. OK.
Gusev, who visited this place for the first time in 1956, suggested
calling it the “Brown Bear Coast” due to the abundance of these animals
there.
Oleg Kirillovich Gusev - hunter, editor-in-chief of the
magazine "Hunting and hunting economy" from 1964 to 2012, writer and
journalist, scientist, candidate of biological sciences and one of the
leading Baikal experts. In the 1950s and 1960s, Oleg Kirillovich lived
and worked on Lake Baikal, first in the Barguzinsky Reserve, and then
was a researcher at the East Siberian and Ural branches of the USSR
Academy of Sciences.
For many years, Oleg Kirillovich visited the
shores of Lake Baikal with various expeditions, conducted research, and
took photographs. The main scientific works, books of Oleg Kirillovich
Gusev are devoted to the nature of Baikal and the Baikal region,
including the problems of preserving the unique nature of the lake. He
was the initiator of the establishment of the Baikal-Lena Reserve,
developed a scheme for a unified network of protected natural areas of
Baikal, which also included the Baikal and Trans-Baikal national parks.
In May 1960, the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR issued a Decree
“On the Protection and Use of Natural Resources in the Lake Baikal
Basin” (SP RSFSR, No. 22, Article 92), which reflected these proposals.
However, due to the new reorganization in 1961 of the entire reserve
system of the USSR, these plans did not materialize. In 1969, another
government decree was adopted, including the problems of protecting the
nature of Lake Baikal. After that, the Irkutsk department of the hunting
and fishing economy of the RSFSR Chief Hunting Department (M.G.
Grigoriev, E.M. Leontiev) made an official proposal to organize the
Baikal-Lena Reserve at the headwaters of the Lena and Kirenga, which was
supported by the Irkutsk Regional Executive Committee.
Interest
in the creation of this reserve increased in the mid-1970s. with the
beginning of the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM), when
the anthropogenic pressure on the adjacent territories increased
sharply, in particular, to the south of the city of Severobaikalsk under
construction. In connection with the memorandum on this topic, submitted
to the Glavokhota of the RSFSR by Professor V.N. Skalon, and at the
request of a meeting on nature conservation at the BAM, which was held
in Irkutsk in 1975, in early 1976, the Chief Hunting Officer of the
RSFSR sent a design and survey expedition to the Irkutsk Region, which
was entrusted with the design of the Vitimsky Reserve in the Bodaibo
District. Many experts (L.I. Malyshev, F.R. Shtilmark, and others)
suggested then to switch to the creation of a more relevant Baikal-Lena
Reserve, but the regional executive committee opposed it.
Only
after almost 10 years, in 1984, when the biocenoses of Verkholenye had
already suffered significant damage from fires and poaching, its
targeted designing began in these places. It was carried out by the West
Siberian design and survey expedition of the RSFSR Glavokhota under the
leadership of A.S. Aleksandrov together with the Biological Institute of
the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The scientific
supervisor of these works was the zoologist Yu.G. Shvetsov. In addition,
employees of a number of scientific institutions of Irkutsk took part in
them: the Limnological Institute, Irkutsk University, the East Siberian
Branch of VNIIOZ, the Baikal Reserve, as well as employees of the
hunting and forestry departments, cartographers and other specialists.
In 1986, the project was adopted, and on December 5, 1986, the
Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR on the establishment of
the reserve was signed. The reserve included plots of collective farm
land (collective farm "Imeni XX Party Congress") from Cape Ryty to Cape
M. Solontsovy in the Olkhonsky District (the issue was decided at a
meeting by direct voting), the land of the Olkhonsky Forestry and
Kachugsky Mekhleskhoz, in addition, in the Kachugsky District due to
After the creation of protected areas, the finished project of a new
timber industry enterprise was stopped - all the forests were
transferred to the reserve.
The Baikal-Lensky Nature Reserve is the largest in the area of Lake
Baikal. Baikal, all the landscapes characteristic of Baikal Siberia are
found here, from the only sites in the Baikal region of relic basin
steppes and mountain forest-steppe to mid-mountain and mountain taiga
and high mountains with bald mountains, massifs of cedar elfin, mountain
tundra and alpine meadows. The nature of the reserve is unique and
inimitable, the largest of the Russian rivers, the Lena, originates
here, and the oldest volcanoes on earth are located.
The steep
eastern macroslope of the Baikal Range faces Baikal, this place is known
as the Brown Bear Coast. This place acquired such a name due to the
phenomenon of the seasonal concentration of the brown bear on the
well-visible Baikal shore. Here, in May-June, you can closely and safely
watch these beautiful large predators from the water and take unique
pictures.
The reserve is a huge reserve of economically valuable
animals - otters, musk deer, red deer, wild reindeer and elk, and of
course the famous Barguzin sable, valuable fish species spawn in the
protected rivers of the Lena basin - lenok, grayling, whitefish and
valek.
On the territory of the reserve there are 44 rare species
of animals and plants from the Red Book of the Russian Federation, only
here is the Rytinsky astragalus.
