What forests are there in the Altai region? Altai forests

Forest ecosystems occupy 28% of the area Altai Territory and are distinguished by great diversity in rock composition, productivity, structure and age structure. Forest fund lands located in the region amount to 4434.0 thousand hectares, including a forested area of ​​3736.0 thousand hectares, of which the area of ​​coniferous plantations is 153.0 thousand hectares with a total timber reserve of 535.0 million cubic meters with an average forest cover of 22.5%. The average stock of plantings per 1 hectare is 143.0 cubic meters. The predominant species of the forest fund are soft-leaved plantations - 59.0%, coniferous trees account for 41.0%.

In accordance with the characteristics of forest growth and economic conditions, the intensity of forestry, the role and importance of forests, the forest fund of the Altai Territory is divided into four forestry areas - ribbon forests, Ob forests, forests of the Salair Ridge and foothill forests. Among the tree species growing in the Altai Territory, birch (34.4%), pine (29%), aspen (20%) predominate, and spruce, fir (8, 10%), larch (2.7%) also occur. , cedar (1%), other species and shrubs (4.8%).

Which species forms the most valuable plantings in the region?

Most pine forests located in ribbon and Ob forests. Growing in various soil and climatic conditions, pine forests are confined to the sites of ancient watercourses on thick sandy river deposits. Pine forms the most valuable and productive plantings in the Altai Territory. Within the region, Scots pine grows on dry and sandy, rich black soils and swamp soils. The root system of pine and its anatomical and physiological characteristics make it an extremely valuable tree species in silvicultural terms, capable of forming plantations in such extreme conditions where no other species can grow. The silvicultural qualities of pine include drought resistance, the ability to tolerate excess moisture, wind resistance, rapid growth, as well as the diverse use of its resources.

What are “ribbons” and why are they unique?

The forests of the region are represented by unique ribbon forests; formations of this kind are not found anywhere in the world. On the territory of the Ob-Irtysh interfluve there are five pronounced pine forest ribbons: the northernmost - Burlinskaya or Aleusskaya, 90 km south of it - Proslaukho-Kornilov selection and Kulundinskaya tape, even lower 30 km from Kulundinskaya - Kasmalinskaya and Barnaul ribbons.

The Burlinskaya and Kulundinskaya ribbons extend 100 km from the Ob River to the Kulundinskaya Depression, located in the center of the Ob-Irtysh interfluve. The next two tapes - Kasmalinskaya and Pavlovskaya - begin in the ancient floodplain of the Ob River and narrow parallel strips stretch almost 400 km to the southwest. On the border of the Altai Territory and the Republic of Kazakhstan, these ribbons merge with Loktevskaya, forming a vast island of forests (Srostinsky Bor), and then in the form of a kind of delta ancient river reach the Irtysh, where they merge with its terraced sands. The width of the ancient drainage basins varies: 6-8 km in the north, 20-60 km in the south, at their confluence.

In the northern part of the ribbon pine forests grow pine forests, A birch forests- in pegs. In the south they are large pine forests. Birch pegs are rare.

Fact

According to all the canons of geographical science here, in the steppe zone of the Altai Territory, there should be no forests. Not only have pine forests invaded the steppe expanses of the south of the West Siberian Lowland, they also have unusual shape of its distribution - the forests stretched out in parallel ribbons located in relation to each other different lengths. That is why they received such a name. Famous German traveler and naturalist of the 19th century. Alexander Humboldt was so amazed by the pine forests he saw that he tried to give his own explanation for this phenomenon. Currently, scientists adhere to the hypothesis according to which pine forests grow on sandy deposits in the hollows of the water flow of a huge ancient reservoir that existed around 10 thousand years ago.

There is a legend that tells how the god of the winds examined the lands and saw beautiful girl Aigul. The beauty charmed the god of the winds, he grabbed the girl and went with her to his heavenly home. Aigul's tears fell down, and where they broke on the ground, lakes appeared. Aigul also lost the green ribbons with which she tied her wonderful hair. In those places where the ribbons fell to the ground, forests appeared.

By the way

In the area where the belt burs are located, two state protective forest belts: Rubtsovsk - Slavgorod, 257 km long with a total area of ​​6142 hectares, and Aleysk - Veselovka, 300 km long with an area of ​​6768 hectares.

Priobye, Salair, foothills

To the east of the Kulunda steppe lies the Pre-Altai forest-steppe. The Ob River divides the Pre-Altai forest-steppe into two unequal parts: on the left bank, occupied by a wavy plain of the Priob plateau, and the right bank, where the Biya-Chumysh upland precedes the spurs in the northeast Salair ridge, and in the south - Altai foothills.

In the northeast of the region, the Biysk-Chumysh Upland is limited by the spurs of the Salair Ridge (up to 590 m above sea level). Ridges Salair ridge strongly smoothed and rounded. The exposure of rocky rocks to the day surface differs only at individual peaks. This area where aspen and fir forests grow, which is determined by a rather humid climate and the distribution of loamy soils.

To the south of the Pre-Salair forest-steppe, one or two ledges, 350-600 m high and with individual ridges up to 1000 m, rise Altai foothills. The Altai foothills are mainly occupied forest-steppe, but the slopes of higher ridges are covered mountain forests. In the southwest they mainly consist of plantations fir, birch, larch, in the eastern part, which is more humid, are represented deciduous and black forests.

Forests not located on forest fund lands

On the territory of the Altai Territory there are also forests located on lands of other categories, namely:

• on the lands Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation— 12.6 thousand hectares;
• on specially protected lands natural areas administrated Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources(Rosprirodnadzor) - 41.4 thousand hectares (state nature reserve"Tigireksky");
• on lands of urban settlements (urban forests)— 10.0 thousand hectares.

Which areas of the Altai Territory are rich in forests?

All forests are located on the territory 59 municipal districts of the region. The distribution of forests in the region is extremely uneven, and the forest cover of the territory is an indicator of this. If average forest cover of the Altai Territory - 26.3%, which indicates a sufficient share of forest plantations in the overall balance of land, the same cannot be said about a number of municipal districts in the steppe part of the region, which clearly lack the protective role of forests. In municipal areas, forest cover ranges from 1% ( Blagoveshchensky, Pospelikhinsky, Kulundinsky, Slavgorodsky, Ust-Kalmansky) to 62.1% ( Zarinsky, Soltonsky). Forest cover is above average in the southwestern regions of the territory: Uglovsky - 33.9% Volchikhinsky 41.7%, Mikhailovsky - 25.9%. This is due to the fact that in this part of the territory the ribbon forests are wider and significant areas of forests are concentrated in them.

