V. Peskov Voronezhsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve, Nature reserve in Studeno-Vyselsky, Russia
The V. Peskov Voronezhsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve is a protected area in the Voronezh region of Russia, made up mostly of floodplain forests, river channels, and wet meadows. It sits along the Voronezh River and forms one continuous woodland crossed by waterways.
The reserve was established in 1923 specifically to protect the European beaver, which had nearly vanished from Russian rivers by that time. Decades later it received UNESCO biosphere reserve status, giving it a broader role in conservation research.
The reserve is closely tied to captive beaver breeding, a program that helped bring the European beaver back to rivers across Russia. Visitors can see exhibits about this effort at the reserve's museum center.
The reserve has a visitor center and marked trails that pass through woodland and along riverbanks. Guided tours are available, but independent walks along signed paths are also an option.
The reserve was one of the first in Russia to run a program exporting live beavers to restock rivers in other parts of the country, sending animals to dozens of regions. Most beaver populations in Russia today trace back to animals that came from here.
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