Biarezinski Biosphere Reserve

Biarezinski Biosphere Reserve is a protected area in Liepieĺ District, Belarus, covering 113,929 hectares of pine forests with raised bogs, transitional mires, and lowland swamps along the Berezina River. The landscape shifts between dense forest and open wetlands where many bird species and mammals live.

The reserve was established in 1925 to protect the European beaver population, which was nearly extinct in the region at that time. Over the decades, protection expanded to include other threatened species and the entire wetland ecosystem.

The Nature Museum displays exhibits about local ecosystems, wildlife species, and traditional conservation methods of Belarus. The displays help visitors understand the relationship between regional inhabitants and the Berezina River wetlands.

The reserve offers guided nature trails, wildlife observation towers, and accommodation facilities located 125 kilometers (78 miles) north of Minsk. Most paths are easy to walk, but rubber boots are advisable in wet weather since some sections pass through swampy areas.

The reserve houses all five large European mammals: European bison, brown bear, moose, wolf, and lynx in their natural habitat. This combination is rare to find in Europe and makes the area an important refuge for threatened large mammals.