What forests are there in the Altai region? Altai forests. Three forest subdistricts

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Ecological knowledge is an important part of modern education, without which humanity cannot solve the problem of preserving life on Earth. Taking into account the fact that the curricula have reduced the hours allocated for studying the subjects of the natural-geographical course, I consider it advisable to study issues of environmental-geographical education not only in the classroom, but also in extracurricular activities and elective courses. (Annex 1)

Elective courses differ from the lesson system in that they are focused on the interests of students, are playful in nature and create conditions for the formation of a professional test in the field of ecology and environmental protection. Classes involve the use of person-centered learning aimed at developing children’s communication and personal self-realization, as it allows them to explore problems related to the nature of their locality. (Presentation. Slides 2,3,4,5)

Preparatory work. Students are divided into 6 working groups, each of which is assigned to conduct research in one of the areas and present a report in the form of a public presentation at the final lesson. To assess the quality of the work done, a commission is formed from high school students and teachers of biology and geography. As a result, the creators of the most interesting works they are awarded diplomas of the first, second, third degree and they receive the right to perform at the school competition “Step into Science”.

Equipment. Multimedia installation. Multimedia support in the form of slide shows and multimedia presentations. (Presentation. Slides 6,7)

Leading. Forest... This short and very capacious word contains a lot. If life on planet Earth appeared in water, then its intelligent branch, that is, human life from its very inception to today, is closely connected with the forest. The forest was the cradle of humanity in the initial period of its development. It gave primitive man protection from animals and bad weather, material for making houses, fuel, necessary food products - everything that helped him survive in an unfavorable environment.

Leading. If you carefully study the Altai reference books, you get the impression that we live in a forest paradise. There are eight villages called Lesnoy alone, and one Lesnaya Polyana. The fact that the settlement is located next to the forest is indicated by the names Zalesovo, Borovoe, Borovoy, Borovskoye, Borok, Bor-Forpost, and also the village of Podborny. The second place in terms of frequency of use is occupied by Sosnovki - there are six of them in the region. There is Sosnovy Log, Sosnovy Bor, Podsosnovo. Beautiful names. Surprisingly, there are no dissonant names of settlements in the Altai Territory. Except for Penka in the Rebrikha district. In our Romanovsky region, despite the predominantly steppe location, we also have forest names - Dubrovino, Zelenaya Dubrava, named after the tulips growing here. But today we will talk about a real miracle of nature in the world of forests - the pine ribbon forests of the Altai Territory. One of the belts, Kasmalinskaya, runs through the Romanovsky district.

Leading. Pine ribbon pine forests are unique natural objects, which can only be found in Altai. Moreover, to say that they are unique means to say nothing. There are simply no others like them in the world. What are these tape burs and where are they located? We address this question to a group of geographers.

Defense of the project “Green Ribbons in the Nature Wreath of the Altai Territory”

(Presentation. Slide 8,9)

Target– through cartographic sources, determine the geographical location of pine belt forests in the Altai Territory.

Task– analyze the location of pine belt forests, create a map of their growth, and identify factors influencing their location.

Brief abstracts of the speech

Ribbon forests are pine grass and grass-shrub forests, stretching in strips (5-40 km) along rivers on sandy ancient alluvial deposits. Distributed in the south of Western Siberia in the Altai Territory. There are four of these amazing strips: Barnaulskaya, Kasmalinskaya, Kulundinskaya and Burlinskaya. (see Fig.1) Name belt burs consonant with the names of small rivers flowing through them: Barnaulki, Kasmaly, Burly, Kulundy. The longest is Barnaulsky's ribbon pine forest, stretching for 550 km from the Ob River in the vicinity of Barnaul to the Irtysh River in the vicinity of Semipalatinsk. The width of the forest over a considerable distance, and in particular in the vicinity of Barnaul, is 8-10 km. If you drive along the Barnaul ribbon from north to south, you can see how the height of the trees decreases, the forest becomes more sparse, and the crown descends along the trunk close to the ground. This is due to an increase in heat from north to south and a decrease in precipitation. Crossing any ribbon across, we will also see that the trees closest to the steppe are always lower than those growing in the depths of the forest. Trees at the edge of the forest are exposed to harsher conditions. They are forced to take the blows of the wind and protect the trees behind them. In the southwest, near the village of Novoyegoryevskoye, the boron ribbon merges with the neighboring Kasmalinsky boron ribbon. The Srostkinsky pine forest formed in this way has a width of about 40-50 km. The Kuchuk-Kulundinsky forest stretches for 110 km from the village of Verkh-Kuchuk to the regional center of Zavyalovo. Proslaukha-Kulundinsky pine forest is located between the villages of Klyuchi and Bayevo. Burlinsky Bor, the northernmost, begins at the Novosibirsk reservoir 35 km north of the city of Kamenya-on-Obi and runs through the territory of the Krutikhinsky and Pankrushikhinsky districts, its length is 100 km, width 6–7 km.

