National park Narochansky

Excursions and tours of Naroch region:

Naroch region is dear and loved to the heart of every Belarusian, even if he wasn't born in these parts. It is called the land of poets and warriors, romance and pure soul of people. In this region fall in love at first sight and for life.
Tens of thousands of tourists and tourists annually enjoy surrounding landscapes of Naroch region, relax on its resorts and tents, enjoy gifts of nature, roam ecological trails, breathe healing air.
For corporate groups organized tours with a visit to national park Narochansky, detailed program of excursions is presented in the relevant section.

• Excursion Blue necklace of the Narochansky region
• Excursion Ethno-cultural complex Nanosy-Novoselie
• Excursion History and traditions: Pharmacy Garden and Winery in Ilovo
• Excursion Journey to the nature (reserve Blue Lakes)

General information

State nature protection institution National Park Narochansky is located in the North-Western part of Minsk region on the territory of Myadel (96.0%) and partially Vileyka district (2.0%), on the territory of Postavsky district of Vitebsk region (1.7%) and on the territory of Smorgon district of Grodno region (0.3%). The length of the national park from North to South is 34 km, from West to East - 59 km. Administration is located in the resort village Naroch of Myadel district, Minsk region.

The total area of National Park Narochansky is 97.3 thousand hectares, of which the area of land (mainly forests and water bodies) transferred to national park is 66.8 thousand hectares or 68.7%. Remaining lands within national park (31.3%) are owned by other landowners and land users. The main land users in this category are agricultural and other organizations. Practically, the territory of national park occupies 60% of the territory of Myadel district.

Due to the fact, that the territory of national park belongs to specially protected natural areas, where economic activity is limited or banned completely (protected zone), to solve environmental and social and economic problems outside the national park created experimental forestry «Myadel» with a total area of 52 thousand hectares, which is a subdivision of the GPU National Park «Narochansky». Thus, the land area of the зark together with EFHF «Myadel» account for 117,8 thousand hectares.

Nature of National park Narochansky

Climate of the Naroch region is formed under the influence of air masses of the Atlantic ocean and has features of moderate continental. According to the data of the Republican hydrometeorological center, the average long-term air temperature is +5.3° C here with an absolute maximum of +33° C and an absolute minimum of 34° C. Relative humidity ranges from 71 to 89% during the year. For year falls 650-680 mm of precipitation, 67% of which falls on the warm season (April-October).

The territory of national Park Narochansky has a rather complex landscape structure. In its borders, as well as in the territory of Poozerie in general, dominated hilly-moraine-lake landscapes, which are characterized by a high degree of development. The natural vegetation is preserved mainly on hilltops and in bottoms of hollows. Small contours in the North-Western, Northern and Central parts of national park are unique for the territory of the Republic kamowa-moraine-lake landscapes, terrain which is a combination of kamov, moraine, rarely osobyh hills and ridges with lakes, hollows, gullies. The most valuable and picturesque area of such landscapes is located in Sventsyany ridge – a natural complex Blue lakes. Significant value from the standpoint of preservation of landscape diversity of the Naroch region represent small lake-mire complexes (forest-bog area surrounding lake Dygili) and valleys of small rivers Naroch and Malinovka.
The hydrographic network of Narochansky National park is represented by numerous lakes, small rivers and hydro-reclamation channels. Of particular value are lakes of the park, which are combined into several lake groups.

Flora and fauna of National park Narochansky

Plant cover took more than 50 thousand hectares of national park. Typical pine forests with juniper and rowan in the undergrowth and with an abundance of heather, cowberry, lichens and mosses. Birch and birch-aspen forests, spruce forests and alder forests are also common. In the flora of the region there are diverse species of mosses, lichens, algae, fungi and there are about 900 species of higher plants. The list of rare and endangered species listed in the Red book is about 30 species.

On the territory of national park is a number of valuable from a faunistic point of view of natural objects. These include tracts: Blue lakes, Cheremshitsa, Pasynki, Rudakovo. Region of lake Naroch distinguish different variety of fauna. National park is home for least 243 species of terrestrial vertebrates: 10 species of amphibians; 5 species of reptiles; at least 179 species of nesting and about 40 species of migratory, wintering, birds; 49 species of mammals.

The richest of ornithocomplexes in the region is forest, which includes 95 species of birds. They include such types of North complex, as the grouse, hairy owl, nutcracker, etc. Adequately represented water is already clear, which includes 35 species. Birds of open spaces are 32 species of raised bogs include 3 rare species (willow grouse, eurasian curlew, great grey shrike).
Forests of the Naroch region are winter habitats of ungulates and are unable to ensure the existence of any large populations of elk, wild boar, roe deer throughout the year.

In the ichthyfauna of rivers and lakes of region noted 32 species of fish, including brown trout, chub, minnow, bystryanka, loach, stickleback, whitefish, naledi, whitefish, ide, etc. In the study area allocated land, which is a special faunal value: the reserve area Cheremshitsa in whose territory inhabited by a badger, black-throated loon, eurasian bittern, goldeneye, merganser, etc.; the area of lake Dygili (white grouse, common crane, osprey, viper, etc.); forest between lake Shvakshty and reserve Blue lakes (badger, gogol, krokhal, black stork, eagle owl, etc.)

