Forest of Karelia: general description and photos

The Karelian region is located in the very north of Russia. From the west it borders on Finland, and its eastern coasts are washed by the White Sea. This region is famous for its amazing fauna and flora, which in many respects preserved its original appearance. The forest of Karelia keeps many secrets, it is dotted with rivers, and in its depths lies a huge number of lakes.

Today these places are protected by the state. Hunting and deforestation are strictly controlled. Forest plays an important role in the development of tourism infrastructure, and also has important industrial importance.

Encyclopedic data

Forests cover more than half of the territory of the Republic of Karelia. Another 30% are occupied by swamps. In total, the forest of Karelia occupies 14 million hectares, 9.5 million of which are covered with a dense forest. A third of this territory is protected, the remaining forests are used industrially.

Geographical features

Karelia has a peculiar relief. Its territory is like a patchwork carpet, on which you can see mirror lakes, coniferous forests, swamps, wastelands, birch groves, hills. In prehistoric times the landscape was formed under the influence of the movement of glaciers. Today, as a memory of the events of the past eras, "sheep's foreheads" rise above the region - peculiar white smooth rocks, carved by giant ice.

Southern regions are completely covered with a dense and high pine forest. The northern forest of Karelia is of lesser height and density.

Coniferous and deciduous trees of Karelia

Sandy soil explains the fact that in Karelia the pine reigns. She owns almost 70% of the forest. Spruce grows on clayey and loamy soils, mainly in the southern region of the middle taiga zone.

Some isolated sections of the shore of Lake Onega are covered with spruce, combined with linden and maple. Coniferous forests of Karelia in the south-east of the republic are mixed with Siberian larch.

From the deciduous trees in the region grows birch fluffy, alder gray, aspen. The famous Karelian birch, which has a colorful coloring, high density and unusual svinjatostyu wood, is found only in the southern edges of the region.

These places are also rich in medicinal plants. Here grow wild plants: bearberry, lily-of-the-valley, orchis, watch.

Climate

Forest of Karelia was formed under the influence of severe northern climate. The northern region adjoins the boundary of the Arctic Circle, and a very small part is located even in its limit.

A typical taiga ecosystem is typical of the forest, but the surroundings of the Lovozero, located in the very north of Karelia, are the tundra.

White nights and seasonal features of the region

Winter in these parts is long. In the northern regions of the days with negative temperatures, there are 190 in the year, in the south - about 150. Autumn begins in August and ends around mid-October. The reservoirs freeze, the winds increase, the intensity and duration of precipitation increases.

If you are attracted by the autumn forest of Karelia, sung by many artists and poets, go there in late August or early September, otherwise you will have the opportunity to admire the taiga winter.

However, winter in these parts is not so terrible. Even in the middle of autumn in Karelia there is an impressive amount of snow, which then thaws, then pours flakes again. The snow cover remains almost half a year at the level of 60-70 cm (in especially snowy winters - even up to a meter). For the winter, thaws are not uncommon, when the sun shines, like a spring.

Another feature that should be known about these places is the white nights. In summer, the duration of a day of light exceeds 23 hours. The darkness practically does not come, and the peak of the white night falls in June, when there is no even twilight. But there is, of course, the reverse side of the medal - a polar night, falling to the ground for almost 3 months. However, in the south of the country this phenomenon is poorly expressed. For white nights, you need to travel further north - about 66 degrees north latitude.

Karelian Lakes

Forests are not the only natural wealth of Karelia. This region is also famous for its lakes. It is home to the two largest lakes in Europe - Ladoga and Onega. Lakes play a very important role in the life of the forest ecosystem. On their coasts from the earliest times settled the native inhabitants of the region - Karelians. They were engaged not only in hunting, but also in fishing. The lake has an important importance for animals that inhabit forests of Karelia. Photos of these places attract tourists. People today prefer to settle near forest lakes.

The total number of Karelian lakes reaches a mark of 60 thousand. Quite a bit in these parts and rivers - about 11 thousand. All waters of the region belong to the basins of the White and Baltic Seas.

Animal world of forests

Fauna of Karelia is very diverse. Among mammals, lynxes, martens, American and Russian mink, otters, ferrets, caresses, wolverines, ermines, badgers, brown bears, wolves, raccoon dogs, moose, foxes, wild reindeer, moles, shrews, squirrels, mice prevail among mammals. Hedgehogs are less common and only in the south. Ondatras settled in many reservoirs of southern and central Karelia. The hare is of great commercial importance. Of reptiles, there are a lot of snakes and vipers. But snakes can be found only in the southern regions, in the north there are almost no.