Very uneven forest cover in the Priobsky region. The largest share of forests occurs in Troitsky district- 46.1%, as well as in Pervomaisky— 42.0% and Talmensky district- 38.1%. This is due to the spread of the Upper Ob massif along the right bank of the Ob River. As you move away from the river, forest cover decreases: Virgin— 8,4%, Petropavlovsky district- 2.9%. Forest cover in the Altai-Sayan mountain taiga region ranges from 21.5% to 38.6%. In the Altai-Sayan mountain-forest-steppe region, the highest forest cover is observed in Solton district - 53.6%, Krasnogorsk - 41.6%. At the same time in Sovetsky district it is equal to 3.7%.

The forest cover of the Altai Territory by forestry areas is or optimal or close to optimal. At the same time, due to the uneven distribution of forests over the territory, a number of steppe regions are experiencing great inconvenience due to insufficient forest areas and, in this regard, their low environmental protection effect.

Three forest subdistricts

There are some differences in geomorphology, soils, forest composition and productivity, and climatic features, give grounds for highlighting within West Siberian subtaiga-forest-steppe region three forest subdistricts: ribbon forests, Priobskie forests and Salair ridge.

Woody vegetation belt burs It is represented by unique in its nature narrow strips of pine forests and isolated small groups of birch plantations among dry steppes.

To the north of the ribbon forests there is a separate forest area along the Ob River located Priobsky forests. In the Ob forests, forests are represented by relatively large tracts island highly productive pine forests and birch-aspen small-mass tracts, located mainly along low saucer-shaped depressions. Pine forests are located mainly on the third and fourth sandy terraces of the Ob River, where they form relatively large tracts. These are the so-called fresh, or “sweaty” Priob forests. In the Ob region, sod-podzolic and medium-podzolic sandy and sandy loam soils predominate, which are favorable for the growth of woody vegetation. The pine plantations growing on them achieve high productivity. Often found in the Ob forests admixture of larch and Siberian spruce.

All these forests are under the influence of two environmental factors of opposite action - the proximity of groundwater and the aridity of the steppe and forest-steppe air-temperature regime.

Even further north, along the border of Novosibirsk and Kemerovo region, plantings grow Salair ridge. In Salair, despite its low altitude, the zonality of the vegetation cover is expressed in relief. The pre-Salair foothill plain is covered birch and aspen forests interspersed with natural meadows. Closer to the watershed, they become predominant aspen and fir-aspen forests. The grass cover is distinguished by its high height and powerful development. In areas occupied by forests, gray forest and soddy-podzolic soils, as well as mountain-forest gray soils, are widespread; on the western slopes of the low mountains - loamy and heavy loamy; in the east - thin loamy-crushed stones on bedrock.

In the south and southwest along the border with the Altai Republic they are common mixed forests of foothill Altai. The region of foothill forests of the Altai Territory is included in the Altai-Sayan mountain-taiga region of the South Siberian mountain zone.

Foothill forests have been developed by humans over the past 150-200 years, and at present there are practically no indigenous forest types left. Only in remote places, inaccessible to technology, can plantations be found cedar and fir. Secondary forests of the foothills composed of birch, fir, aspen, along the valleys of numerous rivers - willow thickets. In the lower part of the forest belt of the northern and western foothills, along river valleys grow pine plantations of island character.

And if ribbon forests and Priobsky forests are typically lowland forests, forests of the Salair Ridge grow at altitudes of 250-500 meters above sea level, then the forests foothill Altai are distributed up to 1800 m above sea level and are typically mountain forests. Between these 4 large tracts there are a large number of birch groves with an area of ​​0.1 to 5 hectares. They occupy mainly forest-steppe areas. The spaces between the forests are plowed for fields, and the unplowed areas are covered with steppe vegetation.

Based on materials from the “Forest Plan” of the Altai Territory, Barnaul, 2011

Fact

IN XVIII century with development silver smelting production wood was harvested in “ribbons” for burning charcoal. Historians write that logging for charcoal was carried out using clear felling, and thousands of hectares of pine plantations were cut down without observing basic rules. Modern forestry has also not escaped sad pages. Severe fires have repeatedly wiped out thousands of green hectares. The forests of the region began to “come to their senses” only after 1947, when a special Resolution was adopted on the restoration of ribbon forests in Altai and Kazakhstan. Gradually, the area occupied by coniferous trees began to increase, reaching in 2013 - 700 thousand hectares.

Numbers

4 out of 5 tape pine forests existing in the world grow in the Altai Territory

10 thousands of years ago, according to scientists, there were ancient reservoirs in place of modern “ribbons”

700 In 2013, thanks to large-scale reforestation measures, the area of ​​ribbon forests occupied by coniferous species reached thousands of hectares

Materials on the topic “Forest resources of the Altai Territory”

Yesterday, April 9, the head of the department of the forest holding company Altailes, Oleg Peregudov, photographed a great owl. We managed to take successful shots in the evening in a spruce forest near the village. Southern city of Barnaul. As Oleg said, at first he heard the hoot of an owl and decided to see where it was sitting. Taking a camera, an amateur researcher discovered a great owl in a tree. The bird was wary at first, but after a few minutes it calmed down and began […]

On the eve of Forest Workers' Day, employees of Les Service LLC (part of LHC Altailes) together with students of Klyuchevskaya high school No. 1 held a large-scale sports and environmental campaign. About two hundred schoolchildren took part in the event along with their teachers. Before the start of the action, the forest protection engineer at Les Service, Viktor Karmash, told the participants about the need to conserve forests.

View on the website Altapress.ru

From September 2-4 in the village of Pavlovsk, Pavlovsk district, the best forest firefighters, fellers, hydraulic manipulator operators and other forest industry specialists will be determined. About 500 participants will compete in both professional categories and sports and creative competitions. The previous Olympics took place in 2011. Organizers: Union of Forest Industry Organizations "Altailes" (non-profit organization) and forest holding company "Altailes".

A twenty-minute film about the activities of the forest holding company “Altailes” is a large-scale project, work on which began in the spring of 2015. The film uses exclusively fresh footage, many of which were made using a quadcopter, that is, from a height of 50-70 meters above the ground. The goal is to show the viewer what the unique ribbon and Priob burs actually look like, which the company has preserved and […]

The region's stock of fishery reservoirs includes about 2,000 water bodies with a total area of ​​112 thousand hectares. Salt lakes, which have an annual production limit of Artemia cysts of 300 tons, occupy an area of ​​99 thousand hectares. Of the 38 species of fish that live in the reservoirs of the region, 12 species are used for fishing.

