Bryansky Forest Nature Reserve (biosphere reserve
of the Nerusso-Desnyanskoe Polesye) is a reserve located in the
Suzem and Trubchevsky districts of the Bryansk region of Russia.
Bryansky Forest Nature Reserve is a part of the physiographic region
of the Nerusso-Desnyansky Polesye, located in the basin of the
middle reaches of the Desna River (left tributary of the Dnieper
River). The relief of the reserve is flat. The minimum height above
sea level is 134.5 m (the water line is in the Nerussa River), the
maximum is 189.4 m.
Pre-20th Century and Early Significance
The Bryansky Forest,
located in the Bryansk Region of western Russia near the borders with
Ukraine and Belarus, has long been recognized for its dense,
impenetrable woodlands. Historically referred to as the "debryansk"
forest (from the Russian word for "thicket" or "wilderness"), this area
consists of ancient mixed broadleaf and coniferous forests, bogs, and
river floodplains along the Nerussa and Desna Rivers. While specific
pre-20th-century historical records are sparse, the forest's rugged
terrain and biodiversity made it a natural refuge and resource base for
local communities. It is part of the European broadleaf forest
ecoregion, one of the last unbroken stretches in southern Russia,
supporting species like European bison, brown bears, black storks, and
rare orchids. The region's mineral-rich soils and waterways, including
lakes and sphagnum swamps, have been ecologically significant for
centuries, though human activities like selective logging and hunting
were limited by the forest's inaccessibility.
World War II Role
(1941–1945)
During World War II, the Bryansky Forest gained immense
historical importance as a stronghold for Soviet partisans resisting
Nazi occupation. The dense, swampy terrain provided natural camouflage
and protection, sheltering over 60,000 partisans who operated from
hidden camps and bunkers. This "partisan forest" became a symbol of
resistance, with the woods enabling guerrilla warfare, sabotage, and
survival amid intense fighting. Post-war, many of these sites, including
bunkers and camps, were preserved as cultural monuments within later
protected areas like the Trubchevsk Partisan Forest zakaznik. The
forest's role in the war not only highlighted its strategic value but
also left a legacy of human-nature interaction, with partisan stories
integrated into modern environmental education efforts.
Post-War
Exploitation and Early Conservation Calls (1945–1980s)
In the
immediate aftermath of WWII, the Bryansky Forest faced severe
exploitation to aid reconstruction and survival in a devastated region.
Wood harvesting intensified, often exceeding natural regeneration rates
by double, as the timber was crucial for rebuilding homes,
infrastructure, and the local economy. This period of overuse, combined
with wetland drainage for agriculture and peat extraction, degraded
parts of the ecosystem, threatening biodiversity hotspots like
floodplain oak forests (some trees over 300 years old) and habitats for
endangered species.
Conservation awareness emerged in the late 1950s
amid broader Soviet environmental movements. In 1959, an article titled
"In Defense of the Bryansk Forest" by I. Debrin, published in the
newspaper Literature and Life, first proposed protecting the area as a
state sanctuary, strict nature reserve (zapovednik), or national park.
This sparked debates at local, regional, and federal levels, with
scientists and experts conducting assessments and advocating in the
press. However, progress was slow due to competing industrial interests.
The 1960s and 1970s saw continued discussions, but tangible action
lagged. A turning point came in 1983 when Igor Shpilenok, a local
schoolteacher residing in the village of Novenkoye, began publishing a
series of articles called "Letters from the Cabin" in the regional
newspaper Bryansk Worker. These pieces vividly described the forest's
beauty, vulnerability to logging and drainage, and need for protection,
garnering public support and attention from regional leaders.
Shpilenok's advocacy, backed by scientific endorsements, led to the
creation of the Suzemsky Sanctuary on July 17, 1984, covering 1,400
hectares as an interim measure to safeguard key habitats.
Establishment as a Zapovednik (1987)
After three years of
bureaucratic preparation, including document approvals at the federal
level, the Bryansky Forest Strict Nature Reserve (Bryansky Les
Zapovednik) was officially established on July 14, 1987, in the
Trubchevsk and Suzemka districts. Its core area spans 12,186 hectares
(about 120 square kilometers), making it one of Russia's smallest
zapovedniks, protecting less than 1% of Bryansk Oblast's forests.
Originally envisioned to cover 64,000 hectares (or even 700 square
kilometers in some plans), the size was drastically reduced due to
ongoing logging, drainage projects, and resistance from the Forest
Service and collective farms unwilling to relinquish land. The reserve's
primary goals include preserving natural ecosystems, conducting
ecological monitoring, scientific research, and environmental education.
It serves as the core of the larger Nerussa-Desna Poles'ye Biosphere
Reserve, which includes a 9,654-hectare buffer zone and incorporates
additional protected sites like 11 natural monuments and three regional
sanctuaries.
