Forests of Karelia. What are the Karelian forests silent about? Shungite as a national treasure

Turning to the topic of the history of Karelia during the period of revolutionary and military events in the first half of the 20th century made me not only the desire to figure out all the intricacies of the politics of those times myself, but also the stubborn ignoring and hushing up of a whole layer of history under the conditional term, which has been going on for a hundred years, on the one hand. Karelian independence”, and on the other hand, the understanding that so many stereotypes, lies and distortions of facts have accumulated over a hundred years that there is simply nowhere else to go. It seems that for a whole century we have not advanced one iota in understanding what was happening in Karelia on the eve of the revolution, at its height and during the civil war.

Kalevala (Ukhta). Our days. Photo: Andrey Tuomi

In recent years, a “round” historical date has been stubbornly imposed on us - the centenary of the Republic of Karelia - which we are preparing to widely and festively celebrate in 2020. A simplified and very conditional date is tightly sewn with a harsh red thread of history to the day of the formation of the Karelian labor commune, from which the chronology is conducted in the modern Republic of Karelia.

But is everything so simple and is everything so unambiguous? Is this really how things are? Did a hundred years ago, among the forests, lakes and swamps, all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, a red, Soviet national entity grew up, striding, at the break of its pants, into a bright communist future together with the whole country? And what came, a hundred years later, to the same taiga dead end, where did it come from, as official history claims?

I do not pretend to the deep scientific character of my analysis, to the ultimate truth, and rely only on what I know from open sources, and most importantly, from the stories of my ancestors and contemporaries who lived and still live in Vienan Karjala. Based on what every Karelian of the north is trying to understand and comprehend, asking himself questions - who are we, where did we come from, what will we leave behind?

Part one.

How many Karelia are there in the world?

When we pronounce the word "Karelia", we rarely think about the fact that there are three completely different Karelia in the world, which equally have the right to be called as such. In addition to all of us, understandable and well-known Karelia, in which we all have the good fortune to live, there is Finnish Karelia and Tver Karelia. In addition, within the Karelia in which we live, there is a division into northern and southern parts, which we will talk about a little later. And if we are talking about the established historical community, then territorially the “oldest”, primordial Karelian lands can be called simultaneously Finnish Karelia, Tver Karelia and Olonets Karelia, and the most ancient is the Karelian Isthmus, where from the Karelians, however, due to historical events different centuries, one name remained.

What is the reason for such a heterogeneous settlement of the people has long been clarified and established. Protracted wars with the Swedes for the Karelian lands during the entire period of the Middle Ages, which exhausted the forces of the Karelian ethnos, forced the people to the Great Exodus. The most negative role in the division of the Karelians was also played by the Orekhov peace treaty (1323) between Novgorod and Sweden, which divided in half not only the Karelian lands, but also the ethnic group itself.

In that part of Karelia that went to Novgorod, the Karelians did not change either their way of life or their habitat. But before that part of the people who came under the Swedish crown, there was a difficult choice: either die or change their faith. In those distant times, when faith was the dominant in all areas of social, political, interstate and interpersonal relations, when religion was the main "fuel tank" of any war, the concept of "freedom of conscience" did not exist in nature. A different faith was a sufficient and generally accepted motive for the physical destruction of people. Some of the Western Karelians professed Catholicism (and later Lutheranism) and were not threatened by Swedish citizenship, but the Orthodox Karelians had no choice but to go to the southeast and northeast.

Indigenous and newcomers

The southeastern part of the Karelians who came from their original lands settled in the Novgorod and, for the most part, in the Tver lands, and those that went to the northeast settled in the lands of the north of the modern Republic of Karelia. From here we must draw the first and important conclusion, which will still play its role in all subsequent history: the Karelian population of the northern regions of our Karelia is not the original (indigenous) population of these places. Rebols, Kalevala (Ukhtua), Voknavolok, Kestenga and hundreds of other villages and villages were mastered (or founded) and settled by those Karelians who came here from the territory of modern Finland, the Northern Ladoga region and the Karelian Isthmus. Naturally, they did not come to the empty, but sparsely populated lands of the Lapps and made up what is commonly called today (in the language division) “the territory of the proper Karelian language”.

It would seem that the Tver Karelians (the same newcomers to the lands of the Tver region, like their counterparts from the north of the Republic of Karelia), living in the very heart of Russia, are geographically closer to the Onega or Olonets Karelians. But this is only geographically, ethnically they are just closer to the northern Karelians and to the Karelians of Finland. The language of the Tver Karelians is a dialect of Karelian Proper, and not of the Ludic and Livvik languages. The simultaneous linguistic proximity of both the Tver and Northern Karelians to the Finnish language just confirms that they all came from the same “ family nest". And both of these sub-ethnic groups are not the original and indigenous population of their current habitats. That is, they became such quite recently - changing the status of the newcomer population to the status of the rooted one. That is, becoming an indigenous population. This is their serious difference from their fellow tribesmen of the Onega region and the Olonets plain, where the local Karelians have been the indigenous population for many centuries.

Karelian identity

Another important historical conclusion that we can draw is that the part of the Karelians who, as a result of the Great Exodus, ended up in the territory of the modern northern regions of the republic, retained their original Karelian identity for many centuries. I draw this conclusion not in order to belittle the dignity of some Karelians and exalt the dignity of others, but so that we understand the essential difference between all existing and existing groups Karelians.

Judge for yourself: when we talk about the Karelians of Finland, we immediately make a reservation that this part of the ethnic group almost completely assimilated with the Finns, falling under the influence of a more powerful (albeit also very diverse) culture, religion and way of life. Speaking about the Onega and Olonets Karelians, we make a reservation that this part of the ethnic group fell under the strongest influence of Russian culture, language and way of life. We see exactly the same powerful influence of Russians in Tver Karelia. These things follow from the objective circumstances of the Karelians living in those places where there is a strong influence of other strong ethnic groups - Russian and Finnish.