Memo 1.(Appendix 2)

Leading. The ancient legend has been preserved. The god of the wind, flying over the Altai lands, saw a beautiful girl with beautiful name Aigul. He decided to move her to his sky-high castle and there, coaxing her with wondrous gifts, persuaded her to marry him. But the girl knew that it was not easy to love someone like that, the wind changed its character all the time, changed its mood, was “windy” and flew away all the time. The girl heard how the wind began to quietly creep up to her, bringing the smell of strange flowers, was afraid of the fate of being torn away from her native place and ran across the steppe to the house. But the wind turned into a hurricane, caught up with the beautiful fugitive, and, picking her up, carried her to her heavenly palaces. The green ribbons with which Aigul tied her braids, the elegant belts flew off and rushed to the ground. Where they fell, forests grew to show the brothers the way where to look for their sister. Aigul cried, and where her tears fell, small salt lakes appeared. But it is unknown whether her brothers found her or not. There is such a beautiful history of the formation of ribbon forests and lakes, but this is only oral folk art. And how our forests really formed, young researchers will tell us.

Defense of project No. 2. “Ribbon pine forests – greetings from the Ice Age”

(Presentation. Slides 10,11)

Target– to identify the reasons for the origin of ribbon forests in the Altai Territory.

Task. Having studied and analyzed various sources of information, prove that ribbon forests were formed during the Quaternary geological period of the development of nature.

Brief abstracts of the speech

Scientists' opinions on the origin of ribbon forests differ in details, but they are similar in one thing: they owe their birth to ancient glaciation.

1. Scientists are counting the appearance of tape burs with Quaternary period. About a million years ago, a cold snap occurred on Earth. The snow that falls in winter did not have time to completely melt and accumulated, forming powerful glaciers. When general warming set in, meltwater from the Altai foothills rushed in huge streams along the ancient riverbed of the Ob River to the north, but backed by a slowly retreating glacier, they were forced to look for a way out. Having washed and deepened the largest left tributaries of the Ob, gigantic streams flowed towards the Irtysh. After the continental ice melted and the waters rolled into the Polar Sea, freeing the West Siberian Lowland, the modern course of the Ob River was finally formed. Modern rivers flowed along the ready-made paths of ancient hollows: Burla, Barnaulka, Kasmala, Kulunda and others, and on the remaining layers of sand brought into the hollows by ancient rivers, beautiful pine forests and unique ribbon forests subsequently grew.

2. According to one version, it turns out that the ribbon forests remained after the Ice Age, when the territory between the Ob and the Irtysh was between two huge glaciers - the Northern, which was located along the Ob bed before the Irtysh flowed into it, and the Altai. As a result, pine forests now grow along the hollows, and steppe vegetation dominates in the spaces between them. Thanks to the ability of forests to accumulate moisture, ribbon forests are a natural oasis to support life.

3. According to another version, the origin of ribbon pine forests is interesting story, which is associated with the period when there was a large sea in the south of the West Siberian Lowland, the flow of water from it passed through deep hollows towards the Aral Basin. The flowing water carried sand, and when the climate warmed and the Ob flowed again into the seas of the Arctic Ocean, pine trees began to grow in the sand-filled hollows of the ancient runoff. This is how four ribbons of pine forests were formed, which stretch parallel to each other from the Ob near Barnaul in a southwestern direction towards the Irtysh and the Kulundinskaya lowland.

Scene “The Wind and the Seed”

Leading. I'll tell you a story that started with a seed. Yes Yes! From an ordinary pine seed! Have you ever seen such a seed? It is small, with one transparent golden wing. There are a lot of them ripening in the mother cone. And the mother pine also grows a lot of cones every year! When the seeds ripen, the mother cone slightly opens its scales - and the seeds scatter around so that new pines can be born and grow. So, one day a breeze blew and our little seed flew, catching the air flow with its small wing.

Leading. Of course, you understand that further our conversation will take place under the sign of the main character of our forests - the Scots pine. Meet Pinus sylvestris!

Defense of project No. 3. “The ordinary and most unique pine”

(Presentation. Slides 11,12)

Target. To prove that Scots pine is one of the most valuable trees in the Altai region.

Tasks. Describe the biological features of Scots pine. Assess its ecological role in the biocenosis of ribbon forests. Characterize economic importance pine trees

Brief abstracts of the speech

Scots pine (lat. Pinus sylvestris) is a plant, a widespread species of the genus Pine of the Pine family. It grows naturally in Europe and Asia. In the best growing conditions, the tree reaches a height of 35-40 meters (sometimes up to 45) and more than a meter in diameter. The crown is through, with a rounded or flat top, raised high. The branching is whorled. One whorl is formed annually. Pine grows on shifting sands and swamps, fertile soils and with permafrost, in the mountains it rises to 1700-1800 meters above sea level. Has high adaptability. Grows quickly. The increase in height up to 40 years is especially significant. Pine has a plastic root system that can change depending on soil conditions. Life expectancy is up to 350-600 years. Pine blossoms in spring. Male and female flowers are located on the same tree. The entire process of seed development lasts one and a half years. The seeds are small, have a wing, and with its help they are carried by the wind from two kilometers from the tree. The bark of young trees is gray, then becomes brownish-red with long longitudinal cracks at the bottom. The needles are steamy, live 2-3 years (sometimes up to eight years)