Post-Establishment Developments and Expansions
(1987–2000s)
Under Director Igor Shpilenok's leadership, the reserve
shifted focus to expanding protection through a network of complementary
areas. Recognizing the zapovednik's small size and the region's dense
population (limiting direct expansion), efforts led to the creation of
10 landscape zakazniks (multi-use sanctuaries) and 2 natural monuments
since 1987, effectively tripling the overall protected territory. These
zakazniks prohibit destructive activities like clearcutting and drainage
while permitting sustainable uses such as berry picking, fishing, and
ecotourism. Notable examples include:
Skripinsky Zakaznik: Saved
a major sphagnum swamp and cranberry habitat from peat production.
Kolodez and Nerussy-Sevny Zakazniks: Preserved virgin oak forests
threatened by road construction.
Terebushka Natural Monument: A
mini-zapovednik with diverse habitats, including wetlands and forests,
featuring nature trails for education.
These expansions involved
complex negotiations with landowners, local administrators, and oblast
authorities. In 1997, the Society for Friends of the Bryansk Forest was
founded as a non-profit to promote biodiversity conservation,
sustainable resource use, and projects like European bison
reintroduction. The society organizes media campaigns, memberships, and
annual events such as the "Live! Bryansk Forest" holiday on Earth Day.
Environmental education became a cornerstone, with programs like "adopt
a zakaznik" engaging schools (e.g., Suzemka High School No. 1 adopting
Nerussa-Sevny for research and cleanup). The reserve's scientific work
includes monitoring habitats like the Desna River floodplain and
sphagnum swamps, supporting species such as osprey and black stork.
Challenges and Recent History (2000s–Present)
The early 2000s
brought systemic challenges to Russia's zapovednik system, including
Bryansky Les. In 2000, governmental reforms dissolved the independent
forest service, placing reserves under a ministry prioritizing logging
and mining, leading to an 80% reduction in forest rangers (from 70,000
to 12,000 nationwide). This weakened protections, increasing
vulnerabilities to wildfires, unauthorized developments (e.g., ski
resorts in similar areas), and resource extraction. Environmentalists
faced repression, including arrests and asset seizures, amid a broader
push for economic exploitation over conservation.
Despite these
hurdles, Bryansky Les has advanced international recognition. Plans for
full UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status (building on its core role in
Nerussa-Desna Poles'ye) and a transboundary national park with Ukraine
(centered on Skripinsky Zakaznik) were in development by the late 1990s
and continue. As of the 2010s, the reserve emphasizes rewilding efforts,
such as bison reintroduction, and remains a vital refuge for wildlife
amid climate change and habitat loss. Its history reflects a transition
from wartime sanctuary and post-war resource to a model of integrated
conservation in a human-dominated landscape.
The Bryansk Forest Reserve is part of the
physical-geographical region of the Nerusso-Desnyansky woodland, located
in the basin of the middle reaches of the Desna River (left tributary of
the Dnieper River). The relief of the reserve is flat and flat. The
minimum height above sea level is 134.5 m (the water's edge in the
Nerussa River), the maximum is 189.4 m. Sandy and sandy loamy
soddy-podzolic soils predominate on dry valleys; in the floodplains
there are alluvial meadow and lowland bog soils. In the old days, the
Bryansk forests occupied a much larger area than now, and were
considered dense.
The modern reserve covers an area of 12,280
hectares, the protected zone around the reserve is 9,654 hectares.
The climate is subcontinental. Average annual temperature for the period 1991–2005 was +6.4 °C, which is 1 °C higher than the average annual long-term temperature of the region (+5.4 °C). The average temperature of the coldest month for the same period was −5.4 °C, which is 3 °C higher than the long-term values (−8.4 °C.). The average summer temperature was +17.9 °C, which is 0.3 °C lower than the long-term values of the previous period. The average amount of precipitation is 550 mm, which is 105 mm below the norm (average long-term values of the previous period).
The Bryansky Forest Nature Reserve (also known as Bryansky Les
Zapovednik) is a protected area in the Bryansk Region of Russia,
established in 1987. Covering approximately 12,186 hectares (about 121
square kilometers), it represents a unique remnant of ancient mixed
forests in the Nerussa-Desna Polesie, a landscape at the intersection of
boreal, broadleaf, and forest-steppe zones. This ecological crossroads
contributes to its high biodiversity, making it a critical site for
conservation. The reserve is home to over 1,300 plant species and 878
animal species, including many rare and protected ones. It features
diverse habitats such as pine and oak forests, wetlands, meadows, and
river floodplains, which support a rich array of flora and fauna typical
of the southern Palaearctic mixed forest subdomain.
Flora
The
flora of Bryansky Forest is characterized by a mosaic of plant
communities shaped by sandy soils, river valleys, and varying moisture
levels. Forests dominate 80% of the reserve's territory, with pine
forests accounting for about one-third, birch and aspen forests around
40%, and the rest comprising spruce, oak, ash, and mixed stands. Pine
and pine-oak forests are widespread on poor, sandy soils, often on
ridges and outwash plains, featuring species like Scotch pine (Pinus
sylvestris) as the primary canopy tree. These transition into mixed
oak-pine forests with common oak (Quercus robur) and Norway maple (Acer
platanoides). Broadleaf forests, including small-leaved linden (Tilia
cordata), are less common but occur in floodplains and richer soils.
Spruce (Picea abies) and deciduous broad-leaved forests are rare,
contrasting sharply with the surrounding agricultural lands.