But with the northern Karelians there was a historical conservation, when they went to the northeast, "capturing" with them the language, culture and way of life and bringing all this to their new "promised land", where there was no influence of other powerful ethnic groups. The influence of the Lapps on the Karelians was very insignificant, rather, the northern Karelians assimilated that part of the Laplanders, on whose lands they came.

Language diversity

Today the situation with the Karelian language looks very diverse. Karelian of the north of the republic, it is more or less easy to speak mother tongue with northerners-Finns, he understands them, they understand him too. For a northerner, the Tver Karelians have a slightly unusual, but very understandable dialect. The languages ​​of the Ludiks and Livviks are understandable to the northerners (without language training) in the general context of the conversation, but the language of the northerners is much more difficult for the Olonchans and the Onega Karelians to understand.

Without delving into the issues of linguistics and the secrets of the formation of dialects and dialects, we note that the linguistic diversity of Karelia is enough to draw conclusions about where it came from and why it all happened. Moreover, in addition to the linguistic difference, there are more compelling justifications and confirmations for the “theory of different Karelia”.

The kind of our tune

Let's take the pride of all Karelians and Finns - the Kalevala epic. More precisely, not the epic itself (for "Kalevala" is still the literary result of the creative work of collecting, summarizing and systematizing the oral material collected by Elias Lennrot), but what has been preserved among the people for many centuries - Karelian runes.

If we pay attention to the territory where Lennrot collected almost all the song material for compiling the epic (and this, according to various estimates, is about or more than 90% of all runes), then we will find ourselves in a very small area of ​​​​the territory located in the current Kalevalsky region of Karelia. These are Voknavolok, Sudnozero, Voinitsa and Ukhtua. It is in this peculiar “golden section” that what was saved up by several dozen generations of Karelians was preserved unchanged. Why did this happen?

Ukhta. K.Inha. 1894

Everything is very simply explained from the point of view of the influence of ethnic groups on each other. The northern Karelians who moved to the current Kalevalsky district, due to objective circumstances, left the influence of Russians and Finns, retaining their original Karelian identity for several more centuries. That is, simply conserved in the very form in which they left their lands during the Great Exodus.

At a time when the culture of the southern Karelians mixed with the culture of the Russians, and the Finnish Karelians - with the culture of the Finns, the northern Karelians quietly existed within their area, which was not influenced by other ethnic groups. It was this factor, as well as the tendency of the Karelians to traditionalism, conservatism and natural stubbornness (which was noted by all ethnographers) that made it possible to conserve the culture, way of life and traditions of the people for many centuries, fencing it off from outside influence.

Canned Middle Ages

Moreover, the Karelians of the north of the republic, due to their traditionalism, spread part of their culture to the north of Finland, where the Karelians rushed along the trade routes. During the historical period of time that has passed from the period of resettlement of the Karelians to the visit of their new lands by Lennrot (3-4 centuries), the inhabitants of the northern regions have not yet settled down on these lands so firmly as to turn finally into cattle breeders and tillers, but preferred the ancient seasonal trade .

Lennrot was sincerely surprised that the Karelians in Ukhtua and Voknavolok, having such vast lands, did not agriculture preferring trade, fishing and hunting. Unfortunately, he did not go further and did not conclude that in that historical period the Karelians simply did not have enough time to settle down on the earth, grow to it, in order to begin its full-fledged development.

A similar conclusion was made by the Russian Orthodox priests who came here after the Karelians, who saw in this fact the natural laziness, stubbornness of the Karelians and their tendency to bargaining. They also did not pay attention to the fact that the Karelians, preserved in the late Middle Ages, retained the crafts inherent in the Middle Ages: hunting, fishing and barter.

Even if we compare old photographs of Karelian villages, we will see not only some similarities in the architecture and planning of settlements in the south and north of Karelia, but also differences that immediately catch your eye: South Karelian villages at the time of shooting look much more solid, settled, comfortable and rich than the villages of the north, which by that time had not yet been fully formed. Ukhtua and Voinitsa look exactly like this - as if in the rooting stage - in the photographs of Konrad Inha. In almost all old photographs of Vienan villages, Karjala is conspicuous main feature: the absence of trees in them. The only exceptions are Karelian cemeteries, which in the photographs are distinguished by tall spruce forests and less often by pine forests.

(To be continued)

The nature of Karelia enchants everyone who has ever visited these places. Amazing beauty northern nature, wild rivers with steep rapids, virgin purity of forests, Fresh air, filled with the intoxicating aroma of pine needles, stunningly beautiful sunsets and the richness of the world of flora and fauna have long attracted tourists and travelers to Karelia.

Karelia is located in the northwest Russian Federation. Most of the republic is occupied by coniferous forests, famous for tall pines and slender firs, juniper thickets and an abundance of berries.

There are more than 60 thousand lakes in Karelia, the most famous of which are Onega and Ladoga. Many rivers and streams run through the republic, but the rivers are mostly short. The longest Karelian river Kem has a length of only 360 km. There are swamps and waterfalls in Karelia.

It is the reservoirs in combination with the Karelian forests that create that amazing climate that fascinates everyone. It is no coincidence that Karelia is called " lungs of Europe"By the way, it was here, not far from Petrozavodsk, that the first Russian resort was created, founded in 1719 by decree of Peter I.