Scots pine does not shy away from any kind of work: it burns in furnaces, strides across the country like telegraph poles, lies as sleepers under hundreds of thousands of kilometers of steel highways, stands on millions of supports in coal and ore mines. Thanks to pine, treasures are born: first cellulose, and from it - artificial silk, plastics, artificial leather, cellophane, and various papers. Chemistry draws from "ordinary wood" some sources of "magic" - aromatic resin (or turpentine). It is difficult, perhaps even impossible, to find a useless piece of pine body. The bark contains tannins, the cambium contains vanillin, valuable immersion oil is obtained from the seeds, and pollen is used as a substitute for lycopodium. By the way, the balm with which the ancient Egyptians soaked mummies that have survived to this day and survived for thousands of years also includes pine resin. And who doesn’t know the wonderful mineral amber. Amber is also pine resin, but it has lain in the ground for millions of years. Even the air of a pine forest is valuable: it’s not for nothing that sanatoriums and holiday homes are built here. A place of honor is occupied by “pine medicines” - pine extracts for baths, dried pine buds, turpentine and others... Pine cones are the best fuel for the famous Russian samovars; they burn beautifully and hold the heat for a long time.

Pine serves not only humans. Wood grouse feed on pine needles almost throughout the year. For elk, the best winter food is young pine shoots and their bark. Squirrels, chipmunks, and pine cone birds feast on pine seeds, which they extract from the cones with amazing skill. Woodpeckers and crossbills are big hunters of pine seeds. Incredibly, fish are also connoisseurs of pine: the fry willingly and with great benefit for themselves they switch to a pine diet. They eat pollen, which in the spring, during the flowering period, covers the vast expanse of water bodies with a thin film (each pollen grain of a pine tree has two air sacs, giving it the ability to swim and fly hundreds of kilometers). There is so much pollen that sometimes it forms small yellow clouds that fall in “sulfur” showers.

Our list of “pine blessings” has grown so much that it is hardly worth talking in detail about pine roots that fix shifting sands and protect rivers and lakes from silting, that the thick bark of pine is a salvation from runaway fires, about the evergreen outfit of city gardens and parks, and about many other things..

Leading. Now let's take a little trip into the past. Ninth century. Yaroslav the Wise punishes negligent subjects for arson and cutting down forests. Ivan the Terrible limits forest felling with safe conduct. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich is punishing for cutting down someone else's forest and starting a fire. A turning point in the regulation of forestry came with the adoption of the first national forest laws and strict instructions of Peter the Great. By his decree, he put a limit on the free felling of forests, declared oak and pine to be protected species, and imposed “deprivation of the belly” (death penalty) for unauthorized felling, which was later replaced by exile and hard labor. And finally, on May 26, 1798, Paul the First issued a decree on the creation of the first central forest management body in the history of Russia - the Forestry Department. What laws exist today to protect our forests?

Defense of project No. 4. “Forests under protection”

(Presentation. Slides 14,15)

Target. Highlight laws in environmental law that protect the rights of our forests.

Task. Consider the most common environmental crimes that cause maximum damage to forests

Brief abstracts of the speech

Environmental law in the Russian Federation is a set of legal norms governing relations in the field of rational use natural resources and security environment taking into account the interests of the present and future generations of people. Environmental law as an independent branch began to be considered in Russia only from the beginning of the 90s. of our century.

Environmental crimes against forests are crimes that are socially dangerous acts that encroach on the environmental legal order established in Russia, the environmental safety of society, and cause harm to the natural forest environment and human health. (Appendix 4)

Leading. And now the question: “What is the name of the territory that we will now talk about?”

In this territory, any types of economic activity that impede the conservation, restoration and reproduction are prohibited temporarily or permanently, or are limited. natural complexes and their components: plowing of land; felling, harvesting resin, haymaking, grazing, harvesting and collecting mushrooms, berries, nuts, fruits, seeds, medicinal and other plants, other types of use of the plant world; commercial, sport and amateur hunting, fishing, obtaining animals not classified as objects of hunting and fishing, other types of use of the animal world; provision land plots for construction, as well as for collective gardening and horticulture; carrying out drainage and irrigation works, geological surveys and mineral development; construction of buildings and structures, roads and pipelines, power lines and other communications; the use of pesticides, mineral fertilizers, chemical plant protection products and growth stimulants; imploding works; passage and parking of motor vehicles, ships and other floating vehicles, arrangement of halts, bivouacs, tourist stops and camps, other forms of recreation for the population.

Leading. Of course, you know that these are nature reserves. The next question: “Which of the listed reserves is located on the territory of two neighboring districts, including Romanovsky? Be careful and don’t miss: Volchikhinsky, Kulundinsky, Egorvsky, Pankrushikhinsky, Kasmalinsky, Mamonotovsky.