Lakes and rivers of National park Narochansky

The hydrographic network of National park Narochansky is represented by numerous lakes, small rivers and hydro-reclamation channels. Special value are represented park lakes, which are combined into several other groups:

• Narochanskaya group includes interconnected lake Batorino, Myastro, Naroch and Beloe;
• Myadelskaya group includes a number of medium and small deep water bodies. The largest and deepest in its composition – Myadel lake, the deepest lakes Volchyno and Rudakovo, the average depth lakes Lotviny, Hodos and Rossohi and shallow Kuzmichi;
• Shvakshtinskaya group includes lakes Bolshiye and Malye Shvakshty and lake Belogolovoe. A considerable area, but shallow and slow Shvakshty lake is popular with tourists and anglers. On its shore is equipped with several tourist sites;
• Boldykskaya group of lakes is located on the territory of the former reserve Blue lakes. It includes lakes Bolduk, Glublya, Glubelka, Yachmenets, Imsharets, Mertvoe. The largest is lake Bolduk (area of 0.78 km2, a maximum depth of 39.7 m). Lakes are characterized by deep basins, clean water and the absence of pronounced environmental violations;
• Svirskaya group includes large shallow lakes Svir, Vishnevskoe and a number of smaller lakes – Swirnishche, Gluhoe, Tushcha, etc. The lowest water quality observed in lakes Svir and Slobodskoe, is much cleaner water in lake Vishnevskoe.

A special place among water bodies is the largest in Belarus Naroch lake, received the name «Belarusian see», - the largest in the Republic. It is located in Myadel district, in the Naroch river basin. It is the largest natural water body in Belarus. Its area is 79,6 sq. km, maximum depth – 24,8 m. Is situated at altitude 165 m above sea level. The ichtyofauna of lake consists of more than 20 species of fish. In order to preserve the richness of lake, a complex of protective measures is provided – a water protection zone with a special regime for the use of natural resources is allocated around lake.
Naroch impresses with the size of its water expanses, which occupy all the visible space to the horizon. If you look at lake from the top of the plane, then catches eye of its rounded shape and asymmetric structure of the basin, which consists of two mold - Maloe and Bolshoe. On the gray-blue surface of lake a bright green drop stands out the only oblong island.

Lake Naroch ranks first in Belarus in terms of water purity and transparency. The bottom is lined with sand, pebbles, boulders, visible to a depth of 7 and even 9 m. Transparency of water through which sunlight penetrates and promotes development of aquatic plants. They extend to a depth of 7-8 m, forming on the surface of the lithographic dense underwater meadows.

History of National park Narochansky

Scenic shores of the horizon has always attracted people who prefer a quiet holiday in the usual climatic conditions of the hot resorts of the South. The abundance of various game, in rich fishing allowed, as they say, take heart and hunters and fishermen. They first started to learn Naroch. The oldest archaeological sites of Naroch region belong to the Mesolithic (middle stone age) and date back to VII-VI Millennium BC.
During the entry of Western Belarus into Poland in the early twentieth century, several private villas, restaurants, yacht club, marina for sailing boats were built. Soon after the liberation of Belarus from Nazi invaders on shores of Naroch lakes began to appear the first tent towns.

First survey of the Naroch region for the appropriateness of it for the construction of a therapeutic climate station and spa resort was carried out in 1946. At the end of the 50-ies of the last century there began a relatively orderly construction of facilities for recreation and treatment. In March 1963 began operating health resort Naroch. In the 70s - 80s there was an intensive development of the coast of lake Naroch. During this time were built and accepted vacationers: health resort Sosny (1976), camping Naroch (1978), hotel Naroch (1982), boarding house Stroitel (1986), health resort Sputnik (1987), health resort Belaya Rus (1988), health resort Juravushka(1989). After completion of the health resort Priozerniy (1992) the capacity of health resorts of the resort area reached 4 thousand people in winter and about 6 thousand people in summer.

By the end of 80s in the territory of Naroch region formed the only resort area in the Republic of Belarus with the appropriate infrastructure. However, the departmental affiliation of objects of tourism, recreation and treatment did not allow to solve the environmental problems arising in this territory.
By the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus on July 28, 1999 № 447 National Park Narochansky was created for the purpose of preservation of unique natural complexes, more complete and effective use of recreational opportunities of natural resources of the Myadel district and adjacent territories.

Functional zones and structure of National park

To comply with the status of the protected area in the National Park Narochansky functional zones with the relevant regime have been established:

• Protected area (8.4% of the total area of the park).
  It prohibits all activities except research and security measures. The main part of the natural complex belongs to the protected area Blue lakes, a large part of the bog Cheremshitsa, 350 hectares of the Central part of the Narochansko-Syrmezhsky forest, swamp area «Dygili», island at Naroch lake.


• Area of controlled use (57,6% of the area of the park).
  In specially designated areas, haymaking, grazing, picking mushrooms and berries, amateur fishing and other types of natural resources for needs of national park and the population living on its territory, reforestation, organized tourism and excursions and other activities that do not contradict the purpose of the zone are allowed.


• Recreation area (1.2% of the park area).
  It is intended for placement of objects and constructions health-resort treatment, tourism and rest of the population, and also for carrying out cultural and mass and improving actions.
  Within national park this zone includes year-round and seasonal health and tourist facilities, recreational land: beaches, forests, parks, glades, edges — places where a large number of tourists are concentrated.


• Economic zone (32.8% of the park area).
  This economic zone is allocated for placement and operation of buildings and constructions, implementation industrially-economic, trade and economic, tourist, agricultural and other activity which is not contradicting to the purposes and tasks of national park.
  

Useful links

Legal framework:

• The decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of July 28, 1999 №447 «About creation of National Park «Narochansky»
• Description of borders of National Park «Narochansky»