Landscape

The main value of the reserve – wild untouched nature, which is in its natural pristine state. The relief of the protected area is a highly rugged and mountainous krupnoholmisty character. Much of the territory is represented by mountain tundra, and includes 5 separate massifs with elevations ranging from 600 to 1114 meters. For all forms of vertical relief of the reserve is characterized by smoothness of outline, which is due to the antiquity of the mountains.

Water network

According reserve the watershed of the White and Barents seas. Ponds Reserve naturally divided into eight lake-river systems. The water in all the rivers and lakes clean, very transparent, soft, due to the lack of limestone and weak chemical weathering of crystalline rocks. At the reserve a significant amount of rivers and lakes with runoff into the lake Imandra. Total in the reserve there are 168 lakes and ponds, the length of which is 370 kilometers off the coast, 63 river and stream a total length of 718 kilometers. Forests cover 52% of the territory of the reserve, rocks and mountain tundra 36%, lakes and rivers 4%, the rest – elfin birch and marsh.

Vegetable world

One of the fundamental values of the reserve – the virgin old growth forests. The age of some forest areas that have emerged after the disappearance of the last glacier – three, five and even ten thousand years. In their development during this time did not interfere with any forces other than natural. Age of trees in these forests reaches 400-500 or even 600 years, height – 30 meters, trunk diameter – 70 centimeters. This is a unique phenomenon for such high latitudes. In the forests of the reserve is dominated by conifers: pine and Siberian spruce Vries. There are rare for the Kola Peninsula reindeer moss spruce and pine forests of the park type.

According to the last inventory of the reserve there are 591 kind of vascular plants (of which 82 rare species), 245 species of mosses (leafy, 131 species are rare 2; liver-114), 152 species of lichens, 225 species of mushrooms pileate. Of the vascular plants growing in the reserve 5 species recorded in the Red Book of Russia: woodsia alpina, Isoetes lacustris, cotoneaster cinnabar red, calypso onion, dactylorhiza traunsteineri.

Animal world

The reserve is inhabited by 31 species of mammals, including wild reindeer, elk, brown bear, wolf, fox, marten, weasel, American mink, wolverine, beaver European hare hare, squirrel, muskrat, Norwegian and forest lemmings and others.

Birds living permanently and nesting, migratory and noted on the flight, there are 198 species. Typical for the region are considered to be 5 types of chicken: capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse, white and tundra partridge. 5 species of large birds of prey nesting in the reserve, are listed as endangered: the golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, peregrine falcon and merlin, osprey. Harsh living conditions allow only 20 species of birds spend the winter on a regular basis, 22 species overwinter only in the presence of food (woodpeckers, crossbill, owls and others).

Two species of reptiles live in the reserve: the viper and lizard – and one species of amphibians – frog grass. The special value of the reserve water bodies in that they are spawning 6 species of salmonids. Of the 15 fish species found in the reserve, common are pike, perch, whitefish. The reserve is virtually the only place in the Kola Peninsula, where still lives in some rivers and streams pearl European – shellfish, listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Climate

Despite the relatively high latitude, the climate of Lapland can not be considered severe. The reserve is located in a zone of high temperature contrasts. For its climate is characterized by relatively mild winters and long cool short summers, the average annual temperature – 20C. The minimum winter temperatures – -40-45S, maximum summer + 30-33S, however briefly negative temperatures can be installed in any summer month.

Lapland Nature Reserve is situated in 120-160 km. north of the Arctic Circle, so that winter here there is a “polar night”, during which the sun does not show on the horizon, as summer comes “polar day”, when the sun never sets. Summer “white nights” and winter “Polar” – refers to those feelings that can not be put into words – they must “feel”. Since late August, as soon as the nights become quite dark, and until mid-April, you can watch another seasonal phenomenon: the aurora borealis – the most beautiful and wonderful miracle northern winter. The geographical distribution of auroras is due to their dependence on the earth’s magnetic field, while the Lapland Nature Reserve – one of the most convenient places for their observations.

Tourism

On the territory of the estate Chunozerskoy Lapland Reserve excursion is a complex consisting of two museums, visitor center and an information center for visitors.

