Meshchyorsky National Park

Meshchyorsky National Park covers extensive wetlands (swamps, peat bogs, rivers and lakes) and pine/birch woodlands in the Meshchera Lowlands on the East European Plain in the northern section of Ryazan Oblast, Russia, about 120 km east of Moscow. The wetland habitat provides for extremely rich biodiversity among the plants and animals. "Meshchersky" National Park is not to be confused with "Meshchyora" National Park, which is just to the north, over the border in Vladimir Oblast. The park protects a section of the Pra River, Lake Beloye ("White Lake"), and associated wetlands and forests. Meshcheyorsky National Park forms a portion of the "Oka and Pra River Floodplains" wetland site under the Ramsar Convention (Ramsar ID #167), as a wetland of international importance. Meshchyora is located in a flat, ancient alluvial valley formed during the Quaternary Period as the Oka and Dnieper glaciers (and the Moscow glacier on the northwest edge of the park), receded and left a glaciofluvial cover. The Pra River watershed contains small rivers (including the Buzh and the Pol), streams, and a 48 km chain of lakes interconnected by channels. The lakes are shallow (under 1.1 meters at low water), with marshland along the shores. The largest lakes are Lake Velikoye, which has an open water area of 20.7 km2, Lake Dubovoye (12.2 km2) and Lake Martynovo (2.46 km2). At the confluence of the Pra and Oka rivers, the floodplain is 10 km wide. The forested areas are dominated by pine where the soils are sandy. On less sandy ground, the tree cover is mostly birch, aspen, alder, and some spruce. As land is being taken out of agriculture, man-made meadows are developing with high sedge and eventually secondary forest. Scientists have identified 866 species of vascular plants in the park, of which 47 are classified as vulnerable. As the park is on the southern edge of the taiga, there are some large mammals such as elk, wild boar, and recently brown bear along the forest edges. Beavers are growing rapidly in number, along with muskrat, in the lakes and canals. In spring, migratory birds arrive in large numbers, particularly geese and ducks, with wading birds in the marshes. Many fish from the Oka River system move through the parks to the lakes, including perch, pike, chub, bream, roach, and others. Vulnerable animals include the Greater noctule bat.