Virgin Komi Forests
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Ural Mountains,Komi Republic,Russia |
| Includes | |
| Criteria | Natural: (vii), (ix) |
| Reference | 719 |
| Inscription | 1995 (19thSession) |
| Area | 2,645,800 ha (10,215 sq mi) |
| Buffer zone | 650,000 ha (2,500 sq mi) |
| Website | http://www.vfk.komi.com |
| Coordinates | 63°37′33″N58°57′9″E/ 63.62583°N 58.95250°E |
  Location of Virgin Komi Forests in European Russia  Virgin Komi Forests (Europe) | |
TheVirgin Komi Forests(Komi:Комилӧн вӧрзьӧдлытӧм вӧръяс,Russian:Де́вственные леса́ Ко́ми) is a naturalUNESCOWorld Heritage Sitein the NorthernUral Mountainsof theKomi Republic,Russia.At 32,800 km2it is the largestvirgin forestinEurope.
Geography[edit]
The Virgin Komi Forests belong to theUral Mountainstaigaecoregion.Dominant tree species includeSiberian Spruce,Siberian FirandSiberian Larch,while the most prominentmammalsare thereindeer,thesable,theminkand thehare.
The site corresponds to Russia'sPechora-Ilych Nature ReserveandYugyd Va National Park.ItsWorld Heritage Sitestatus was recognised in 1995, making it the first natural World Heritage Site in the country. This recognition brought the site additional funding from abroad and saved it from imminent logging by a French company (HUET Holding). However, conservation threats remain,illegal loggingand gold-mining in particular. Deposits ofgoldin the northern part of the Yugyd-Va National Park were to be mined prior to 1995.
Threats[edit]
Despite the area's recognition as a World Heritage site, attempts at extracting gold are being actively lobbied by the Head of the Republic and Komi's Ministry of Nature.
Gallery[edit]
-
Sosnogorsk,Komi Republic -
Pechora-Ilych Biosphere Reserve
External links[edit]
- Virgin Komi Forests(at the UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- UNEP-WCMC World Heritage - Virgin Komi Forests
- Virgin Komi ForestsatNatural Heritage Protection Fund