Leading. That's right, Mamontovsky. The next group of our participants will tell us for what purpose it was created.

Defense of project No. 5. “Let's save the ribbon forests - and not disappear like mammoths!”

(Presentation. Slides 16,17)

Target. Determining the role of the Mamontovsky reserve in preserving the biological diversity of the Kasmalinsky ribbon forest.

Task. Get acquainted with the diversity of the animal world of the Mamontovsky reserve.

Give brief description organisms that are protected by the Mamontovsky Nature Reserve.

Brief abstracts of the speech

Unique natural and climatic conditions have made our areas one of the richest in the region in terms of diversity and species composition of natural resources. There are more than 30 species of trees and shrubs and 50 species of herbs. Animal world diverse. And the abundance of water and grass vegetation create favorable conditions for nesting of waterfowl of over 90 species. A variety of animals can be found here - elk and Siberian roe deer, which are quite common here. In some places, adhering to bushes, the Asian chipmunk lives, and on open places- brown hare. In forest plantations there are mustelids: badger, weasel, ermine, weasel and steppe ferret. American mink comes to the banks of reservoirs. The muskrat is common in these areas and may be numerous. Common fox, wolf and lynx are spotted irregularly in our forest, and a small number of common beaver are spread along the river.

In 1963, on the territory of the region, in the Kasmalinsky forest, a state reserve (Mamontovsky) with an area of ​​8 thousand hectares was created to preserve the ecosystems of the ribbon forest with a system of lakes. Places are protected here natural habitat elk, roe deer, squirrels, hare, fox, weasel, swan, dabbling and diving ducks and other animals, to maintain the ecological balance of the region, for the reproduction of animals and plants of the forest and forest lake system.

The reserve is designated as a natural and economic territory, including forest and meadow landscapes, wetlands. This territory is experiencing significant anthropogenic pressure. The forest area is covered with a dense network of highways, the shores of lakes in summer time experience significant recreational pressure, and steppe communities are used for grazing. Therefore, the following plants listed in the Red Book of the Altai Territory are on the verge of extinction: feather feather grass (Stipa pennata), sandy grass (Helichrysum arenarium), Ural licorice (Glyzirrhiza uralensis).

Leading. In some regions of Russia, there was a custom to decorate a pine tree at a bachelorette party before a wedding. When the bride's friends sang ritual songs, they placed a loaf of bread in the middle of the table, stuck a small pine tree into it and, like a bride, decorated it with colored ribbons and wildflowers. In wedding songs, the bride was compared to a young pine tree:

Little pine, young little pine,
Why are you not green pine?
Young girl, young girl, young girl,
What, you young girl is not cheerful.

Why should she really be cheerful and green if she was torn out of her native land along with her roots? But our designers - masters of holiday affairs - know how to create a festive mood without damaging trees.

Defense of project No. 6. “Pine cone”

(Presentation. Slides 18,19,20)

Target. Demonstrate the aesthetic possibilities of a pine cone.

Tasks. Conduct a master class on making crafts from pine cones.

Brief summary of the speech

The idea of ​​making something out of pine cones came to us a long time ago. In the summer, when we were walking in a pine forest, we started collecting cones: here a cone, here a cone, and we collected a whole bag. It was fun, everyone was running and shouting: “But this one is better, and this one is even better.” I wanted to take all the cones home and then make something very beautiful out of them, just like our forests. Today we will teach you how to make a beautiful wreath from pine cones that will decorate your home.

1. Cut out a large wreath from cardboard. Adjust the size and width of the workpiece to the size of the pine cones you are using.

2. Glue the 4 largest cones onto the cardboard blank.

3. Place the remaining pine cones on the wreath and glue them in place.

4. Tie a bright ribbon into a bow and decorate the top of the wreath with it.

5. And if you show patience and imagination, you will create a whole collection of products from pine cones and give them to your friends. How I do it.

Awarding and summing up. In conclusion, the children are invited to look at a photo album created by the student. Then the presenters sum up the results and present diplomas to the creators of the projects. Guests of the event receive reminders (Appendix 2) and souvenirs made from pine cones as a gift.

Literature.

1. Vinokurova N.F. and other elective course program “Forest and Man” // Geography at school. 1998.-№5. – P.54-58.

2. Grekhankina L.F. and others. The world of the protected area // Geography at school. 2001.-№6. – P.41-49.

3. Ribbon forests and salt lakes: tourist. Alt districts. edges/composition A. N. Romanov, S. V. Kharlamov. - Barnaul: Polyprint, 2004. - 184 p.

4. Mironova L. Trees of Siberia. Scots pine // Newspaper Nature of Altai. 2009.- No. 5-6. –P.38-39.

5. Muravlev A. Unknown Altai. The fate of trees // Newspaper Nature of Altai. 2007.- No. 1-2. –P.22-23.

6. Paramonov E.G. Stories about trees and bushes. – Barnaul: Alt. book Publishing house, 1982.- pp. 20 – 29.

7. Podkorytova L.D., Gorskikh O.V. Geography of the Altai Territory. Methodological complex: - Barnaul, 2008.- P.88-90.

8. http://mamontovo22.ru/zdrav.html - official website of the Mamontovsky district.