Karelia was admired by many artists and poets. The Kivach waterfall is one of the most famous sights of Karelia, Marcial Waters is the first Russian resort founded in 1719 by decree of Peter I, Kizhi and Valaam are among the most mysterious places Russia, and the mysterious petroglyphs of the White Sea still haunt archaeologists and historians.

Flora of Karelia

Features of the Karelian flora are determined, first of all, by the geographical location of the republic. The main part of the plant world was formed in the post-glacial period. In the northern regions and at the heights of the mountains, plants characteristic of the tundra grow: mosses, lichens, dwarf spruce and birches.

But most The republics are occupied by coniferous forests. Pine forests grow closer to the north. Approximately in the region of Segozero passes the border between the northern and middle taiga forests. Here begins the forest strip, where spruces and pines grow mixed. The closer to the southern outskirts of Karelia, the more spruce forests, which are interspersed with mixed ones.

Of the conifers, the common spruce and the common pine are the most common. Finnish pines are often found in the west. Birch, alder, aspen, linden, elm and maple grow in mixed forest thickets.

The lower tier of forests is made up of numerous shrubs. Where pines grow, there are fewer shrubs. The closer to the south, the more thickets of lingonberries and cloudberries, blueberries and blueberries, wild rosemary and swamp world appear.

Near reservoirs, the soil is covered with gray mosses and lichens. Here it is easy to find heather and reindeer moss.

And also the Karelian forests are the kingdom of mushrooms. Most of all they collect boletus and boletus. In the southern regions, porcini mushrooms, boletus, mushrooms and chanterelles are often found.

Fauna of Karelia

The fauna of Karelia is rich and varied. Here you can meet all the animals that traditionally live in the taiga. But the peculiarity of the Karelian Republic is also that there are many reservoirs. This means that there are much more representatives of the North Sea representatives of the animal kingdom than in any other corner of Russia.

Of the large mammals in the Karelian forests, one can meet lynx, brown bear, wolf and badger. Numerous hare hares have long been a desirable prey for local hunters. Lots of beavers and squirrels. Rivers and lakes were chosen by muskrats, otters, martens and European minks. And in the White Sea and Lake Onega there are seals.

The fauna of the southern regions is somewhat different from the northern ones. Elks and wild boars live in the south, raccoon dogs and Canadian minks.

The world of birds is also diverse. The sparrow family is best represented. In the north, there are a lot of upland game: capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse and white partridges. Of the birds of prey, it is worth noting hawks, numerous owls, golden eagles and harriers.

Waterfowl of Karelia are its pride. Ducks and loons settle on the lakes, gulls and eiders, which are valued for their fluff, have chosen the sea coast. And sandpipers settle in swamps.

Karelian fish can be conditionally divided into three categories:

Anadromous (whitefish, salmon, salmon, smelt);

Lake-river (pike, roach, perch, burbot, ruff, in the south - pike perch, grayling and river trout);

And marine (herring, cod and flounder).

The abundance of water bodies has led to large numbers reptiles and insects. Of all the snakes that are found in Karelia, the most dangerous is the common viper. And from the end of May to the beginning of September, hiking in the forest and picnics are overshadowed by clouds of mosquitoes, horseflies and midges. In the south, by the way, ticks pose a great danger, especially in May-June.

Climate in Karelia

Most of Karelia is located in the temperate continental climate zone with elements of the sea. Although winter lasts a long time, severe frosts are rare here. Mostly winters are mild, with plenty of snow. Spring, with all its charms in the form of melting snow, flowering trees and an increase in daylight hours, comes only in mid-April. But until the end of May, the probability of a return of frosts remains.

Summer in Karelia is short and cool. In most of the territory really summer weather established only by mid-July. The temperature rarely rises above +20ºC. But already at the end of August it is felt autumn mood weather: overcast skies, heavy rains and cold winds.

The most unstable and unpredictable weather prevails on the sea coast and in the region of Ladoga and Onega lakes. Frequent cyclones come from the west. The weather is mostly cloudy, with constant winds and an abundance of rainfall. On the coast of the White Sea, the highest cloudiness in the entire republic is observed.

As the dictionary of V. I. Dahl testifies, taiga is a word of Siberian origin. In the Yakut language, "taiga" means "forest".
Scientists understand the taiga as a vast part of the forest zone, covered mainly with coniferous forests of pine, spruce, fir, larch and Siberian cedar (Siberian cedar pine). These forests stretch in a wide strip across the northern part of the territory of Russia, Scandinavia, Canada and northern regions USA.
Within the taiga, forest-tundra light forests, northern, middle and southern subzones and coniferous-broad-leaved forests of odtaiga are distinguished. Hidden forests are characterized by simplicity of layered structure and poverty. species composition plants and animals.

Forests dominated by spruce, fir and Siberian stone pine form a dark coniferous taiga. Under the canopy of such a forest, which barely transmits light, there is no or sparse woodland, the soil is covered with mosses or a bedding of needles. Larch and pine forests form light coniferous taiga. These are predominantly sparse-layer forests, with good illumination, often with well-developed undergrowth and grass-shrub layer. Along the river valleys, the taiga invades the tundra zone, along the mountain ranges into the zone of broad-leaved forests.
Taiga occupies 10% of the Earth's land mass. About 70% of commercial coniferous wood is harvested in it, a lot of medicinal raw materials; lives here a large number of game animals and is the main base of hunting. In the fur preparations of our country, the taiga gives 100% of the harvested sable, 90% of the column, 80% of the squirrel, 50% of the ermine, 40% of the muskrat.
Karelian taiga, occupying the western outskirts Russian taiga, is distinguished by a certain originality, which is due to the position of the edge on the periphery of the Baltic crystalline shield. Millions of years ago, active tectonic processes took place here, caused by earthquakes and volcanic activity. Deep cracks ripped the crystalline foundation into blocks, hills, ridges. Later, about a million years ago, a powerful glacier began to attack this earthly firmament from Scandinavia, which retreated only 10-12 thousand years ago. The glacier leveled the mountains, plowed valleys and hollows, carried strong boulders and blocks for many hundreds of kilometers, ground and redeposited looser rocks.