Bioresources of sushi

The Altai Territory has such a variety of zonal and especially intrazonal landscapes that this could not but affect the number and species diversity of flora and fauna. Each of these landscapes has its own, to one degree or another, special world of animals, birds, and plants.

Plants

Of the 3,000 species of plants growing in Western Siberia, in the Altai Territory there are 1,954 species of higher vascular plants belonging to 112 families and 617 genera. The flora of the region contains 32 relic species. These are Siberian linden, European hoofweed, fragrant bedstraw, giant fescue, Siberian brunnera, floating salvinia, water chestnut and others. The Red Book of Russia includes 10 species of plants growing in the region: Siberian candyk, Ludwig's iris, Zalessky's feather grass, feather-leaved feather grass, feather feather grass, Altai onion, steppe peony, cape flower, Altai gymnosperm, Altai stellophopsis. 144 plant species are included in the Red Book of the region. These are rare species, endemic, reducing their range, and also relict. The species richness of the region's flora is due to the diversity of natural and climatic conditions.

The vegetation cover on the territory of the region is subject to strong anthropogenic influence, especially within the steppe zone. The largest areas of steppes have been preserved along forest belts, along the edges of ribbon forests and individual forests, and on saline soils.

A significant proportion (up to 30%) of the flora of the region is made up of a group of weeds found in gardens, fields, orchards, on road embankments, along river banks, wastelands, and fallow lands. For recent years plant fugitives of the culture appeared, actively penetrating into natural cenoses. Thus, along the banks of rivers and forests, ash-leaved maple and Echinocystis lobeda are often and abundantly found. The proportion of alien plants is steadily increasing from year to year, and currently their number reaches 70. Among them, plants from Central Asia and Kazakhstan, as well as from North America, predominate.

The useful flora of Altai is rich, numbering more than 600 species of plants, among which there are medicinal - 380 species, food - 149, melliferous - 166, vitamin-bearing - 33, dyeing - 66, fodder - 330, decorative - 215. Particularly valuable species include Rhodiola pink, raponticum safflower, forgotten kopek, evasive peony, elecampane tall, etc.

According to preliminary estimates, the region is characterized by more than 100 species of lichens, 80 species of bryophytes, and about 50 species of macromycete fungi. Among these objects there are also rare ones listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Of the almost 2000 species of vascular plants found in the Altai Territory, 144 species are included in the Red Book.

In early spring, when it is not yet so hot, low yellow hornwort, desert alyssum, palmate buttercup, and coppice bloom. Occasionally there are dark purple hazel grouse and tuberous valerian. Later, in mid-summer, the feather grass blooms. Long panicles sway in the wind, creating the impression of running waves. Due to the plowing of the steppes, its population has greatly decreased.

A wide strip of steppe and forest-steppe vegetation in the middle part is broken by several ribbons of pine forests. These are unique natural formations not found anywhere else in the world, confined to the bottoms of ancient hollows of the drainage of melted glacial waters, lined with blown sands. Under the pine canopy, a shrub layer is developed, especially rich as it approaches the Ob valley. Eryngium flat-leaved, meadowsweet, meadow grass, sweet clover, common bedstraw, and gray speedwell grow here.

In the mountainous part of the region, the distribution of vegetation reveals altitudinal zone. The types of this zonality, the degree of its expression and altitudinal limits reflect, depending on the position, the features of Western Siberia and Central Asia, then Mongolia and the mountains of Southern Siberia. It is no coincidence that N.K. Roerich called Altai the heart of Asia, the center of four oceans.

The steppe belt is most developed along the northern and northwestern slopes of Altai; its individual fragments are widely found within mountainous country on the flat bottoms of river valleys and intermountain basins. The height of the steppe areas increases to the southeast of Altai, where at altitudes of more than 2,000 m, peculiar tundra-steppes dominate. There are also steppe areas on the southern, well-warmed slopes of the ridges.

On the chernozem, chestnut and chernozem-meadow soils of the belt, a forb-grass grass cover is developed, interspersed with thickets of caragana shrubs, meadowsweet, honeysuckle, and rose hips. The higher the steppe areas rise, reflecting the increasing continentality of the climate, the poorer the vegetation becomes.

Feather grass, wheatgrass, fescue, and bluegrass grow here. The external plainness is somewhat diversified by yellow alfalfa, Siberian sainfoin, Siberian adonis, and sticky cinquefoil. Among the plants of the rocky steppes of mountain slopes there are feather grass, astragalus, asters, carnations, and wormwood. For most of the summer, the steppe areas are monotonous and dim. Only in spring does the steppe transform for a short time, decorated with the multicolored grass.

The harsher the conditions, the more adapted and outwardly rougher and tougher the plants become. The Chuya Basin is dominated by wormwood, fescue and cinquefoil. Pebble feather grass, desert feather grass, sedges, and astragalus are common. The plants are stunted, the flowers are usually small, many of them have thorns - everything indicates a lack of moisture and the strong influence of cold.

Forests occupy about half the area of ​​the mountains, being the main type of vegetation. The nature of forests varies and depends on the conditions of moisture and heat supply. In Salair and near Lake Teletskoye black forests dominate, the northeastern and western outskirts of the mountains are occupied by dark coniferous taiga, the low mountains of northern Altai - pine forests. As we move deeper into the mountains, dominance in the forest stands passes to larch.

Inside mountainous region The forest belt is often interrupted, steppe areas appear on the southern slopes, and alpine vegetation appears in the upper part. Through the Salair black forests, the mountain taiga merges with the lowland West Siberian taiga. The lower boundary of the forest belt in the north is 400-600 m, while the upper one changes quite significantly: in the ridges surrounding Lake Teletskoye - 1800-1900 m, in Central Altai - 2,100-2,200 m, and in the southeast, individual massifs rise up to 2,450 m. They consist mainly of Siberian fir, Siberian cedar, Siberian larch, Scots pine, and Siberian spruce.

The most common is larch, adapted to both severe frosts and poor soils. Some specimens reach a height of 20-30 m, with a girth of 2-3 m. Giant larches are especially impressive among green meadows and fields. Park larch forests are good, light, with low shrubby undergrowth and rich herbs. Larch is a long-liver and a great lover of light. Its wood is extremely durable and difficult to process.

