Biosphere reserve «Bashkir Ural» was included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves

Biosphere reserve «Bashkir Urals» replenished the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Such decision was accepted at the session of the International Coordination Council of the program «Human and biosphere» in Paris, the press-service of the Ministry For Nature Management and Ecology RB informs.

«Bashkir Urals» is located on the western slopes of Southern Ural Mountains and occupy a total area of more than 345,7 thousand hectares. Its structure include especially protected five natural territories of federal and republican value: "Shulgan-Tash" reserve, national park "Bashkiria", natural park «Muradymovsky Gorge», «Altyn Solok» and "Iksky" wildlife sanctuaries, the press secretary of the department Nina Nikandrova said.

The territory of the biosphere reserve is marked with biological variety. More than 1650 species of plants grow in specially protected natural areas, 44 from which are endemic, more than two thousand species of animals live in the reserve. Here various types of landscape are presented ranging from gorges of mountain rivers, mountain steppes, meadows, first bottoms to water reservoirs.

Among other biospheric reserves which filled up the World Network in 2012, are the following: biospheric reserve Zaltsburger Lungau – Kertner Nokberge (Austria), biospheric reserves Jinggangshan and Niubeiliang (China), Mura-Drava-Danube, biospheric reserve (Croatia, Hungary), biospheric reserve Sheka (Ethiopia).

The network now includes 598 reserves in 117 countries.

Inclusion of the unique natural-cultural complex located in the territory of our republic into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves will serve to its preservation and popularisation, and also will give further impulse to cooperation of our region with the leading humanitarian organization, the press-service of the Ministry For Nature Management and Ecology RB reports.