Amazing mesmerizing landscapes of pristine nature, carefully preserved local residents, the cultural and historical heritage with which this region is generously endowed is increasingly attracting tourists from other territories and even from foreign countries.

This is a beautiful Altai region. The nature of the region is surprisingly rich and multifaceted.

general information

This subject of Russia is part of the Siberian federal district(southwest). It borders with Kazakhstan, the Kemerovo and Novosibirsk regions, and the Altai Republic. The administrative center is the city of Barnaul.

Until 1991, the region also included the Gorno-Altaisk Autonomous Region, but at the moment it is an independent subject of the Russian Federation.

The Altai Territory is presented in more detail below. The nature of the region and the history of its development are of interest to many tourists and travelers who come here. Today, about 120 nationalities live in the region. Most of all - Russians (93.9%). Ukrainians, Germans, and Kazakhs are also well represented here.

How did it all begin?

Russians began to populate the foothills of Altai and the Upper Ob region in the second half of the 17th century. The development of Altai began after the Beloyarsk and Bikatun fortresses were built here, respectively, in 1717 and 1718, for protection from the Dzungar nomads.

In order to explore ore deposits, prospecting parties began to be sent to Altai. It is believed that their discoverers were the father and son Kostylevs; later Akinfiy Demidov, a Ural breeder, took advantage of these results.

Geography, relief

Before we describe the rivers of the Altai Territory, let’s consider it geographical position. The region is located in Western Siberia. In the south and west, its territory borders on the regions: East Kazakhstan and Pavlodar, in the northeast and north - on Kemerovo and Novosibirsk. It borders on the Altai Republic in the southeast.

Territory area - 167850 sq. kilometers. From west to east the length is 600 km, from south to north - 400 km. The distance from Moscow to Barnaul by direct air is 3 thousand 600 km.

The relief of the Altai region is the most diverse. Its territory belongs to two physical countries- Altai-Sayan and West Siberian Plain. Its mountainous zone covers the flat surface on the southern and eastern sides. These are the foothills of Altai and the Salair Ridge. The central and western parts of the territory are mainly represented by plains - the Kulunda steppe, the Biysko-Chumysh upland and the Priobskoye plateau.

The region is represented by almost all natural zones of Russia - mountains, taiga, steppe and forest-steppe. Moreover, the flat surface is characterized by steppe and forest-steppe territories, with pine forests, ravines, ravines, ridges and lakes.

Rivers

Water resources in the region are represented by both underground and surface sources. The most large rivers Altai Territory: Ob, Katun, Biya, Charysh and Alei. Their total number, including small watercourses, is 17 thousand. There are about 13,000 lakes here, the largest of which is Kulundinskoye (area - 728 sq. km).

The Ob River is the main water artery. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: Katun and Biya. Its length is 493 kilometers. It should be noted that the pool of this great river occupies an area equal to 70% of the entire territory of the region.

The diversity of zonal landscapes of the region contributes to the diversity and species composition of the animal world. There are lynxes, brown bears, and wolverines. Muskrats and river beavers live in reservoirs. Approximately 90 species of mammals and 320 species of birds live in the Altai Territory.

About 2,000 different higher vascular plants grow here (2/3 of the species in all Western Siberia). Especially valuable: Rhodiola rosea, peony, red root, maral root, St. John's wort, oregano, Ural licorice, elecampane.

Forests occupy 26% of the region's territory. The Altai region is rich and beautiful.

Nature

Currently, the natural landscapes of the region are negatively impacted by the results of economic activities. In order to preserve the diversity of fauna and flora, today it is planned to create protected natural areas: reserves, national parks, nature reserves, and natural monuments.

On the territory of this moment There are only 33 reserves (area 773,100 hectares), occupying 5% of the entire territory, which is not enough to maintain ecological and landscape balance in the biosphere of the region.

In any case, the Altai region is magnificent. The nature of the region is protected by law. Numerous natural monuments have been created. These are protected irreplaceable natural objects of scientific, cultural and historical value (mineral springs, caves, waterfalls, geological outcrops, paleontological objects, ancient centuries-old trees).

IN total There are 100 monuments in the region, 54 of them are geological, 14 are botanical, 31 are water and 1 are complex.

Conclusion

The Altai region is beautiful and rich. The nature of the region includes habitats of rare plants and animals, which are classified as endangered species and are especially protected. Therefore, a decision was made in the region to create the Tigirek and Kulundinsky state reserves. Unfortunately, the organization of work in this direction is delayed by the lack of funding.

