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General Description |
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This biosphere reserve is located in the basin of the Desna River (a left tributary of the Dnieper) next to the border to Ukraine. It is of great importance for protection of the diversity and integrity of plant and animal communities of the broadleaf forest zone in the European part of Russia. It has been established on the bases of a well-developed network of protected areas, which are connected ecologically. Big carnivores such as brown bear, lynx and wolf have viable populations here and ungulates such as elk, red deer, wild boar and roe deer are numerous. Some 9,500 people live in the biosphere reserve who are mostly Russians but also partly Ukrainian (2000). They make their living mostly from forestry and agriculture but also small local enterprises, industries and the railway play some role. The biosphere reserve aims to assist the sustainable socio-economic development in three districts of the Bryansk region through the support and establishment of sustainable methods on rational use of natural resources within the buffer zone and transition area. Research and monitoring are of international importance since it will allow Russia and Ukraine to elaborate a common policy in conservation and management of natural resources in the Desna River basin. A Geographical Information System (GIS) has been developed since 1987 and there are ten geobotanical permanent plots and winter counting routes for vertebrates. An Educational Centre is located in the core area of the biosphere reserve. |
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Major habitats & land cover types |
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Pine forest including Pinus sylvestris, Betula pendula, Calluna vulgaris etc.; pine-oak forest characterized by Quercus robur, Pinus sylvestris, Betula pendula etc.; spruce forest with Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, Populus tremula, Betula pubescens etc.; spruce-broadleaf forest characterized by Picea abies, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, Acer platanoides etc.; oak forest with Q. robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia cordata, Acer platanoides etc.; small-leaved forest characterized by Betula pendula, B. pubescens, Populus tremula etc.; alder forest dominated by Alnus glutinosa, Salix cinerea, Viburnum opulus etc.; swamp birch forest with Betula pubescens, B. humilis, Salix rosmarinifolia etc.; herbaceous swamps with Phragmites australis, Glyceria maxima, Typha latifolia etc.; sphagnum bogs with Sphagnum angustifolium, S. falax, S. magellanicum etc.; grassland including Alopecurus pratensis, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca pratensis etc.; shrub with Salix alba, S. pentandra, S. fragilis etc.; rivers and lakes; pasture land; pine and spruce plantations; agroecosystems |