Pine forests are confined to low mountains with its dry valleys and sandy soils. Pine does not rise above 600-700 m.

The decoration of the Altai forests is cedar - a tree species with many advantages that have long been appreciated by man. Cedar wood with a pleasant pinkish tint has high resonant qualities and is used for making musical instruments. There are cedar needles essential oils, carotenes, vitamins. No less valuable are resin and pine nuts, for which cedar is called the taiga breadfruit tree. Nuts are food for many birds and animals and are widely used by humans.

The black taiga is characterized by the predominance of Siberian fir, aspen, bird cherry, rowan, and viburnum in combination with tall grasses. Representatives of relict flora are found here. These are the fragrant woodruff with modest white flowers and whorled leaves, the European hoofweed with hoof-shaped dark green leaves, the woodcrystal with soft hairy leaves and purple flowers, the Siberian brunner with large, conspicuous heart-shaped leaves on long petioles and pale blue flowers, like a forget-me-not. The ground moss cover is poorly developed.

Dark coniferous forests of cedar, Siberian spruce, and Siberian fir usually cover the northern slopes of mountain ranges. Mosses, shrubs, subshrubs grow here - honeysuckle, blueberries, lingonberries. Larch forests dominate in Central Altai, where along river valleys and slopes they form park thickets without undergrowth, with a closed grass cover dominated by grasses (reed grass, Siberian bluegrass, hedgehog grass, meadow foxtail, etc.). On the northern slopes, where there is more moisture, under the larches there is an undergrowth of Siberian rhododendron, meadowsweet, and Altai honeysuckle.

Meadows are widespread in the forest belt, confined to fairly moist, leveled areas, clearings and burnt areas. The areas of high-mountain meadows in Central and Western Altai are significant. In subalpine meadows, maral root, variegated thistle, white-flowered geranium, and swimsuits are common. Alpine meadows have low grass cover. Columbine, gentian grandiflora, and cobresia Bellardi are common. The combination of simultaneously blooming orange lights, blue columbines, dark blue gentians and snakeheads gives the alpine meadows an extraordinary colorfulness.

The upper altitudinal zone of mountain vegetation is represented by various tundra groups - gravelly herbaceous, moss-lichen, rocky, shrubby, in which large-leaved birch, alpine bison, Claytonia John, whole-leaved lagotis, and cold gentian are common.

In general, there are about 3 thousand species within the region higher plants: medicinal, food, feed, poisonous.

The group of medicinal plants used in the pharmaceutical industry includes about 100 species. However, in folk medicine this list is much wider. In the steppe zone, they collect Ural licorice, spring Adonis, marshmallow, elecampane, creeping thyme, sandy immortelle, multiveined violet, thermopsis lanceolata, and wormwood.

In the forests grow elecampane, swamp white lake, golden capillary, oregano, Maryin root peony, Lobel's hellebore, St. John's wort, and burnet. IN coastal strip common in reservoirs are marsh calamus, marsh wild rosemary, three-leafed rosemary, yellow egg capsule, and true rosemary.

Maral root, Rhodiola rosea, and bergenia are found in the high mountain zone.

Many plants can be used as food during summer hikes. Among them are sorrel, young nettle, young leaves of quinoa, dissected hogweed, soft honeydew, honeydew, young (hare cabbage), bracken, leaves and roots of dandelion, etc. The most famous among food plants are wild garlic (flask), and onion. Some plants (wild mint, thyme, peppermint) can be used for seasonings. Leaves of lingonberry, black currant, oregano, strawberry, leaves and inflorescences of meadowsweet, leaves of fireweed (willowherb) are suitable for preparing camping tea. Tea made from dry bergenia leaves has long been known in Altai.

Travelers should also remember about poisonous plants, such as henbane, hellebore, wrestlers, and crow's eye. Along the banks of reservoirs one can find poisonous wedge, black grass, speckled hemlock, and porcupine. And many medicinal plants, used without sufficiently reliable knowledge and doctor’s recommendations, can have a negative effect on the body. The first warning when encountering most poisonous plants is the beautiful, often bright coloring of flowers and fruits.

Botanical research has identified more than 100 plant species found only in Altai. These are the so-called endemic species that arose here in the process evolutionary development. The southeast of Altai is especially rich in endemic species. The famous botanist P.N. Krylov noted that in the recent past this area served as an arena for glacial processes, which is why the formation of flora continues here today.

In addition to the endemics of the Altai proper, such as the Altai swimsuit, alpine edelweiss, subalpine violet, purple swimsuit, in Altai there are endemic species with a wider Altai-Sayan range. Together with them total number Endemic species, according to A.V. Kuminova, reach 212.

Intensive use of vegetation cover leads to depletion of the species composition and to a decrease in the population size of individual species. Botanists have noted 120 plant species in need of protection. In recent years, the thickets of Rhodiola rosea (golden root), Raponticum safflower (maral root), spring starube, water chestnut (chilim), and Ural licorice have significantly decreased. Lady's slippers, orchis, lyubka, kandyk, tulips, frying (lights, bathing suits), peonies, lumbago, St. John's wort have become rare.

Among the plants included in the Red Book of the USSR, the following are found in Altai: large-flowered lady's slipper, true and spotted lady's slipper, Altai wolfgrass, water chestnut, Altai woodsia, unifoliate guldenstedtia, Siberian kandyk, Siberian and tiger iris, feather feather grass, curly lily, onion Altai, leafless grouse, Maryin root peony, steppe peony, checkered hazel grouse, etc.

Most of us don't know what these plants look like. Therefore, it is important, during preparation for the trip, to get acquainted with them through reference books and herbariums, and meet with specialists. In Barnaul there is botanical garden Altai University, where many rarities of the region's plant kingdom are collected. Visit it before heading out. It is advisable to find a place in your backpack for a small book by I.V. Vereshchagina “The Green Miracle of Altai”, published by the Altai Book Publishing House.

And most importantly, do not tear (do not destroy!) the flower, branch, or grass you like. It is necessary to remember: the resources of the plant world are not endless, we are all responsible for ensuring that the flowery carpet of Altai herbs, the taiga cedar splendor and the lush greenery of deciduous forests remain for future generations.

Animals

The region is home to about 100 species of mammals, more than 320 species of birds, 7 species of reptiles, 6 species of invertebrate animals and 7 species of amphibians. The rivers and lakes of the region are home to 35 species of fish.

