Upper Taz Nature Reserve () (also Verkhne-Tazovsky) is a Russian '

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 nature reserve) at the geographic center of the Russia Empire. It is on the upper reaches of the Taz River, on the east-central edge of the

West Siberian Plain The West Siberian Plain () is a large plain that occupies the western portion of Siberia, between the Ural Mountains in the west and the Yenisei, Yenisei River in the east, and the Altai Mountains on the southeast. Much of the plain is poorly d ...

, about 700 km north of the city of

Tomsk Tomsk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Tomsk Oblast in Russia, on the Tom (river), Tom River. Population: Founded in 1604, Tomsk is one of the oldest cities in Siberia. It has six univers ...

. The reserve is one of the largest in Russia, and is an important spawning ground for fish such as salmon and trout, and also protects fur-bearing animals such as the sable and ermine. It is divided into two forests - Pokolskoe and Taz, protecting the left bank of the Ratta River. The reserve is situated in the Krasnoselkupsky District of

Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug The Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (; ) also known as Yamalia () is a federal subject of Russia and an autonomous okrug of Tyumen Oblast. Its administrative center is the town of Salekhard, and its largest city is Novy Urengoy. The 2021 Russian ...

Topography

The Upper Taz Reserve protects the basin of the Ratta River, which enters the Taz River at the northern border of the reserve. The boundaries stretch 150 km north to south, and 70 km west to east. The terrain is typical of the Upper Taz hills: hilly moraine ridges (on average 50 meters), in a strongly dissected landscape of rivers and streams. The territory is bounded on the north by the Taz, and is to the west of the basin of the

Yenisei River The Yenisey or Yenisei ( ; , ) is the list of rivers by length, fifth-longest river system in the world, and the largest to drain into the Arctic Ocean. Rising in Mungaragiyn-gol in Mongolia, it follows a northerly course through Lake Baikal a ...

. Besides the Ratta, the other major river of the area is the Pokolku River. The tributary rivers have many rapids and shoals. The Upper Taz reserve includes the highest point in the surrounding Siberian Uvaly, at 285 meters above sea level.

Climate and ecoregion

Upper Taz is located in the '' West Siberian taiga'' ecoregion, a region that covers the West Siberian Plain, from the Urals to the Central Siberian Plateau. It is an area of extensive conifer boreal forests, and also extensive wetlands, including bogs and mires. The climate of Upper Taz 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 ...

Subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...

(Dfc)). This climate is characterized by mild summers (only 1–3 months above ) and cold, snowy winters (coldest month below ).

Flora and fauna

The reserve is about 75% forest, 15% swamp. The forests are light, with pine trees on the sandy terraces making up 60% of the trees, cedar 17%, larch 12%, birch 7%, spruce 3% and aspen 1%. The understory is relatively clear, mostly pine. To the extent a shrub layer exists, it is found in sparse clumps of juniper and rosehip. The most common mammals are brown bear, otter, American mink, ermine, and fox; the moose population in the territory numbers perhaps 300 individuals. Wolves appear in the fall as the elk are migrating through. The upper reaches of the Taz escaped most logging, and forest animals of the Euro-Asian boundaries have found refuge in isolated areas. Scientists on the reserve have recorded 68 species of vertebrates, and 98 species of birds. Most of the bird biodiversity is in the floodplains. The upper reaches of the Taz are important spawning and wintering grounds for salmon and whitefish.

Ecoeducation and access

As a strict nature reserve, the Upper Taz Reserve is mostly closed to the general public, although scientists and those with 'environmental education' purposes can make arrangements with park management for visits. There are a number of 'ecotourist' routes in the reserve, however, that are open to the public, but require permits to be obtained in advance. The main office is in the village of Krasnoselkup, which is far from the territory itself. Guided ecotours are conducted by boat, snowmobile, and on foot.

References

External links