During the expedition of the World Wildlife Fund, scientists confirmed the ecological value of the swamps (sebboloto), which is the habitat of a number of endangered species.
It is a complex ecosystem consisting of swamps, primary lakes, streams and rivers flowing from them, and adjacent forests. Scientists managed to collect extensive field data to justify the creation of a specially protected area in these places.
During the expedition, experts studied the flora and fauna of the territory, landscapes and soils. In particular, populations of evasive peony, northern orchids. The scientists also found nesting sites for the Bean Goose, many rare birds of prey, flying squirrel and other Red Data Book species.
Scientists examined not only the territory of the projected reserve, but also the area of swamps and intact forests adjacent to it, which is leased by the Titan Group. It is currently protected from logging thanks to a moratorium agreement between the company and the World Wildlife Fund. Traces of wild reindeer have been recorded in this area.
“We propose to adjust the boundaries of the future protected area and include this section of old-growth forests in it in order to preserve the habitats of the Red Book species, which is on the verge of extinction in the Arkhangelsk region,” said Andrey Kopytov, head of the expedition, project coordinator of the WWF representative office in the Arkhangelsk region.
In total, the length of the faunistic and floristic walking routes that the participants of the expedition covered was more than 230 km.
"During the expedition, it was confirmed that the territory is a habitat for many rare and endangered species of both the regional and federal Red Books," the WWF Russia press service quotes the words of the expedition member, associate professor of the Department of Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology of the Higher school of natural sciences and technologies of NArFU Tatyana Parinova.
“There is every reason, taking into account past studies and our data, to give the territory the status of a specially protected area,” she added.
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