Bolon Nature Reserve () (also Bolon'sky) is the oldest

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

zapovednik A zapovednik is an established term on the Post-Soviet states, territory of the former Soviet Union for a protected area which is kept "forever wild". It is the highest degree of environmental protection for the assigned areas, which are strictly ...

' (strict ecological reserve) in the

Russian Far East The Russian Far East ( rus, Дальний Восток России, p=ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok rɐˈsʲiɪ) is a region in North Asia. It is the easternmost part of Russia and the Asia, Asian continent, and is coextensive with the Far Easte ...

. It is located on the Middle

Amur River The Amur River () or Heilong River ( zh, s=黑龙江) is a perennial river in Northeast Asia, forming the natural border between the Russian Far East and Northeast China (historically the Outer and Inner Manchuria). The Amur ''proper'' is ...

lowlands adjacent to the south-west of

Lake Bolon Lake Bolon () is a large freshwater lake in the Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. It has an area of 338 km²; it is 70 km long and 20 km wide, and has a maximum depth of about 4 m. It is located on the broad west-bank flood plain of the Amur ...

. The reserve covers the wetlands of international importance. Large numbers of migratory waterfowl use the area for nesting and stopovers on long flights. The reserve is situated halfway between the city of

Khabarovsk Khabarovsk ( ) is the largest city and the administrative centre of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia,Law #109 located from the China–Russia border, at the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri Rivers, about north of Vladivostok. As of the 2021 Russian c ...

and

Komsomolsk-on-Amur Komsomolsk-on-Amur ( rus, Комсомольск-на-Амуре, r=Komsomolsk-na-Amure, p=kəmsɐˈmolʲsk nɐ‿ɐˈmurʲə) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia, located on the west bank of the Amur R ...

, in the

Amursky District Amursky District () is an administrativeResolution #143-pr and municipalLaw #194 district (raion), one of the seventeen in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. It is located in the southwest of the krai. The area of the district is . Its administrative center ...

Khabarovsk Krai Khabarovsk Krai (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject (a krai) of Russia. It is located in the Russian Far East and is administratively part of the Far Eastern Federal District. The administrative centre of the krai is the types of ...

. The reserve was created in 1997, and covers an area of .

Topography

The Bolon Reserve covers 100,000 hectares south of Lake Bolon, a terrain of meandering streams of the estuaries of the Selgon River and Simmy River flowing into the lake. The reserve covers a portion of the southern lake shore. The

runs southwest to northeast about 50 km from the reserve. Anyuysky National Park is across the Amur from the Bolon Reserve.

Climate and ecoregion

Bolon is located in the ''

Ussuri broadleaf and mixed forests The Ussuri broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion (WWF ID: PA0443) covers a mountainous areas above the lower Amur River and Ussuri River in Primorsky Krai and Khabarovsk Krai in the Russian Far East. The ecoregion is in the Palearctic realm, with ...

'' ecoregion. This ecoregion os of the Ussuri River region in the middle Amur River basin on the west slope of the Sikhote-Alin Mountains. The Ussuri ecoregion is characterized by mixed broadleaf species such as Manchurian ash and Japanese elm in the lowlands, and Korean pine and broadleaf forests in the middle elevations. The climate of Bolon is '' Humid continental climate, cool summer'' (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

'' (Dwb) ''). This climate is characterized by high variation in temperature, both daily and seasonally; with dry winters and cool summers.

Flora and fauna

Swamps occupy 80% of the territory. The plant life of the reserve is accordingly aquatic and wetland-associated. On the lower terraces are reed-sedge and herb-sedge. Meadows are reed grass and reed grass-forb. Scientists on the reserve have recorded 348 species of vascular plants in 92 families. Around Lake Bolon on the plain are the summer feeding grounds for elk and deer; they migrate from the nearby mountain ridges for calving and rearing. Typical other mammals are the brown bear, badger, and raccoon dog. Spring and autumn migrations bring an estimated 1.2 million to the reserve. Over 200 species have been recorded, including the Far Eastern stork, Steller's sea eagle, and snipe-spoon-billed sandpiper. The reserve also hosts the Japanese crane at the northern edge of its range.

Ecoeducation and access

As a strict nature reserve, the Bolon Reserve is mostly closed to the general public, although scientists and those with 'environmental education' purposes can make arrangements with park management for visits. It is possible for the public to arrange for guided tours on the eco-route "Avian Crossroads" during the migration periods - April 20 to May 15 in the spring, and September 15 to October 20 in the fall. Applications must be made in advance with payment of fees; the route can be arranged for visit on foot or small boat. The excursion takes 6-8 hours, and there is a bird observation deck on the lake. The reserve's office is in the village of Dzhuen. Recently, the reserve has opened an ethnographic museum dedicated to the Nanai people in the village.

References

External links