The most vulnerable inhabitants of a specially protected natural area
973 species of vascular and 788 species of spore plants grow on the
territory of the Baikal-Lena Reserve. The Red Books of Russia and the
Irkutsk region include 45 species of vascular and 20 species of spore
plants. 11 species of vascular and 10 species of spore plants are listed
in the Red Book of Russia. There are 352 species of vertebrates, 50 of
which are rare and included in the Red Books of Russia and the Irkutsk
region. 45 species are included in the Red Book of the Irkutsk Region,
32 species are included in the Red Book of Russia.
Popov's snakehead (Dracocephalum popovii T.V. Egorova et Sipliv.)
The species is included in the Red Book of the Irkutsk region
(category 3) as a rare species with a naturally low abundance. Popov's
snakehead is endemic to the Baikal and Tunkinsky ridges. In the Irkutsk
region, it was noted on the Baikalsky ridge: the sources of the river.
Left Ulkan, watershed of the river. Left Ulkan and Khibelen, between the
South Kedrovy and Zavorotny capes, on the capes Maly Cheremshany,
Elokhin, Zavorotny, Bol. Solonetsovy, Shartla and Ryty.
It grows
in the highlands on gravelly slopes, rocky-gravelly screes of the Baikal
Range in the territory of the Baikal-Lensky Reserve.
Baikal
kopeechnik (Hedysarum cisbaicalense Malyschev)
The species is
included in the Red Book of the Irkutsk region (category 3) as a rare
species with a naturally low abundance. The Cis-Baikal kopeechnik is a
narrow-local endemic of the mountains of Baikal Siberia.
Grows
within the alpine and subalpine belts in the tundra, elfin cedar
woodlands, on stone placers and screes. In the Irkutsk region, it is
found only in the Olkhonsky district - the Baikalsky ridge (from the
village of Kocherikovo to the border with the Republic of Buryatia). The
classical locality is confined to Cape Ryty.
Astragalus rytinsky
(Astragalus rytyensis Stepants.)
The species is included in the
Red Book of the Irkutsk region (category 2) as a species that is
declining in numbers. Astragalus rytinsky is a narrow local endemic of
the western coast of Lake. Baikal. The main part of the population is
localized in the classical locality at Cape Ryty (northwestern coast of
Lake Baikal). Separate specimens are found at Cape Anyutkhe, Kocherikovo
(Kocherikovskiy) and Oto-Khushun.
Grows in shallow hollows and
microdepressions, non-soddy pebble beaches.
Baikal
black-capped marmot (Marmota camtschatica doppelmayeri Birula, 1922)
The species is listed in the Red Data Book of the Irkutsk region as
a rare little-studied species (3rd category of rarity). The KF Red Data
Book is included as a Baikal subspecies of the black-capped marmot
(category 3).
On the territory of the Baikal-Lena Reserve, it was
found in the bald belt of the Baikal Range in places with subalpine
meadows. Forms colonies in circuses, carts along trough valleys. He
spends most of his life in hibernation, the active period of life is 4-5
months from May to September. Prior to the formation of the reserve, the
number of marmots was severely undermined by poaching of exploration
parties and has not been restored due to the scarcity of habitable sites
and their strong fragmentation.
Kamenushka (Histrionicus
histrionicus Linnaeus, 1758)
The species is listed in the Red
Book of the Irkutsk region as a rare nesting species (category 3).
This is a small short-billed diving duck of a peculiar coloration,
consisting of white contrasting spots on a dark (black from a distance)
background. Inhabits the banks of mountain rivers. Nests are arranged
near water on ledges of rocks, in heaps of boulders, as a rule, under
cover of vegetation. In the Irkutsk region, it is located on the
southwestern border of the range, therefore it has an extremely low and
unstable population. Breeds on the territory of the Baikal-Lena Reserve.
Kamenushka. Author of the photo: Mikhail Yablokov
Osprey
(Pandion haliaetus Linnaeus, 1758)
The species is listed in the
Red Book of Russia as a rare species (category 3) and in the Red Book of
the Irkutsk region as a breeding species that is declining in numbers
(category 2).
A large bird (twice as large as a crow), with long,
relatively narrow wings. The wingspan reaches 170 cm. Settles along the
banks of lakes rich in fish and rivers with clear water. In search of
food, it flies over water, periodically hovering in one place, like a
kestrel. It feeds mainly on fish, which it catches with its paws,
rushing into the water from a flight. At the same time, it can be
completely immersed in it. The species is widely distributed throughout
the world, but occurs sporadically. Osprey nesting in the Baikal-Lensky
Reserve was noted.
Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos Linnaeus, 1758)
The species is
listed in the Red Book of Russia as a rare species (category 3) and in
the Red Book of the Irkutsk region as a rare nesting species (category
3).
The largest of the eagles in the Irkutsk region. The color of
the plumage is dark brown. On the back of the head, back of the neck,
belly, lower leg - a noticeable admixture of reddish color. It nests in
forests and mountains. Nests are arranged on large trees or on rocks.
The nests are very large (up to 2 m in diameter) and have been used for
many years. On the nesting site, as a rule, there are 2-3 nests, which
can be used alternately. The golden eagle is distributed sporadically
throughout most of the Holarctic. Inhabits the entire Irkutsk region.
Breeds on the territory of the Baikal-Lena Reserve and the Pribaikalsky
National Park.