In the depths of the vast continent of Eurasia lies a mountainous country - Altai. The nearest seas and oceans are almost 2.5 thousand km away. On one side, Altai borders on the world’s largest West Siberian Plain, on the other, on the belt of mountains in Southern Siberia. This mysterious and mysterious land contains the history of human culture from the Stone Age to the present day. Nicholas Roerich stated: “If you want to find the most a nice place, look for the most ancient." One of these places for him was Altai, where last days his soul yearned for life.

Land of contrasts

Various forms of relief lead to the formation in a relatively small area of ​​Altai of a number of microclimates, which in other parts of our country correspond to distances of hundreds and thousands of kilometers. This contributes to the species richness of the animal and plant world.

All are presented here natural areas Central Siberia: steppes, forest-steppes, mixed forests, subalpine and alpine meadows. The species composition of vegetation includes two-thirds of the total species diversity of Western Siberia, with a considerable percentage accounting for endemic plants found only in the Altai Mountains. There are also relict species. So many medicinal plants(Rhodiola rosea, forgotten pennyweed, St. John's wort, elecampane, etc.).

As in any mountainous country, vegetation Gorny Altai obeys the law of vertical zonality, although, of course, the boundaries of these zones are not expressed by clear lines; they vary greatly depending on local conditions.

The word “Altai” is most often translated as “Altyn-tau” (“golden mountains”), sometimes as “Ala-tau” (“variegated mountains”). Oriental scholars give another interpretation - “Al-taiga”, which means “high rocky mountains”.

From steppes to mountain taiga

At an altitude of 800–1500 m there is a belt of mountain steppes, where there is almost no forest; low grass and isolated bushes grow here. The color of the steppe as a whole is dull yellowish-gray; sometimes along the banks of rivers and reservoirs there are spots of living green and light green.

Where the steppes turn into foothills, a dark green forest belt (1200–2400 m) appears - the mountain taiga belt. Broadleaf forests in most regions of the Altai Mountains they are poorly represented. Mountain taiga consists of larch, Siberian cedar, pine, spruce and fir. The larch taiga rises to 2000 m. This forest, light, with delicate greenery, is especially beautiful in the spring, when the young larch needles are just beginning to bloom. But the higher you go, the more common it is here Siberian cedar, or Siberian cedar pine, forming upper limit forests. Unlike slender larches, cedar pines here are usually gnarled, their trunks can take on the most bizarre shapes. The gloomy fir trees, hung like garlands with lichens, give the forest a fabulously fantastic look.

In the local arid climate, Altai forests primarily perform a protective function - the plantings retain snow and rain moisture and reduce wind erosion of the soil.

Giants and dwarfs

Transitional region between taiga and alpine meadows in Altai it occupies a fairly extensive belt, which can be called mountain tundra. These are thickets of low-growing bushes - mainly polar birch (locally called “chira” or “ernik”), but also a variety of low-growing willows.

Alpine and subalpine meadows (2500–3000 m) are represented by colorful forbs. The grasses here seem like a real jungle - their height reaches 1.5–2 m, and in the middle of summer they are able to hide a rider with a horse. As you ascend the mountains, the vegetation gradually decreases and turns into alpine low grass.

Very high, in the cracks of the rocks and on tiny spots of the alpine meadow, you come across a miniature dwarf willow, only a few centimeters high. Far in the mountains, near Belukha (the most high peak Siberia), you can find edelweiss - flowers of love and fidelity. And on flat damp places moss grows, amazing in its softness, depth and beauty. On the uppermost sections of the slopes you can admire the paintings created by nature from multi-colored lichens - black, orange, silver-white, yellow and other colors. But it turns out that life goes on even higher. In the summer, snow on glaciers can take on a pink tint, as if it is illuminated by the evening setting sun, the reason for this is the microscopic algae covering it.

Cedar forests

But still, about half of the territory of Altai is occupied by forests, mostly coniferous, although a significant part of them are cedar pine forests, they are also called cedar trees. Cedar pines – sacred trees For northern peoples. Beautiful and majestic, they produce beautiful wood, tasty, healthy and nutritious pine nuts, which, in addition to people, feed other taiga inhabitants: bears, sables, chipmunks, squirrels...

Forests with a predominance of cedar pine are dark coniferous. On the plains, Siberian pine pine often grows next to spruce, fir, Scots pine, and birch, but around many Siberian settlements you can also find pure cedar trees. The fact is that the migrant peasants quickly appreciated this tree, and therefore they cut down larch, fir and other species around their homes, and left the cedar pine. The cedar forests were looked after as if they were their own garden. In terms of economic benefits, Siberians sometimes equate a hectare of cedar forest to a cow.

Unfortunately, until recently, large-scale industrial timber logging was carried out in the Altai Mountains. Significant damage was caused to cedar forests. One of the main tasks of ecologists is to revive this wonderful tree species of the Altai taiga.

Forest fund Altai Territory occupies a total area of ​​436.4 thousand hectares or 26% of the total area of ​​the region, of which 3,827.9 thousand hectares are forest lands. Covered forest area is 3561.5 thousand hectares or 81.6% of the total area forests(according to forest fund records as of 01/01/98). Forest cover territories Altai Territory is 21.1%.

