Zavidovo National Park

Zavidovo National Park is a protected area in Tver and Moscow oblasts covering 125,000 hectares (308,882 acres) with forests, meadows, and reservoirs along the Shosha and Lama rivers. The territory includes 90 settlements where 20,000 residents live and work within the park boundaries.

The area served as a hunting ground for Ivan the Terrible starting in the 16th century and remained royal hunting territory through the centuries. In 1929 it became a military hunting estate, later transformed into a national park.

Residents in the settlements have farmed their land without chemical fertilizers since Soviet times, maintaining practices passed down through generations. Agriculture and conservation coexist here, with farming methods adapted to meet protection requirements for the surrounding environment.

Access requires special permits obtained through security checkpoints, with entry granted to property owners and their authorized guests. Visitors should arrange permissions well in advance, as spontaneous visits are not possible under current regulations.

The presidential residence Rus sits within the park and shapes the strict access regulations for the entire territory. The forests support 41 mammal species, including brown bears, lynx, and moose that roam freely through the woodland areas.