The Red Book includes 134 species of animals that need protection. The largest number of bird species is 82. Approximately half of them are listed in the Red Book of Russia (demoiselle crane, saker falcon, ptarmigan, eagle owl, etc.), 10 species are included in the IUCN Red Book (International Union for Conservation of Nature and natural resources). These are extremely rare species, such as, for example, the bustard, imperial imperial falcon, peregrine falcon, as well as category zero (probably extinct) little bustard and slender-billed curlew.

In addition to birds nesting in Altai, the Red Book of the Altai Territory includes species that appear during spring-autumn migrations (small swan, white-fronted goose), as well as occasional vagrants (dallas and pink pelicans, flamingos, black cranes, griffon vultures, etc. .).

The forests are inhabited by the chipmunk, flying squirrel, otter, ermine, and sable. Also found here are moose, musk deer, and almost everywhere - brown bears, lynx, wolverine, and badger. The steppes are inhabited by marmots, gophers, and jerboas; you can meet the steppe ferret, fox, and wolf; the Kulundinskaya steppe is home to white and brown hares. Muskrats are found in the Ob reservoirs, in almost all pine forests, lowland rivers The river beaver lives.

Among forest birds there are many predators, the most aggressive are hawks (goshawk and sparrowhawk), and nocturnal birds are common - owls and eagle owls. On the shores of the lakes you can see demoiselle crane and gray crane. Along the river banks there are numerous waders, white wagtails, and common terns. The rivers and lakes of the region are rich in fish; they contain pike, ide, burbot, sterlet, perch, dace, chebak, and ruff.

There are 17 species of mammals in the Red Book. These are mainly insectivores and rodents (long-eared hedgehogs, jerboas) and bats (there are 9 species, including the pointed-eared bat, listed in the Red Book of Russia). Two representatives of the mustelid family entered here - the otter and the bandage (also included in the Red Book of Russia).

The Red Book includes 26 species of insects. These include, among other things, relict butterflies - the variegated ascalafus, the gypsy mother-of-pearl, as well as the endemic of Western Altai, possibly extinct at present, Gebler's ground beetle, etc.

In addition to birds, mammals and insects, the book includes 3 species of reptiles (takyr round-headed lizard, multi-colored lizard, steppe viper), 2 species of amphibians (Siberian salamander, common newt) and 4 species of fish - lenok, apparently disappeared from the rivers of the region, the endemic species Siberian sturgeon, nelma and taimen.

In addition to the main part, the Red Book of the Altai Territory includes 30 species that require special attention. These are, for example, musk deer, gray goose, little gull, quail, carpenter bee and other species.

The objects of hunting are several dozen species of animals, representatives of four orders of birds.

The formation and development of animal resources in the region occurs under conditions of increased anthropogenic influence. A decrease in the bioproductivity of pastures due to overgrazing of livestock, water and wind erosion of soils, and deforestation lead to changes in animal habitats and a reduction in the number of squirrels, marmots, otters, musk deer, and Siberian mountain goat and others. The short-tailed snake eagle, blue-necked little bustard, and bustard have disappeared partially or completely. The number of waterfowl, with the exception of the gray goose, is decreasing from year to year. The number of small mustelids, field and forest game is decreasing due to changes in the feeding and nesting conditions of their existence. Intensive development of ungulate resources, and primarily elk, requires a reduction in its production, increased protection and control over production, and in some areas a complete ban on hunting.

Currently, in the Altai Territory there are practically no original natural landscapes preserved; they are all affected by economic activity or the transfer of substances by water and air flows. The region currently lacks both active nature reserves and national parks. There are 33 reserves in the region. Their total area is 773.1 thousand hectares or less than 5% of the region’s area, which is significantly lower than the Russian average and is not enough to maintain landscape-ecological balance in the biosphere.

In 1997-1998, the production amounted to 7 wild boars and 11 bears.

The number in 1998 was: elk - 10,930, wild boar - 430, roe deer - 11,000, bear - 500.

Number rare species: snow leopard- 39-49 pcs., Pallas's cat - 250-350 pcs., gazelle - herds of 4-5 individuals, Altai mountain sheep - 370-470 pcs.

Each of the Altai landscapes is characterized by a certain species composition of animals.

The fauna of the steppe and forest-steppe lowland parts of the region is least rich. Rodents predominate here: red and bank vole, red-cheeked ground squirrel, steppe pika, big jerboa. After the plowing of virgin lands, the field mouse became especially numerous. From large mammals There are wolves, foxes, steppe polecats, snowshoe hare, corsac fox, badger, sometimes brown hare, and moose can also be found in the forests.

The predominant birds after plowing the virgin lands are the rook, magpie, hoodie, and jackdaw; Of the small passerines, the most common are the skylark, yellow wagtail and stonechat. Numerous and varied waders roam in the swamps and along the banks of reservoirs, ducks, greylag goose and gray heron nest. There are many ducks and coots on the lakes, and grebes are common, especially the great grebes. Numerous colonies of gulls (herring, glaucous, and black-headed gulls) are also often found there.

The fauna of lowland forests is much richer. They are home to various species of shrews, voles and mice. Chipmunk and teledut squirrel are numerous. Typical forest inhabitants are mole, hedgehog, weasel, ermine, weasel and badger. Mountain hare and fox are common; wolverine, wolf, lynx and brown bear, beaver, roe deer and elk are less common.

The world of small forest trees is colorful and diverse. passerine birds: tits, warblers, warblers, redstarts, thrushes, tree pipit, finches - chaffinch, redpoll, brambling, lentil, crossbill, goldfinches. Cuckoo, nightjar, and woodpeckers - black, great and small spotted, three-toed, and woodpeckers - are common. Of the small predators, the most common falcons are the hobby, merlin and falcon. There are hawks - goshawk and sparrowhawk, black kite, buzzard, great owl, long-eared owl, and less often - eagle owl. In the flat and foothill zones of Altai, the gray crane is not uncommon. Among the reptiles, the common grass snake, viper, Pallas's copperhead, sand lizard and viviparous lizard are typical. There are few amphibians: mainly frogs and grass frogs, gray and green toads.

The mountain steppes of Altai are characterized by burrowers: red-cheeked and long-tailed ground squirrels, Altai and Mongolian marmots. Among the small rodents, voles are numerous. Daurian and Mongolian pikas are common on rocky areas on the outskirts of mountain steppes. In addition, the Chui steppe is home to the jumping jerboa, the Djungarian hamster and the tolai hare, which does not change color in winter (there is very little snow on semi-desert landscapes).