Forests of the Republic of Karelia is a house for 200 species of birds, most of which are migratory. Continuously there live grouse, black grouse, hazel grouse, partridge. A variety of waterfowl: ducks, chomogi, ducks, geese, swans. There are waders, hawks, vypi, osprey, sarych, cranes and cornstalk in the forests, many different types of owls. Not infrequently there are also woodpeckers and thrushes, they fly together in the autumn in these parts. Especially attentive tourist can meet in the Karelian forests even golden eagle. The grouse and the capercaillie settle everywhere.

Islands on the White Sea are famous for the settlements of the eider, which has a high quality fluff. On it, as well as on other rare birds, it is forbidden to hunt.

Insects

If you are planning to visit fairy-tale Karelian forests and consult with experienced tourists, for sure you will occasionally hear scary stories about mosquitoes the size of a sparrow, which are simply teeming with wild thickets, and even the big cities of this northern region.

Information about the dimensions, of course, exaggerated, but smoke without fire does not happen. There are a lot of mosquitoes here, and they are quite large. And in addition to mosquitoes, forests and swamps of Karelia are inhabited yet simply by an incredible amount of various blood-sucking, which are especially active during the flowering of cloudberries. But by the end of August the activity is weakening, and with the first September frosts it completely disappears.

Tourism in Karelia

Two-thirds of the republic is open to tourists. It is unlikely that it will be possible to get into the reserve, since all the security zones are simply prohibited from entering. And there is really nothing to do there, in the taiga cold and pristine wilderness.

It is better to go to the regions with a more or less developed tourist infrastructure. And it, it is worth mentioning, is everywhere still in the stage of becoming. Talk about the high level of service is not necessary. But is this why tourists go to the taiga?

Leading in the top is Valaam - an ancient monastic complex on one of the lakes of Ladoga. You can go here alone or as part of a tour group. The monastery in Kizhi deserves no less attention. Both of these places are outside the Karelian forest, but those who travel to these parts from afar, try to visit not only the wilderness of the pristine nature, but also visit the holy places.

Many researchers claim that in Karelia there are many geoactive anomalies, called places of power. By the way, Valaam and Kizhi also treat them and are considered to be one of the most powerful. In the forest wilderness, many ancient pagan temples are hidden, built by the Saami and the Lapps - the indigenous inhabitants of these places, which were later superseded by the ancestors of modern Karelians and Slavs. Some brave souls go to the Karelian forests for the sake of these mystical places. Well think: are you ready for a meeting with the unknown?

If you decide to see with your own eyes what kind of forest in Karelia, plan late at any time of the year. Travel agencies offer guests both summer wild vacations, and Christmas tours, and rafting on obstinate rivers, and many other programs that maximize the beauty of lakes and forests. Of course, in terms of tourist business in Karelia there is still room for growth, but even the current level will satisfy the demanding holidaymaker. To services of visitors rent of any water transport, horse walks, safari (in a season, certainly), fishing. You can go on vacation even without equipment and gear - you can take everything at the box office.

Camping in the forest

Well, if a civilized, organized by a team of professionals rest in the forests of Karelia is not your theme, you can visit these places in the company of the same inveterate marigolds. Ideally, if there is at least one person in the group who has experience of hiking in Karelia. It is not possible to break tents everywhere and burn fires, and there are no surprising places on maps. For example, it's almost impossible to get to the Island of Spirits on Okhta independently - an experienced guide will be needed here.

Places for camping in large numbers are organized on the shores of forest lakes and rapids. These places are especially attractive for lovers of water sports. Kayakers in Karelia are not uncommon.

In order not to have problems with the law and your own conscience, observe the safety rules when organizing fireplace. Do not leave in the wild forest any traces of your stay in the form of packages from drinks and food and household garbage. This can result in a major fine.

Folk forest crafts

The forest of Karelia is ready to share the riches generously all summer. Here you can collect cranberries, cranberries, cloudberries, blueberries, raspberries, blueberries. There are many mushrooms in these parts. Local residents are engaged in quiet hunting all season. If you are unlucky neither with mushrooms, nor with berries, ask the inhabitants of any roadside settlement. Surely there are many who want to offer you local delicacies for a moderate fee.

In ancient times, people also hunted. A valuable fur animal, which even today is replete with Karelian forests, was valued far beyond the borders of the region. The ancestors of the Karelians conducted an active trade, selling their goods to merchants from all over Europe.

The industrial importance of forests

Today, the main areas are not only fur mining, picking berries, mushrooms and medicinal plants, but also pulp and paper, as well as woodworking industry. The harvesters extract the forest on the vine in Karelia and send it to many regions of Russia. A large part of the forest is exported. To maintain balance, the state strictly controls the deforestation and planting of seedlings of young trees.