Syrovatka Landscape Reserve
The idea of creating the Syrovatka Landscape Reserve was first conceived in 1991. In that year, as part of the landscape and ecological research work of the Forest Institute of the RAS Karelian Research Center, a small expedition was sent to the most inaccessible shores of the White Sea (in the vicinity of the island of Syrovatka, see Fig.). The expedition included specialists from the Laboratory of Landscape Ecology and Forest Ecosystems Protection. The results of their work demonstrated that this territory had a very high potential from the point of view of setting up a protected area.
In 2003, this work was continued under the auspices of the Finnish-Russian Development Programme on Sustainable Forest Management and Conservation of Biological Diversity in Northwest Russia (NWRDP). At this stage, the territory was studied by a very wide range of experts from the Forest Institute, the Biology Institute, the Geology Institute, and the Northern Water Problems Institute of the RAS Karelian Research Center. This time, the group of scientists that was sent to the area in order to continue the inventory-taking of natural complexes comprised twenty people. The expedition included specialists in geomorphology, quaternary geology, hydrology, soil science, mire science, forest science, landscape ecology, botany, bryology, lichenology, mycology, zoology, entomology, hydrobiology, and remote probing (A. N. Gromtsev was the group's scientific supervisor). Video and photo images were recorded at all stages of the work. As a result of these efforts, and with the help of archive materials, the group compiled the most comprehensive description and evaluation of local natural complexes to date, providing the basis for a scientific justification for the foundation of the Syrovatka Landscape Reserve.
 A brochure entitled Natural Complexes Inventory and Scientific Justification for the Syrovatka Landscape Reserve has been published. It contains the results of inventory taking on the territory of the planned Syrovatka Landscape Reserve and provides rationale for its foundation. The publication comprises seven sections. It begins with a description and assessment of general physical and geographical features of the area (climatic, geological-geomorphological, hydrological and soil conditions). The next section describes and evaluates terrestrial ecosystems (mires and swamps, forests, meadows, and the landscape as a whole). Next comes a description and assessment of terrestrial flora and fauna (vascular plants, leafy mosses, wood-destroying fungi, lichens, mammals, birds, and insects). Aquatic flora and fauna is discussed separately (algae, fish, macrozoobenthos). The publication concludes with an analysis of volumes and quality of timber resources that will be withdrawn from commercial use, and a set of general recommendations with regard to the necessity of setting up the reserve, its area and borders. A draft Statute of the Reserve has been drawn up.
In order to conserve the unique coastal biota, it would make sense to continue with the creation of a chain of protected areas along the shores of the White Sea, developing a second "green meridian" (the first extends along the Russian-Finnish border). The authors of the publication reach the conclusion that the Syrovatka Landscape Reserve is a key link in this chain, as this territory contains forest and mire communities that are either extremely vulnerable to anthropogenic impact, or remain completely untouched by human influence (in comparison with other territories on the shores of the White Sea). At present, there are no protected areas in Karelia that contain this extremely rare type of geographic landscape.
The administration of the Kem District has expressed its support for the creation of the Syrovatka Landscape Reserve (Letter No. 2-29/283 of 02.03.04.). The authors would like to express their deep gratitude to the Ministry of the Environment of Finland for the support and funding provided for this project.
All the materials are available at www.krc.karelia.ru/structure/fri/gis. The site also contains a series of thematic photographs by I. Yu. Georgievsky. This webpage was prepared by P. Yu. Litinsky.
A. N. Gromtsev
Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Scientific Supervisor
Forest Institute, RAS Karelian Center
e-mail: andrei.gromtsev@krc.karelia.ru
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