The species composition of birds is very small: skylarks and steppe larks, wheatears - bald-headed and dancer, steppe pipit, hoopoe, steppe harrier, kestrel. However, the fauna of the Chui steppe is distinguished by much greater diversity and originality: these places are characterized by the ogre, Indian bar-headed goose, herring gull, black-throated loon, black stork, whooper swan, Altai gyrfalcon, griffon vulture, black vulture, and bearded vulture. Only here you can find bustard, sajja, thick-billed plovers, and common plover.

The world of mountain inhabitants is especially diverse. Diversity contributes to this natural conditions region. 62 species of mammals, more than 260 species of birds, 11 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 20 species of fish live here.

The fauna of mountain forests consists of almost all species found in lowland forests. These are the flying squirrel, chipmunk, sable, bats - the whiskered bat, the Siberian tubebill, the Ikonnikov bat, the rufous noctule and the long-eared bat. There are numerous ungulates that feed on trees and shrubs - elk, red deer, roe deer, musk deer; reindeer are much less common.

Common large predators include brown bear, lynx, wolverine, otter and badger. Common small predators from the mustelidae family, feeding on mouse-like rodents: weasel, ermine, solongoi, weasel and American mink. Burrowing insectivores - moles, shrews - are found everywhere. The Asian wood mouse is numerous; Water voles and field voles prefer moist habitats.

Among the birds found everywhere in the forests of Altai are jays, jays and nutcrackers. Important commercial species of chickens - capercaillie and hazel grouse - are also common in the taiga zone. In the foothills, along the edges of the forest, grouse are common.

TO harsh conditions Few species of animals are adapted to high-mountain open landscapes. These are the Siberian mountain goat, argali (mountain sheep), snow leopard (irbis) - a beautiful and very rare predator. In the summer, the alpine belt is visited by deer, bears, wolverines, and there are also ermine, pika, narrow-skulled and high-mountain Siberian voles, fox, and mountain hare.

Common birds in the lower part of the alpine belt (shrub tundra) are ptarmigan, black-throated thrush, arctic bunting, and bluethroat. Redstart and Altai snowcock live almost right next to the snow.

The rivers of the plains and foothills are inhabited by pike, ide, burbot, sterlet, perch, dace, Siberian roach, ruffe, bream, and gudgeon. During the spawning season, salmon and sturgeon come here. In lakes and oxbow lakes in river valleys, crucian carp and tench predominate.

In mountain rivers, the species composition changes dramatically: taimen, lenok, grayling, char, minnow, spiny loach, spotted sculpin and Siberian sculpin live here. Grayling, char and minnow are found in the upper reaches of small mountain rivers. 13 species of fish have been recorded in Lake Teletskoye, of which two species - the Teletskoye whitefish and the Pravdin whitefish - live only in this reservoir. Numerous mountain reservoirs in the south of the Altai Territory are inhabited mainly by Ottomans.

The species composition of the Altai entomofauna is very diverse. Travelers coming here should remember that some insects (mosquitoes, ticks) pose a real danger, being carriers infectious diseases. Currently, ten species of ixodid ticks have been identified that can be carriers of tick-borne rickettsiosis and tick-borne encephalitis. Therefore, before you travel, you should get the necessary vaccinations.

During the period of greatest danger of tick bites (May - early June), you need to take basic precautions: have appropriate clothing that prevents ticks from penetrating the body, and systematically examine yourself and your friends.

The maximum danger of infection is characteristic of the indigenous dark coniferous and deciduous forests of the low mountains of Altai and Salair with their rich herbaceous vegetation.

The development of the region's natural resources is accompanied by a reduction in areas suitable for animal habitation, and, as a consequence, their numbers are reduced and the species composition is poorer. On the territory of the region, 6 species of mammals and 34 species of birds listed in the Red Book of the USSR have been recorded. These are argali, gazelle, snow leopard, red wolf, bandage, manul; Among the birds - Altai snowcock, black stork, mountain goose, osprey, steppe eagle, demoiselle crane, etc.

Flora Altai (flora)

The flora of the Altai region is rich and diverse. The vegetation here was influenced by the geological history of the territory's development, climate, and peculiar relief. Almost all types of vegetation of northern and central Asia, Eastern Kazakhstan, and the European part of Russia are found in Altai.

Forests cover most of the Altai region. The only ribbon pine forests in the entire territory of Russia grow here - a unique natural formation, the likes of which are not found anywhere on our planet.

Origin strip pine forestshas an interesting history, which is associated with the period when in the south of the West Siberian Lowland there was a largee sea, the flow of water from it passed through deep hollows towards the Aral Basin. The flowing water carried sand and, when the climate

This is how five ribbons of pine forests were formed, which stretch parallel to each other from the Ob near Barnaul in a southwestern direction towards the Irtysh and the Kulundinskaya lowland. weaved, and the Ob flowed again into the seas of the Arctic Ocean, and pine trees began to grow in the sand-filled hollows of the ancient drainage.

The woody plant world of the mountainous part of Altai is richer than on the plain. Here grow cedar-fir forests with admixtures of birch and large quantities- pine trees. This is the so-called black taiga, which is not found in other forest areas of the country. Many shrubs grow in the black taiga - raspberries, rowan berries, viburnum, currants, and bird cherry.

A very common tree in Altai is larch. Its wood is hard and durable, perfectly retaining its qualities both in the ground and in the water. Larch is a valuable building material: it is used to build houses that can last for centuries, make dams, build bridges, piers, and use it to make railway sleepers and telegraph poles.

Larch forests are light and clean and resemble natural parks in which each tree grows separately. The shrub undergrowth in deciduous forests is dense, and the surface of the ground in such a forest is covered with a continuous grass carpet.

Siberian cedar pine, cedar is a famous tree species of Altai forests. This is a mighty tree with a dark green crown and long, prickly needles. It forms dense, continuous pine forests on mountain slopes or occurs as an admixture in deciduous and fir forests.

Cedar wood is highly valued - light, durable and beautiful, it is widely used in folk crafts for the manufacture of various products. Furniture and containers are made from cedar boards. food products, make a pencil board. Pine nuts are extremely popular, from which valuable oil is produced, which is used in medicine and in the manufacture of high-precision optical instruments. Cedar resin is the raw material for balsam.

In the forests of the Altai Territory, deciduous trees are most often foundbirch, aspen and poplar. In the flat part of Altai, both birch and mixed groves are found everywhere - small groves of trees of these species with abundant shrubs.