There are 27 thousand people here. rivers and 62 thousand. lakes, elongated predominantly in one direction from north - west to south - east . The rivers , full of rapids and waterfalls , are swift and seething , as in the mountains . This paradox is a distinctive feature of Karelia. The scientist - geologist aptly called it "a mountainous country with a flat relief." animals and is the main base of hunting. The originality of the geological geomorphological and hydrographic conditions could not but affect the forests - and allowed scientists to single out the Karelian taiga as a special region. Forests cover a little more than half of the territory here. Another third is occupied by swamps and water surfaces. There are relatively many dry and rocky, as well as swampy forests.

Of exceptional importance is the role of numerous edge forests, stretching in endless ribbons along the banks of rivers, rivers and lakes, along the outskirts, swamps and agricultural lands. Here are the best conditions for the growth of plants, the life of animals and birds. In terms of "abundance of life", edge forests far outnumber adjacent lands in the depths of the territory.
The landscape diversity of forests in Karelia is great. If the taiga, in the usual view, is monotonous and gloomy, then the Karelian, on the contrary, has many faces and amazes with a variety of impressions.
The Karelian taiga is divided into two subzones: northern and middle. The border between them runs along the line Medvezhyegorsk Porosozero. The northern taiga passes into the Murmansk region, the southern border of the middle taiga is drawn along the border with the Leningrad region, where the southern taiga begins.
In other words, in the generally accepted economic and economic conception, the middle taiga occupies the territory of southern Karelia, the northern middle and northern Karelia.
In the northern taiga predominantly pines grow, but spruce forests are also found; in the middle one , on the contrary , spruce plantations predominate more . Coniferous forests account for 88% of the forested area.

In the middle taiga, small patches of Karelian birch can be found, although it usually grows as single trees among other birches. Karelian birch is one of the very valuable and rare species of wood.
In the south - east of Karelia one can meet larch , maple , small - leafed linden , and elms . And often found in the south of Karelia black alder. The most common in the Karelian taiga are light coniferous pine forests, which occupy more than 65% of the forested area. Pine can grow both on sandy soils and on excessively wet swamps. But she feels most comfortable in conditions of moderate moisture and sufficient mineral richness of soils. Under the cover of a pine forest, a cover of shrubs grows abundantly: blueberries, lingonberries, crowberries, wild rosemary, as well as many forest herbs.

There are much fewer forests dominated by spruce: they account for 23% of the forested area. In the middle taiga, spruce plantations occupy predominantly watershed areas, in the northern well-drained slopes of large ridges and river valleys. Green mosses predominate in the cover of dense spruce forests, blueberries and forest forbs in more sparse ones.
In general, the forests of Karelia predominantly mixed . In pine forests, the share of spruce (up to 30%) and birch (up to 20%) is high, in spruce forests there are a lot of pine and deciduous. Pure (single-species) are only pine forests of the lichen group.
In the age spectrum of the Karelian taiga, forests up to 40 years old (young forests) are currently distinguished, they include more than. Mountains bring a special originality to the vegetation cover of Karelia.

Swamps are a characteristic feature of the Karelian taiga. They are extremely diverse both in size, configuration, and composition of the vegetation cover. Small swamps are found almost everywhere, occupying all depressions in the relief that are not occupied by lakes.
The fauna of the taiga is, admittedly, relatively poor. Karelian taiga inthisrelationnotis anexception. Mammalsherenoted 52 kind. Amongthemthere isandtinyshrews, weighing 2-3 G, andsuchsolidanimals, asElkandbrownbear, weightbefore 300-500 kg.
Behindrecent 70-80 yearsKareliantaigareplenishednearnewspecies. Muskrat, americanminkandraccoondogwerespeciallyreleasedherehumanandfastmasteredallland; Europeanbeaver, boarandroeon one's owncamefromLeningradareas, CanadianbeaverfromFinland.

Muchmore variedworldfeathered, numbering 286 species, fromwhichmore 210 nesting. Majorityconstitutebirdsforestlandscapesnear 60%, significantGroup (30%) tiedwithbodies of water, andless 10% speciespreferopen, predominantlycultural, landscapes. Near 50 speciesbirdsenteredinRedbookRepublicKarelia, fromthemtypicallyforestabouthalf.
reptilesandamphibiansinKarelianforestsrepresentedsmallnumberspeciesandcommonweakly. NumberspeciesinsectsByenotlends itselfaccounting, knownonly, whatthemnotless 010 thousand. 272 kindassignedtorareandincludedagain- stillinRedbookRepublicKarelia. Having receivedgeneralperformanceaboutKareliantaigaandcomponentshercommunitiesplantsandanimals, let's get acquaintedwithindividualthemrepresentatives.

The Karelian Territory is located in the very north of Russia. From the west it borders on Finland, and its eastern shores washed by the White Sea. This region is famous amazing fauna and flora, largely retaining its original appearance. keeps many secrets, it is dotted with rivers, and a huge number of lakes are hidden in its depths.

Today these places are protected by the state. Hunting and deforestation are strictly controlled. The forest plays an important role in the development of tourism infrastructure, and is also of great industrial importance.

encyclopedic data

Forests cover more than half of the territory of the Republic of Karelia. Another 30% is occupied by swamps. In total, the forest of Karelia occupies 14 million hectares, 9.5 million of which are covered with continuous dense forest. A third of this territory is protected, the rest of the forests are used industrially.