And the reserve is known as a haven Santa Claus. And indeed, where, if not here, at the edge of the cold weather and blizzards, to live the good magician? Languages Santa Claus – Lapland is a fantastic, ancient as the hills, boundless as the sky. For a wonderful discreet beauty of Lapland has earned a reputation around the world. It’s no wonder the country is considered Lapland sorcerers and koldunov.Usadba Santa Claus – is a reserved place, located on the shores of Lake Chuna, where you can meet any wild animals living in these places. Whether it’s wild reindeer, elk, bear, or fine any little animal – a weasel, ermine, squirrel, marten and hare.

Our Santa Claus – gracious host: and guests will and their possessions would show them. And Grandpa likes to think the puzzle in the game to play with the boys. On the ecological track kids with Santa Claus, consider the following wild animals and birds. On the territory of the estate Chunozerskoy Lapland Nature Reserve is a tower of Santa Claus, decorated with drawings and letters sent by children. Our Moroz Ivanovich, not only provides warmth, a fairy tale, but also arouses interest in nature, gently, gently instills a love of animals, to the Russian North. The post office of Santa Claus game afoot whole correspondence, as every letter from Grandpa contains cutting coupon with questions, answers to which the child sends it back. In order to answer the questions of the coupon, you have to go to the library, read books and magazines about the nature and the means – to learn something new about nature reserves, plants and animals. In letters Moroz Ivanovich asks children to draw a sled, or staff, or mittens with a cap for yourself, but many children draw not only that. Entire masterpieces grandfather sent. The best drawings Santa Claus in a frame of sticks and decorates your tower. And so it has formed a gallery.

Lapland Reserve traditionally organizes excursions to Chunozerskoy manor for groups. Individual visitors can join groups by prior arrangement.

Depending on the season there are guided tours for you:

• from mid-June to late autumn you can walk through the ecological path “Elnyun 2”, see the changing vegetation zones, “mutton foreheads” and old-growth forest. Climb to the top of the mountain will open your eyes a beautiful panorama. The trail is equipped with decks, signposts, information boards and a gazebo for relaxing.
• from December to January Manor awaits you at Christmas and New Year meeting. You can make a fascinating journey through a winter forest, accompanied by fairy-tale characters, pogreetes campfire in the tent, find and solve the traces of forest dwellers, will learn about the hidden to the eyes of living plant and animal life in the winter. The culmination of the program will be a meeting with Santa Claus, which is only once a year leaves his troubled forestry, to congratulate you on the main holiday of the year.
• February rolls kids to celebrate the Broad Maslenitsa. You check your knowledge of the people’s will and tradition, the history of the reserve, its flora and fauna, compete in strength and agility. In the old Russian custom of fun to see off the winter, spring meet.
• in March to April, the real nature of the researchers can participate in a guided tour “Spring Awakening of nature”, to pass along the ecological path “to the creek Elyavruay” to learn about the everyday life of the inhabitants of the awakening forest, the birds, the emerging plant life. The path is illuminated, made the bridge over the creek.
• from mid-May to June, guided tours “Pending the summer” for you. You will see how the forest is awakened, there are the first mushrooms – line, on the branches hanging “linyushki” – fluffy tufts of wool light hares. Early June – time to posterity deducing from forest dwellers.

During the tour you will visit:

Museum director first reserve GM Kreps, where you will be told about the difficult history of the creation of the reserve, the heroic people – enthusiasts of nature conservation.

Museum OI Semenov – Tian Shan, the patriarch of the Lapland Reserve, who has devoted 60 years of his life of scientific activities in the reserve.

The visitor center, where you will be shown films about the nature reserve, offers creative activities and quizzes for children’s groups.

Address:

Monchegorsk, per. Zeleniy, d. 8

Phone:

(815 36) 58 018

www.laplandzap.ru

Environmental Education Division (lectures, environmental classes, exhibition):

(815 36) 57 281

8 921 164 6404

tur @ laplandzap.rutur.lapland @ mail.ru

Department of sightseeing and tourist activities (tours, by appointment only):

(815 36) 59 502

8 921 283 0331