There are several dozen species of shrubs growing in the region, many of which produce edible berry- raspberries, blackberries, currants, honeysuckle, blueberries, lingonberries. The mountain slopes are beautiful in early spring, covered with evergreen wild rosemary (Siberian wild rosemary, Daurian rhododendron) blooming in bright crimson-violet color.

Thickets are commonjuniper, cinquefoil, meadowsweet. The region is famous for its abundant thickets of useful shrubs - sea ​​buckthorn , which produces berries from which valuable products are made medicine- sea buckthorn oil.

In taiga meadows with mountain herbs, bees collect exceptionally aromatic honey, the fame of which is known far beyond the borders of our country.

In spring and early summer, the plains and slopes of the Altai mountains present a beautiful carpet of colorful flowers: bright orange lights, dark blue and pink tulips, blue bells, carnations, daisies, white and yellow buttercups.

Among the medicinal plants in the Altai Territory, the most famous are maralium and golden root (Rhodiola rosea), bergenia and valerian, dandelion and marin root, spring adonis, licorice, etc. Over ten species of relict plants grow in Altai. Among them are European hooffoot, brunera, fragrant woodruff, and circe.

Found high on the slopes of the Altai mountains edelweiss

Altai fauna (fauna)

The diversity of the animal world in the Altai region is due to the presence of steppes, forests and altitudinal zones. Here you can find the inhabitants of the West Siberian taiga: elk, brown bear, wolverine; representatives of the forests of Western Siberia: musk deer, deer, wood grouse, stone partridge; animals of the Mongolian steppes: jerboa, tarbagan marmot. About 90 species of mammals and more than 250 species of birds live in Altai. Some of them (manul cat, polecat, demoiselle crane, etc.) are listed in the Red Book.

A distinctive feature of the animal world of Altai is the formation of endemic species. A typical endemic is the Altai mole; it is widespread and is found both on the plain and in the mountains.

Brown bear and elk are found everywhere in the taiga. Bear - omnivorous predator, feeding on mice, birds, fish, berries and mushrooms, during the summer it wanders from forests to subalpine meadows, where it is attracted by the abundance of herbs and plants with tasty medicinal roots. And by autumn it returns back to the taiga to berries and nuts.

Ungulates also make seasonal transitions from one zone to another. Elk, roe deer, red deer, and musk deer migrate from the taiga to the meadows and back. Maral deer, whose antlers contain the valuable substance pantocrine in the spring, have been bred for many years on deer farms in the mountainous forest areas of the region. All attempts to breed deer in other mountainous regions of Russia have not yet yielded good results.

In the forests of Altai there are lynx, badger, wolverine, ermine, chipmunk, and squirrel. The most valuable fur-bearing animal in the taiga is sable. This small predator has chosen for itself the most remote windfall places, making nests in the hollows of old trees.

Another valuable fur-bearing animal is the fox. Lives on flat terrain. Rodents are found everywhere here: hamsters, gophers various types, marmots, jerboas are found in arid areas of the steppe. Hares - hare and hare - live in the steppe and forest areas of the region. You can also meet a wolf there.

Almost all forest-steppe areas where there are bodies of water are habitats for muskrats. The rodent, which has commercial value, was brought from North America in the twenties and has successfully acclimatized to the Altai lands. And in the forest rivers and reservoirs of Salair there are beavers, whose range is increasing every year.

The birds most often found in the forest zone of the region are owls, eagle owls, and hawks. Commercial species They are represented by black grouse, hazel grouse, partridges, wood grouse. Nutcrackers and jays, crossbills, and small songbirds are well adapted to life in forests.

In the mountains there is a large bird of prey - the golden eagle. Its prey is rodents - mice and gophers, marmots. The white partridge is found everywhere; it lives at altitudes of up to three thousand meters.

The steppe zone is the habitat of birds of prey: falcon, kestrel, buzzard, which hunt small field rodents. And on the lakes and swamps of the Altai plains live snipe, teal, gray cranes, mallard ducks, greylag geese, cranes, seagulls. During their flights, swans and northern geese stop at these places.

The world of reptiles in Altai is small. Its main representatives are poisonous snake- the common copperhead, a viviparous lizard that is found throughout the Altai Territory. The common snake is found near water bodies; the steppe and common viper are found in the steppes and forest-steppes. Of the reptiles, the largest in Altai is considered patterned runner. Its dimensions are more than a meter in length.

The reservoirs of the plains and mountain zones of the Altai Paradise are rich in fish. In the foothill rivers there are burbot and taimen, grayling and lenok, chebak, ruffe, gudgeon, and perch. IN main river The Altai Ob is home to sterlet, bream, pike perch, etc. The lakes of the plains are rich in crucian carp and tench, and their waters are home to pike and perch.

The nature of the region fascinates with its beauty, attracting tourists from all over the world.

Let's understand the concept of "Altai"

Geographically, Altai is a large territory in the very center of Asia. It is located on the territory of 4 states at once (Russia, China, Kazakhstan and Mongolia). The generally accepted name is Altai Territory. The nature of the region is very diverse, containing such climatic zones as taiga, forest, forest-steppe, steppe and mountains.

From the point of view of administrative division in the vastness of our country, this territory is divided into 2 subjects of the Russian Federation - the Altai Republic with its capital in the city of Gorno-Altaisk and the Altai Territory, the capital of which is the city of Barnaul.

Thus, the concept of Altai Territory can mean both an administrative unit of the state and a special natural area on the planet. This article will focus specifically on the natural area.

Altai region

The nature of the region is very diverse. The terrain is divided into:

• Plains located in its western and central parts, occupying the outskirts of the West Siberian Plateau.
• Mountains occupying the north, east and south of the region. The nature of Altai is incredibly beautiful. Russia is a country on whose territory most of the hills are located. The peaks of the mountains along their entire length range in height from 500 to 4500 m.

On the flat part there is forest-steppe and steppe. Coniferous and deciduous forests rustle in the mountain valleys and plateaus.

Many rivers flow throughout the region, most of which are not navigable, but are decorated with picturesque waterfalls. The main water arteries are the Katun (688 km long) and Biya (280 km long) rivers, from which the mighty Ob River originates. Water resources are also represented by numerous lakes, about 20 thousand in total. The most significant are Teletskoye - a huge reservoir of fresh water, mountain lake Aya, and the sacred reservoir Dzhulukul.

Altai Mountains - complex system ridges, dotted with caves, gorges and cliffs with hanging glaciers. Highest part Altai mountains- peak 4506 m.