Geographic features

Karelia is distinguished by its peculiar relief. Its territory is like a patchwork carpet, on which you can see coniferous forests, swamps, wastelands, birch groves, hills. In prehistoric times, the landscape was shaped by the movement of glaciers. Today, as a memory of the events of bygone eras, "ram's foreheads" rise above the region - a kind of white smooth rocks carved by giant ice.

The southern regions are completely covered with dense and tall pine forests. northern forest Karelia is distinguished by its lower height and density.

Coniferous and deciduous trees of Karelia

Sandy soil explains the fact that pine reigns in Karelia. It owns almost 70% of the forests. Spruce grows on clay and loamy soils, mainly in the southern region of the middle taiga zone.

Some isolated areas of the coast of Lake Onega are covered with spruce forest, combined with linden and maple. Coniferous forests of Karelia in the south-east of the republic are mixed with Siberian larch.

From deciduous trees in the region grows gray alder, aspen. The famous wood with variegated coloration, high density and extraordinary graininess, is found only in the southern edges of the region.

These places are also rich in medicinal plants. Wild plants grow here: bearberry, lily of the valley, orchis, watch.

Climate

The forest of Karelia was formed under the influence of the harsh northern climate. The northern region is adjacent to the border of the Arctic Circle, and a very small part is located even in its limit.

The forest is characterized by a typical taiga ecosystem, but the surroundings of Levozero, located in the very north of Karelia, are tundra.

White nights and seasonal features of the region

Winter in these parts is long. In the northern regions, there are 190 days with sub-zero temperatures a year, in the southern regions - about 150. Autumn begins in August and ends around mid-October. Reservoirs freeze, winds intensify, intensity and duration of precipitation increase.

If you are attracted by the autumn forest of Karelia, sung by many artists and poets, go there at the end of August or at the very beginning of September, otherwise you will have the opportunity to admire the taiga winter.

However, the winter in these parts is not so terrible. Even in the middle of autumn, an impressive amount of snow falls in Karelia, which either melts or falls in flakes again. The snow cover remains for almost half a year at the level of 60-70 cm (especially snowy winters- even up to a meter). For winter, thaws are not uncommon, when the sun shines like spring.

Another feature that you should know about these places is the white nights. In summer, daylight hours exceed 23 hours. Darkness practically does not occur, and the peak of the white night falls on June, when there is not even twilight. But there is, of course, the other side of the coin - the polar night, which descends to the earth for almost 3 months. True, in the south of the republic this phenomenon is weakly expressed. For white nights, you need to go further north - about 66 degrees north latitude.

Karelian lakes

Forests are not the only natural wealth of Karelia. This region is also famous for its lakes. It contains two largest lakes Europe - Ladoga and Onega. Lakes play a very important role in the life of the forest ecosystem. Since ancient times, the indigenous inhabitants of the region, the Karelians, have settled on their banks. They were engaged not only in hunting, but also in fishing. The lakes are also important for the animals that inhabit the forests of Karelia. Photos of these places attract tourists. Even today people prefer to settle near forest lakes.

The total number of Karelian lakes reaches 60 thousand. There are many rivers in these parts - about 11 thousand. All reservoirs of the region belong to the basins of the White and Baltic Seas.

Animal world of forests

Very varied. Among mammals, lynxes, martens, American and Russian minks, otters, ferrets, weasels, wolverines, ermines, badgers, brown bears, wolves, raccoon dogs, moose, foxes, wild reindeer, moles, shrews, squirrels, mice. Hedgehogs are less common and only in the south. Muskrats settled in many reservoirs of southern and middle Karelia. The white hare has a wide commercial value. Of the reptiles, there are many snakes and vipers. But snakes can be found only in the southern regions, in the north there are almost none.

The forests of the Republic of Karelia are home to 200 species of birds, most of which are migratory. Capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse, partridges constantly live here. Diverse waterfowl: loons, grebes, ducks, geese, swans. There are sandpipers, hawks, bitterns, ospreys, buzzards, cranes and corncrakes in the forests, many different types owls. Woodpeckers and thrushes are also not uncommon here, and waxwings flock to these parts in autumn. A particularly attentive tourist can meet even a golden eagle in the Karelian forests. Black grouse and capercaillie settle everywhere.

The islands on the White Sea are famous for the settlements of the eider, which has high-quality down. On her, like on others rare birds hunting is prohibited.

Insects

If you are planning to visit the fabulous Karelian forests and consult with seasoned tourists, surely you happen to periodically listen to horror stories about mosquitoes the size of a sparrow, which are simply teeming with wild thickets, and even big cities this northern region.

Information about the size, of course, is exaggerated, but there is no smoke without fire. There are a huge number of mosquitoes here, and they are quite large. And besides mosquitoes, the forests and swamps of Karelia are inhabited by an unthinkable number of various bloodsuckers, which are especially active during the flowering period of cloudberries. But by the end of August, activity weakens, and with the first September frosts, it completely disappears.

Karelia Tourism

Two-thirds of the republic is open to tourists. It is unlikely that it will be possible to get into the reserve, since entry into all protected zones is simply prohibited. Yes, and there is nothing special to do there, in the taiga cold and pristine wilderness.

It is better to go to regions with a more or less developed tourist infrastructure. And it is worth mentioning that it is everywhere still in its infancy. Talk about high level service is not available yet. But do tourists go to the taiga for this?

The leader in the top is Valaam - an ancient monastic complex on one of them. You can go here on your own or as part of an excursion group. The monastery in the city of Kizhi deserves no less attention. Both of these places are located outside the Karelian forest, however, those who travel to these parts from afar try to visit not only the wild wilderness pristine nature but also visit holy places.