Forest cover varies by region from 54.6% to 1 percent or less. Highest percentage forest cover in the Zarinsky district - 54.6%, in the Talmensky district - 52.9%, in the Troitsky district - 45.4%. Less than one percent forest cover in Tabunsky, Slavgorodsky, Pospelikhinsky districts.

The total wood reserve is 395 million m 3, the share of burnt areas of the total area forests- 0.141%, share of fellings from the total area forests - 1,08%.

Forests unevenly distributed. They are mainly located in the northeast and east Altai Territory. On sands and sandy soils in the floodplain of the river. Unique rivers stretch across the Ob River and along river beds for hundreds of kilometers. band burs. Significant areas of mountains and foothills are occupied by taiga massifs.

Forests 1 groups occupy 2918.9 thousand hectares. Forests 2 groups occupy 818 thousand hectares. Forests 3 groups occupy an area of ​​625.6 thousand hectares.

According to natural and forestry conditions, role and significance in forests The State Fund has allocated 4 forestry areas:

• Tape-hog - ribbon forests, All forests classified as “especially valuable forest areas”, the total area is 1123.5 thousand hectares, incl. covered forest area - 880.1 thousand hectares;
• Priobsky - assigned forests Priobye: total area 837.7 thousand hectares, incl. covered forest area - 661.1 thousand hectares;
• Salairsky - assigned forests Salair black taiga, total area forests 583.3 thousand hectares, incl. covered forest- 515.6 thousand hectares;
• Piedgorny - foothills forests Altai, total area forests 836.3 thousand hectares, incl. covered forest 646.6 thousand hectares.

The predominant breeds in forests of the Altai region are coniferous - 54% (including cedar - 1.9%), small-leaved - 46%. Average age forests State Forest Fund - 66 years, incl. coniferous - 80 years and deciduous - 48 years. The timber reserve of the entire forest fund is 494.85 million m3, incl. State Forest Fund - 400.08 million m3.

The average annual growth reaches 6.5 million m 3, of which coniferous trees account for 3.5 million m 3 and deciduous trees - 3 million m 3.

The estimated cutting area for the main use is 2040 thousand m 3, incl. for coniferous farming - 331 thousand m3.

The intensity of forest use decreases annually, so in 1994 - 900 thousand m 3, in 1995 - 800 thousand m 3, in 1996 - 500 thousand m 3, in 1997 - 331.3 thousand m 3.

Forests of the Altai Territory divided by fire hazard classes into 5 classes. TO forests Class 1 and 2 natural fire hazards mainly include band burs(middle class 1.8) and Priobsky forests(middle class 2.6), in which concentrated a large number of coniferous plantations of dry types forests, young coniferous trees and forest crops.

As a result of intensive use forests, especially in the Ob massifs, the area of ​​young coniferous forests has decreased, the area of ​​mature and overmature plantings has increased, dangerous phenomenon replacement of coniferous species with less valuable deciduous ones.

The project “Ribbon pine forests of Altai - a unique natural heritage of Russia”, supported by the Russian Geographical Society, is nearing completion. Its goal was to preserve the natural complexes of Altai ribbon forests, their landscape and biological diversity. Currently, the processing of the rich factual material collected during the expeditions is being completed, but it is already possible to summarize the preliminary results of the project.

Seen from space

If you look at a satellite image of the south of Western Siberia, the eye is involuntarily drawn to several dark green stripes of forest parallel to each other, sharply contrasting with the surrounding agricultural landscapes. Upon closer examination, you can see that there are four such stripes in total: the two largest ones stretch from the Ob valley, merging near the border with Kazakhstan into a single massif, which continues southwest to the Irtysh. Two smaller ribbons, also starting off the banks of the Ob, end in the vastness of the Kulunda Plain. Two more sections of pine forest are very small, traditionally called selections, more like not ribbons, but like emerald islands, lost in a sea of ​​endless fields.

For the Altai Territory, strip burs are one of the main brands, an object that can be seen from space, as they say, “with the naked eye.” The secret of the unusual linear arrangement of these forest areas in that they occupy the bottoms of narrow and long hollows of ancient drainage with thick deposits of sand, according to the most common version, left by water flows of glacial eras. Experts are still arguing about the age and origin of pine forest sands and the pine forests themselves. Indisputable, however, remains the fact that strip burs are unique not only on the scale of Siberia, but throughout Russia.

Bors are of great socio-economic importance for the western part of the Altai Territory. They serve as the main source of wood for residents steppe zone; have a softening effect on the climate of the surrounding areas (near the ribbon forests there is approximately 50 mm more precipitation than in treeless areas), and are a traditional place for recreation, picking berries and mushrooms.

Thanks to the contrasting combination natural conditions within the intrazonal belt forests there are adjacent natural complexes that are very different from each other. Steppe areas with feather grass and xerophytic herbs are sometimes located near a sphagnum bog, and a couple of kilometers from a shady green moss forest there may be a sun-dried salt marsh.