Flora and fauna

The Altai region and the nature of the region amaze with the diversity of its fauna. The territory is inhabited by squirrels, chipmunks, sables, otters, wolverines, foxes, wolves, musk deer, deer, goats, hori, manul cat, even reindeer and antelopes. In total there are more than 100 species of mammals and reptiles, many of which are protected and listed in the Red Book. More than 260 species of birds live in these parts: tundra partridge, golden eagle, hawk, owl and eagle owl, lark, wheatear and others.

The fauna is represented by such tree species as larch, spruce, pine, fir, birch, aspen, poplar and others. The pearl of the region is cedar.

In the steppe zone, valuable medicinal plants are common, such as marin root, valerian, moralium, Adonis vernacular, Kuril tea, golden root, ginseng, sea buckthorn, horse sorrel, and edelweiss.

Sights of Altai

They abound in picturesque places, many of which are unique in nature. Here are the only ribbon forests in the world - unique natural monuments of the Altai Territory.

In the Altai Territory, 33 nature reserves and sanctuaries have been created, which occupy 5% of the territory of the region. They were created to protect unique amazing landscapes and unique biological complexes in which rare animals live and unique plants grow. Many territories have a pristine appearance and are untouched by civilization.

The most beautiful and interesting places in the Altai Territory have been declared a UNESCO heritage site. Among them is the Altaisky Nature Reserve with Lake Teletskoye, natural park on the slope of Mount Belukha and General area protected zone - 1.64 million hectares.

Altai caves - another amazing creation of nature

Among the most significant:

Geofizicheskaya is one of the most beautiful caves in the Altai region. It is 500 m long and goes 130 m deep into the rock. The “Royal Grotto” with 4-meter stalactites and stalagmites is especially impressive.
. Denisova Cave is one of the most interesting from a scientific point of view. Archaeological excavations have been going on here for a long time. 20 cultural layers have already been studied, the oldest of which is about 300 thousand years old.
. Ecological - the cave has the deepest shaft in Siberia - 340 m, the length of the cave is more than 2 km.
. Tavdinskaya - for the unusual beauty of through corridors and arches, the cave was named a natural monument of republican significance.
. Altai - goes 240 m deep, its length is about 2.5 km. It is interesting because in the depths of the cave, speleologists discovered a lake with unique calcite flowers and cave pearls.

They are of great economic importance in the region. Due to the significant diversity of geographical and climatic zones of the Altai Territory, the region, at a short distance from each other, combines completely various types forests: rough taiga, mixed forest and strip forests.

General characteristics of the forests of the Altai Territory

According to forest management data of the Altai Territory forest ecosystems occupy 28% of the region's area. Total area forest fund lands 4429.4 thousand hectares. Forests are located in four climatic zones: steppe, forest-steppe, low-mountain zone of Salair and high-mountain zone of Altai.

The following types of forests are represented in the Altai Territory:

• ribbon forests along rivers flowing in the steppe zone of the region;

• mixed forest on the right bank of the Ob River;

• low-mountain taiga on the slopes of the Salair Ridge in the northeastern part of the region;

• black taiga on the spurs of the Altai Mountains in the southeastern part;

• birch groves on the left banks of the Ob and Katun, as well as in the area of ​​the Biysk-Chumysh Upland;
• artificial protective forest belts and forest areas in various areas.

Flora

The flora of the forests of the Altai Territory is diverse. Pine predominates in the belt forests of the steppe zone. Priobsky forest - mixed with a predominance of pine and birch, with an admixture of aspen, bird cherry and shrubs. The Salair taiga is dominated by spruce and fir. In the high-mountain taiga of the Charysh and Soloneshensky regions there are tracts of cedar and larch. In the forests on the left bank of the Ob, birch dominates with an admixture of shrubs.

Each type of tree stand has its own type of undergrowth. Ribbon forests in the south of the region have virtually no undergrowth. Priobsky forest, on the contrary, has a powerful complex undergrowth consisting of shrubs, various herbaceous plants, moss, horsetails and ferns.

Animal world

The fauna of the forests of the Altai Territory is also diverse. Everywhere in the forests of the region live ungulates (roe deer, elk, goats), hares, as well as predatory animals that eat them: wolf, fox, badger. The brown bear is found in the taiga. The world of rodents is diverse. Among the insectivorous animals living in the Altai region are the common hedgehog and the mole. A wide variety of birds nest in the forests. Reptiles are represented by the common grass snake and the common viper. Forest ponds are inhabited by frogs. The common toad lives in damp and shady areas of forests. The world of insects is diverse, among which there are both harmful to the forest and beneficial.

Mushrooms

Although the mushroom world of the forests of the Altai Territory is poorer than in the European part of Russia and the Urals, both in terms of species diversity and quantity, nevertheless, mushrooms play an important role in the life of the forests of the region. White podgrudok, black podgrudok, valui, and russula are almost universally distributed. In birch and mixed forests, common boletus, pink boletus, autumn honey fungus, tinder fungus, and fly agaric grow. Porcini mushroom, red boletus, and pine mushroom are common in the Ob forest. In the taiga, spruce camelina and butterwort grow. In poplar forest belts, poplar rowing is common. In the Ob floodplain and on the islands in the riverbeds of the Ob and Biya, aspen mushrooms grow in large quantities.

Ecological role

Altai Territory is a region with an arid climate. Therefore, the forests of the Altai Territory primarily play a protective role. Forest plantations retain snow and rain moisture and reduce wind erosion of the soil. Many species of animals find refuge in the forests from the scorching summer heat. In fact, it is thanks to forests, primarily ribbon forests, that most of the territory of the Altai Territory is saved from desertification. In the east of the region, in a zone of rough terrain, forests protect the soil from water erosion. The Priob forest plays a very important role in stabilizing the water regime of the Ob and its tributaries. Foothill forests participate in the formation of a favorable microclimate in these territories.

Economic importance

Most of the forests in the Altai Territory are classified as protective. However, timber is harvested in them, but the clear-cutting method is used only in low-value forest areas. In the economy of a number of regions: Soloneshensky, Charyshsky, Soltonsky, Troitsky, Zalesovsky, Talmensky, the forestry industry has a leading place.

Forest protection

Due to the weather and climatic characteristics of the region, the forests of the Altai Territory, especially ribbon forests, are at increased risk forest fires. For this reason, the region has a developed network of fire-chemical stations (as of 2013 - 159 stations). In particularly flammable areas of the forest (southwest of the region), measures are regularly taken to create fire breaks, barriers and mineralized strips.