Many researchers claim that there are many geoactive anomalies in Karelia, called places of power. By the way, Valaam and Kizhi are also among them and are considered one of the most powerful. In the wilderness of the forest, there are many ancient pagan temples built by the Sami and Lapps - the indigenous inhabitants of these places, who were later supplanted by the ancestors of modern Karelians and Slavs. Some daredevils go to the Karelian forests just for the sake of these mystical places. Think carefully: are you ready to face the unknown?

If you decide to see with your own eyes what kind of forest is in Karelia, plan your trip for any time of the year. Travel agencies offer guests wild summer vacations, Christmas tours, rafting on obstinate rivers, and many other programs that maximize the beauty of lakes and forests. Of course, in terms of tourism business in Karelia, there is still room for growth, but even the current level will satisfy the discerning vacationer. It offers rental of any water transport, horseback riding, safaris (in season, of course), fishing. You can go on vacation even without equipment and gear - everything can be rented.

Camping in the forest

Well, if a civilized, organized by a team of professionals vacation in the forests of Karelia is not your thing, you can visit these places in the company of the same avid hikers. Ideally, if there is at least one person in the group who has experience of hiking in Karelia. Not everywhere you can pitch tents and burn fires, and some amazing places are not on the maps at all. For example, it is almost impossible to get to the Island of Spirits along the Okhta on your own - you will need an experienced guide here.

Camping sites are organized in large numbers on the shores of forest lakes and rapids. These places are especially attractive for lovers of water sports. Kayakers are not uncommon in Karelia.

In order not to have problems with the law and your own conscience, follow the safety rules when organizing bonfires. Do not leave any traces of your stay in the wild forest in the form of food and drink packages and household waste. This can result in a large fine.

Folk forest crafts

The forest of Karelia is ready to generously share its wealth all summer long. Here you can collect cranberries, lingonberries, cloudberries, blueberries, raspberries, blueberries. There are many mushrooms in these parts. The locals are doing silent hunting the whole season. If you are not lucky with either mushrooms or berries, ask the inhabitants of any roadside settlement. Surely there are many who want to offer you local delicacies for a moderate fee.

In ancient times, people also hunted. A valuable fur-bearing animal, which even today abounds in Karelian forests, was valued far beyond the borders of the region. The ancestors of the Karelians were active in trade, selling their goods to merchants from all over Europe.

The industrial value of the forest

Today, the main areas are not only the extraction of furs, the collection of berries, mushrooms and medicinal plants, but also the pulp and paper, as well as the woodworking industry. Procurers produce standing timber in Karelia and send it to many regions of Russia. A large part of the forest is exported. To maintain a balance, the state strictly controls deforestation and planting young trees.

The Republic of Karelia is located in Northern Europe, on the border between Russia and Finland. It is called the center of wooden architecture, the pantry of mushrooms and the most mysterious region in Russia. Lots of things have been done here beautiful photos, but they are not able to convey the whole gamut of feelings that these places evoke in the traveler. Fabulous taiga forests, transparent lakes, virgin nature, an abundance of historical and architectural monuments - all this must be seen with your own eyes.

Mount Vottovaara

In the central part of the republic, 20 kilometers southeast of the village of Sukkozero, there is a curious place - Mount Vottovaara, the highest peak of the West Karelian Upland (417 meters).

Locals call this place of power Death Mountain and consider it a portal to the other world - an anomalous effect on electrical equipment, nature, and the human body is noted here. The dead silence, as well as the depressing sight of trees bent, broken by the wind and blackened after the fire, enhance the ominous feeling.

In 1978, a complex of ancient cult seids was discovered on the mountain - stones-boulders of a run-in form, located in groups. At the same time, huge blocks lie on smaller ones, creating the impression of stones on legs.

Also on Vottovaara there is a mysterious staircase to the sky - 13 steps carved into the rock, ending in an abyss.

Mount Kivakkatunturi

located in national park Paanajärvi, in the Loukhi district. The height of the mountain is 499 meters, and the name is translated from Finnish as “stone woman” – at the top there are many seids, one of which resembles the head of an old woman.

The ascent to Kivakka is quite easy and takes 1-2 hours - in addition to the trodden path, wooden beams are laid for the convenience of tourists. When climbing, you can see around the landscape features characteristic of these places - hanging swamps and high-altitude lakes lying on the slopes of the mountain and indicating the water content of the rock.

The beauty of Paanajärvi Park is clearly visible from the open top. This place becomes especially picturesque with the advent of autumn, when the plants paint the mountain in yellow-crimson colors.

Ruskeala Mountain Park (Marble Canyon)

The basis of this tourist complex in the Sortavala region of Karelia is a former marble quarry. The blocks mined here were used for facing the palaces and cathedrals of St. Petersburg and other Russian cities. Now these quarries have turned into man-made marble bowls filled with the purest water and cut through by a system of shafts and adits, reminiscent of mysterious caves and grottoes.

The mountain park is 450 meters long and about 100 meters wide. It is equipped for tourists - footpaths have been cleared, observation platforms have been created, there is parking for cars, and boat rentals. It is from the water that the most impressive views of the surrounding rocks, up to 20 meters high, open up. Also on the boat you can swim into the marble grotto and admire the bizarre reflection of water in the translucent vaults.

Marble Canyon Caves

No less curious are the mines and adits of the quarry, where you can get on a guided tour. Most of these caves were flooded, but there are also dry ones - the higher the air temperature on the surface, the more deadly cold is felt here.