In secluded places far from settlements, in the shade of centuries-old pines, you can find a whole bouquet of northern orchids - from the inconspicuous at first glance nest flowers and lady's slippers to the spectacular lady's slippers. The role of ribbon pine forests is significant in preserving the populations of such globally rare animal species included in various red books as the imperial eagle, greater spotted eagle, white-tailed eagle, eagle owl, black stork, and other vulnerable bird species.

Need a special approach

Unfortunately, the high economic development of strip forests has led to the fact that many valuable natural complexes and populations rare species animals and plants became endangered, despite formal protection.

The first specially protected natural areas (reserves of regional significance) were created in ribbon forests back in the 60-70s of the last century. At that time, paramount importance was given to the reproduction of hunting and commercial species of animals; later, pine forest reserves received the status of complex (landscape) ones. However, until now, the main type of economic activity - logging - was carried out in forest reserves in the same mode and with the same intensity as in all other areas of the forest that do not have the status of specially protected natural areas. This could not but affect the condition of the protected objects.

Thus, until quite recently, the southern part of the Kulundinsky ribbon forest (Zavyalovsky reserve) was the only territory in the world where the nesting group of the Greater Spotted Eagle was preserved in numbers larger than that in all of foreign Europe, and eagles nested here with a density maximum for the species - 1-1. 5 km between neighboring nests. Currently, more than half of the spotted eagle's habitats have been destroyed. Therefore, the preservation of the remaining valuable areas is of particular importance. It is obvious that reserves, or even just their individual parts (where habitats of rare species still remain), require a special approach.

Thanks to grant support from the Russian Geographical Society, this year a large-scale survey of the territories of regional reserves located in ribbon forests was carried out. The main idea was to identify areas with the maximum density of “Red Books” for their subsequent allocation into specially protected zones of nature reserves and specially protected forest areas.

Employees of the Altai branch of the Russian Geographical Society (including a member of the Permanent Environmental Commission of the Russian Geographical Society - Doctor of Geographical Sciences Dmitry Chernykh), the Institute of Water and environmental problems SB RAS, Tigirek Nature Reserve, Altai State University, students, volunteers (including schoolchildren - participants in the “Adopt a Nature Reserve” program implemented by the Geblerov Ecological Society and the Tigirek Nature Reserve).

On the territory of the Kasmalinsky reserve, more than 270 growing points of 13 species of plants and fungi included in the Red Books of Russia and the Altai Territory were discovered (feather feather grass, captillaria capulata, three-notched lady's sage, orchis capulata, lady's slippers, grandiflora and drip, sparassis curly and other rare and endangered species). Within the same reserve, occupied nesting areas of the Imperial Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle and Eagle Owl were found.

To date, a scientific justification for changing the regime of protection and environmental management has already been prepared for the Kasmaly Nature Reserve, in particular, the allocation of a special protection zone where key habitats of rare species and reference areas of natural complexes of the Kasmaly ribbon forest will be preserved.

In the Kulundinsky reserve, more than fifty growing points of five plant species listed in the Red Books of Russia and the Altai Territory have been identified. Complexes of sphagnum bogs, rare for belt forests, were noted. Of significant value are the tracts of old-growth pine forests located along the edges of the forest near the fairly extensive steppe areas preserved in this part of the region. It is precisely such places, due to the ecotone effect, that are strips of concentration of biological diversity, including serving as refuges for rare and endangered species of plants and animals.

Mamontovsky and Kornilovsky nature reserves, thanks to the combination of large lakes and forest complexes, are extremely important for preserving the habitats of rare and endangered species of large feathered predators. Here are the nesting areas of species included in the Red Data Books of Russia and the Altai Territory, such as the white-tailed eagle, golden eagle, imperial eagle, greater spotted eagle, eagle owl, great gray owl, as well as such a rare forest bird as the black stork. Undisturbed areas of old-growth pine forests on the border with wetlands are subject to special protection here. In the crowns of the largest patriarch pines, rare birds build their massive nests, and in lakes and swamps they obtain food to feed their chicks.

In general, as a result of the project, a database was created on the distribution of rare species of plants and animals in the belt forests of the region; The most environmentally valuable areas have been identified within the above-mentioned reserves. Currently, justifications and proposals for improving the protection regimes of pine forest reserves are being finalized.

It should be noted that the authorized government body - the Main Department of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Altai Territory - supported the initiative of the environmental community to strengthen the protection of pine forest ecosystems. Currently, documentation is being prepared to change the regime of the Kasmalinsky reserve in terms of limiting forest felling. In addition, this year three new natural monuments have been created within the Barnaul ribbon forest; projects for the creation of two more monuments have received a positive conclusion from the state environmental assessment.

Results of the project "Ribbon pine forests of Altai - unique natural heritage Russia" will be in demand in real environmental practice and will serve the sustainable conservation of ribbon forests in all their diversity.

The material was prepared by the head of the project “Ribbon pine forests of Altai - a unique natural heritage of Russia” Lyudmila Nekhorosheva.