Wetlands
cover 20% of the area, primarily lowland and transitional swamps with
reeds (Phragmites australis), sedges (e.g., Carex acuta), and sphagnum
bogs dominated by peatmoss (Sphagnum fallax) and hairy birch (Betula
pubescens). Upland swamps are scarce. Meadow, shrub, and aquatic
vegetation each occupy less than 1%, including floodplain meadows with
colorful wildflowers and aquatic plants like dwarf white water lily
(Nymphaea candida). Black alder (Alnus glutinosa) stands are found in
creek floodplains, while birch and aspen groves regenerate in disturbed
areas.
In total, the reserve boasts 784 species of higher (vascular)
plants, which is 55% of the Bryansk Region's natural flora despite the
reserve's small size. This includes 5 club mosses, 6 horsetails, 14
ferns, 5 gymnosperms, and 754 flowering plants. Additionally, there are
over 80 moss species, 120 lichens, and 120 mushroom species. Succession
in pine forests on sandy ridges shows dynamic changes, with understories
of herbs, mosses, and shrubs adapting to post-disturbance recovery.
Protected and notable species highlight the reserve's botanical
richness. Five species are listed in the Russian Red Book: lady's
slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus), ghost orchid (Epipogium
aphyllum), red helleborine (Cephalanthera rubra), marsh orchid
(Dactylorhiza russowii), and narrow-leaved marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza
traunsteineri). Fifty-six species appear in the Bryansk Region Red Book,
such as marsh helleborine (Epipactis palustris), wild garlic (Allium
ursinum), common sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), meadow gladiolus
(Gladiolus imbricatus), and more than 16 orchid varieties. Seasonal
highlights include primula blooming in spring and vibrant foliage from
maple, aspen, and linden in fall, with mushroom aromas adding to the
sensory experience.
Fauna
The fauna of Bryansky Forest is
exceptionally diverse, with 274 vertebrate species and at least 604
invertebrates documented, though the latter likely represents only 10%
of total diversity. Positioned at the boundary of ecological zones, the
reserve supports species from boreal forests, broadleaf woodlands, and
forest-steppes. Mammals (59 species) include large herbivores like moose
(Alces alces), red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus
capreolus), and European bison (Bison bonasus), which were reintroduced
in 2011 as part of a restoration program. Carnivores such as brown bear
(Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus), lynx (Lynx lynx), badger (Meles
meles), river otter (Lutra lutra), and beaver (Castor fiber) are common,
with beaver dams visible along rivers. Other mammals include wild boar
(Sus scrofa), hare (Lepus europaeus), and rare ones like the Russian
desman (Desmana moschata) and greater noctule bat (Nyctalus
lasiopterus).
Birds dominate with 162 species, making the reserve a
birdwatcher's paradise. It is the only place in Europe hosting all 10
European woodpecker species: great spotted (Dendrocopos major), middle
spotted (Dendrocopos medius), lesser spotted (Dendrocopos minor), Syrian
(Dendrocopos syriacus), white-backed (Dendrocopos leucotos), black
(Dryocopus martius), grey-headed (Picus canus), green (Picus viridis),
three-toed (Picoides tridactylus), and wryneck (Jynx torquilla). Raptors
include osprey (Pandion haliaetus), white-tailed sea-eagle (Haliaeetus
albicilla), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), greater spotted eagle
(Clanga clanga), and marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus). Other notable
birds are black stork (Ciconia nigra), capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus),
boreal owl (Aegolius funereus), Northern eagle owl (Bubo bubo), great
white heron (Ardea alba), and grouse (Tetraoninae family). White storks
(Ciconia ciconia) are also observed.
Reptiles (6 species) and
amphibians (12 species) include crested newts (Triturus cristatus) and
various snakes and lizards. Fish (34 species) inhabit the Nerussa River
and its tributaries, with one lamprey species. Invertebrates,
particularly insects (518 species from beetles and Lepidoptera orders),
add to the ecosystem's complexity, including butterflies like Apollo
(Parnassius apollo), clouded (Colias palaeno), Old World swallowtail
(Papilio machaon), and moss carder bee (Bombus muscorum), plus the stag
beetle (Lucanus cervus).
Protected species underscore the reserve's
conservation value. Twenty-four in the Russian Red Book include greater
noctule bat, Russian desman, black stork, osprey, middle spotted
woodpecker, Apollo and clouded butterflies, and stag beetle. Forty-two
in the Bryansk Region Red Book feature lynx, brown bear, badger, river
otter, European bison, capercaillie, moss carder bee, and Old World
swallowtail. Human activities like wildfires pose threats, but the
reserve maintains balance, such as protecting oaks from beavers while
allowing them willow and aspen forage. Wildlife tracks of moose, deer,
boar, wolves, and bears are commonly observed on trails, reflecting a
thriving, interconnected ecosystem.
The reserve has a protected area of 9654 hectares. On the territories adjacent to the reserve, a network of state reserves and natural monuments of regional significance has been created, the protection of which is carried out by land users together with the reserve. These territories are classified as buffer zones of the reserve. This includes the state nature reserve of federal significance "Kletnyansky" (area 39100 ha).