For the unique acoustics, one of these grottoes is called Musical. However, Proval Cave is of the greatest interest, in the roof of which a hole 20 by 30 meters in size was formed. Another name for the Pit is the Hall of the Mountain King or the Ice Cave, it is best to descend into it during the cold season, when the 30-meter water column in the grotto is hidden under ice. Drops flowing from the vaults formed numerous ice stalactites and stalagmites, the beauty of which is emphasized by the backlight.

Ruskeala waterfalls (Akhvenkoski waterfalls)

Not far from the village of Ruskeala, where the Tokhmajoki River is divided into several branches, there are 4 small waterfalls. Falling from rocky ledges 3-4 meters high, kvass-colored water foams and rumbles.

The area around is ennobled, there are wooden gazebos, a cafe, a souvenir shop. Once upon a time, the films “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”, “Dark World” were filmed in these places, now kayaking (canoes) is carried out along the Tohmajoki River, overcoming waterfalls.

Paanajärvi National Park

This corner of wild nature is located in the north-west of Karelia, in its most elevated part and occupies about 103 thousand hectares. The park owes its name to unique lake Paanajärvi, which arose in the faults of rocks, the boundaries of the park run along the line of this lake and the Olanga River.

The landscapes here are picturesque and diverse - mountain peaks alternate with gorges, stormy rivers and noisy waterfalls coexist with the calm expanse of lakes.

The park contains the most high point Republic - Mount Nourunen. Here you can also see the Kivakkakoski waterfall - one of the largest and most powerful in Karelia.

Daylight hours in winter are very short - from the end of August you can observe the northern lights. But in summer the sun sets only for 2-3 hours - it's time for white nights.

National Park "Kalevalsky"

This park was created in the extreme west of Karelia in 2006 to preserve one of the last old-growth pine forests in Europe. On the territory of 74 thousand hectares, pines occupy about 70%, the age of many trees reaches 400-450 years.

For thousands of years, these places have been an unchanging habitat various kinds animals and plants, the virgin beauty of the forests fascinates even now. In the park you can see many major rivers with picturesque waterfalls, deep clean lakes.

There are also several villages here - Voknavolok is considered the cradle of Karelian and Finnish cultures, where the songs of the Kalevala epic were born, many historical and cultural monuments have been preserved in Sudnozero, and Panozero is considered one of the oldest settlements in the region.

Body archipelago

It is a group of 16 small islands in the White Sea, near the city of Kem. In order to preserve the unique landscape and the diversity of flora and fauna, the state landscape reserve "Kuzova" was created here. Now there are special places for visiting tourists on 3 islands - Russian Body, German Body and Chernetsky.

In addition to beauty surrounding nature the archipelago attracts with an abundance of seids, labyrinths, ancient settlements of people of the Mesolithic and Bronze Age, religious buildings. The islands are shrouded in many legends and are still a mystery to historians and archaeologists.

Girvas volcano crater

In the small village of Girvas in the Kondopoga region of Karelia, there is the oldest surviving volcano crater in the world, its age is about 2.5 billion years.

Previously, the full-flowing Suna River flowed here, but after the construction of a dam for a hydroelectric power station, its channel was drained, and the water was released along a different path, and now petrified lava flows are clearly visible in the half-empty canyon. The crater itself does not protrude above the ground, but is a depression filled with water.

Waterfall Kivach

Translated from Finnish, the name of the waterfall means "powerful", "swift". It is located on the Suna River and is the fourth largest flat waterfall in Europe. Kivach consists of four rapids with a total height of 10.7 meters, of which the sheer drop of water is 8 meters.

Due to the construction of a hydroelectric power station in this area, there was a large outflow of water, which somewhat reduced the attractiveness of the waterfall. The best time to visit this attraction is considered to be spring, when Suna gains strength by eating melt waters. In 1931, the State nature reserve"Kivach".

Waterfall White Bridges (Yukankoski)

This waterfall, located on the Kulismajoki River in the Pitkyaranta region of the republic, is one of the highest and most beautiful in Karelia and reaches about 18 meters in height. In summer, the water in the river warms up well, which allows you to swim in it and stand under the falling streams of water.

In 1999, on the territory adjacent to the waterfall, a hydrological nature monument "White Bridges" was established, the area of ​​​​which is 87.9 hectares. Due to its location in the forest, away from the highway, Yukankoski is not very popular with travelers.

Martial waters

This name is given to a balneological and mud resort, as well as a village in the Kondopoga region. The resort was founded by Peter I in 1719 and is the first in Russia.

There are 4 wells here, from which mineral water, their main feature is the amount of iron, which is greater than in other sources in Russia and abroad. In each source, the concentration of iron is different, and the waters also contain calcium, magnesium, manganese, and sodium.

Sapropelic silt sulfide muds extracted from the bottom of Lake Gabozero also have healing properties.

The resort is visited for the treatment of diseases of the blood, cardiovascular, digestive, genitourinary and musculoskeletal systems, respiratory organs. Here, according to the project of Peter I, the Church of St. Peter the Apostle was built, and opposite the temple is the building of the local history museum "Marcial Waters".

Valaam Island

The name of the island translates as " high ground"- it is the largest of the islands of the Valaam archipelago, located in the north of Lake Ladoga.

Every year Valaam attracts thousands of tourists - its rocky territory 9.6 kilometers long and 7.8 kilometers wide is covered with coniferous forests, large and small inland lakes, indented by numerous channels, bays and bays.

Here is also the village of Valaam and a monument of Russian architecture - the Valaam stauropegial monastery with many sketes (buildings located in hard-to-reach places).

Good Spirit Island

This island, located on Voronye Lake, is not marked on any geographical map, for which it is often called Karelian Shambhala. You can get to it while rafting down the Okhta River and only with the help of the tips of the guides.

