Ugra Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2002, in Russian Federation. The biosphere reserve is located in the valleys along the banks of the Ugra and Zhizdra rivers and their tributaries. It is characterised by the vast biodiversity of lakes, unique meadows and diverse forest ecosystems. The territory is dominated by complex multilayered pine forests, green moss forests and complex spruce forests. In the transition zone, there are relatively large rural communities, with a significant proportion of summer cottages owned by residents of Moscow and major cities of the Moscow, Kaluga and Tula regions.