The place is a paradise for the traveler and is famous for its convenient parking areas, excellent fishing and picturesque surroundings. However, most of all, people are attracted by the abundance of wooden handicrafts on the island - a real open-air museum created by tourists. Some items date back to the 70s of the last century. According to legend, this place is inhabited by spirits that guard the island and inhabit every craft, bringing good luck to its maker.

Solovetsky Islands

This archipelago, which includes more than 100 islands, occupies 347 square kilometers and is the largest in the White Sea. It is located at the entrance to the Onega Bay and is included in the specially protected protected area.

Here is the Solovetsky Monastery with many churches, the Maritime Museum, an airport, a botanical garden, ancient stone labyrinths and a whole system of canals through which you can go by boat.

White Sea white whale lives near Cape Beluga - White whale. Beautiful nature and the abundance of historical and architectural monuments attract many excursion groups to these places.

Lake Pisan

This reservoir is located in the central part of the Republic of Karelia, and has a tectonic origin - the lake was formed as a result of a fault earth's crust, which is clearly evidenced by the symmetry of its shores. The name of the lake is translated as "the longest" - occupying up to 200 meters in width, it extends for 5 kilometers in length. In some places, the depth exceeds 200 meters.

On the northern shore of the reservoir there are parking lots, convenient places for fishing and launching boats. When moving south, the banks become higher, forming a gorge with rocks rising 100 meters above the water. Virgin nature, silence and absence nearby settlements make this place especially attractive for lovers of solitude.

White Sea

This inland sea, located in the north of the European part of Russia, belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin and has an area of ​​90 square kilometers. Because of the cold even in summer time water (up to 20 degrees), there is not too much tourist flow on the White Sea, and nature in many places remains untouched.

On the islands of the sea coast, blueberries and mushrooms grow abundantly, in the water you can see jellyfish, fish, seals and beluga whales. A unique spectacle is the seabed after low tides - it is filled with a variety of living organisms.

Lake Ladoga (Ladoga)

It is located in Karelia and the Leningrad region and is the largest fresh water reservoir in Europe - the length of the lake is 219, and the maximum width is 138 kilometers. The northern shores are high and rocky, with many bays, peninsulas, large and small islands; the southern coast is shallow, with an abundance of rocky reefs.

Along Ladoga there are a large number of settlements, ports and recreation centers, numerous ships glide along the water surface. Numerous historical finds have been found at the bottom of the lake different eras, even now these places are popular among diving enthusiasts. Mirages and brontides also occur here - a rumble coming from the lake, accompanied by the seething of water or weak vibrations of the earth.

Lake Onega (Onego)

This lake is called the younger sister of the great Ladoga - it is the second largest fresh water body in Europe. On the territory of Onego there are more than 1500 islands different sizes, dozens of ports and marinas are located on the banks, the Onega Sailing Regatta is held annually.

The water in the lake is clean and transparent thanks to the mineral shungite, which is literally lined with the bottom. In addition to fish, there is a bivalve mollusk that grows mother-of-pearl balls of pearls in its shell.

Taiga forests rich in mushrooms and berries, the charm of northern nature, a huge number of historical, architectural, and folk art monuments attract many tourists to these places.

Onega petroglyphs

On the east coast Lake Onega in the Pudozh region of Karelia there are ancient rock paintings dating back to the 4th-3rd millennia BC. They are collected in 24 separate groups and cover an area of ​​20 kilometers, more than half of the petroglyphs are located on the capes Peri Nos, Besov Nos and Kladovets.

In total, about 1100 images and signs are carved into the rocks, mainly drawings of birds (especially swans), forest animals, people and boats. Some petroglyphs are up to 4 meters in size.

Among the mystical figures is the mysterious triad "demon, catfish (burbot) and otter (lizard)." In order to neutralize this evil, around the 15th century, the monks of the Murom Holy Assumption Monastery knocked out a Christian cross over the image.

Kinerma village

The name of this ancient Karelian village, lost in the Pryazha region, is translated as "precious land". The settlement, founded over 400 years ago, has up to two dozen houses, half of which are architectural monuments. The buildings are located in a circle, in the center of which is the Smolenskaya Chapel Mother of God and the old cemetery.

More recently, the fate of the village was in question, only 1 person lived here permanently. However, thanks to the efforts of local residents, it was possible to restore buildings, improve life, and attract tourists. For the preservation of the historical appearance of Kinerma, it was recognized as a complex monument of the wooden folk architecture of the Karelian Livviks. She also won the competition "The most beautiful village Russia".

Museum-Reserve "Kizhi"

The main part of this unique open-air museum is located on Kizhi Island in Lake Onega. The heart of the collection is the ensemble "Kizhi Pogost", consisting of the 22-domed wooden Church of the Transfiguration, the smaller Church of the Intercession and the bell tower uniting them, now the complex is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The museum is constantly replenished with chapels, houses, icons, household items, outbuildings brought from the surrounding Karelian, Russian and Vepsian villages, it also presents a number of historical objects of Zaonezhie and Petrozavodsk.

Assumption Church

Temple of the Dormition Holy Mother of God is located in the city of Kondopoga, on the shores of Lake Onega. The church was built in 1774 in memory of the peasants who died during the Kizhi uprising (1769-1771).

Thanks to its height of 42 meters, it has become the tallest wooden church in Karelia. The interior decoration has survived to this day and, with its modesty, contrasts with rich modern temples.

A visit to the Assumption Church is not included in the list of mandatory routes, there is no invasion of tourists, but newlyweds get married and baptize children locals. It is worth coming here for the sake of the surrounding beauty and the special atmosphere of this place.