Guide to the corners of nature in the project " Grodno region: a protected world"

Peatlands, beavers and return to the origins

Hydrological reserve “In the floodplain of the Ditva River”
Peatlands, beavers and return to the origins

The hydrological reserve “In the floodplain of the Ditva River” was created in Voronovo district in 1998 to ensure the natural hydrological regime of the Ditva River and restore the flora and fauna. It was proposed to increase the area of the reserve to 898.58 hectares after surveying the territory by BSU scientists.


The core of the reserve is a drained and rewetted bog mass on the left bank of the Ditva River. Peat was mined in lowland bogs after reclamation in the 1980s and 1990s. Then the work was stopped, and the peat fields gradually began to overgrow and re¬swamp. Beavers, who began building dams, also served as a kind of “helpers to nature”.


The vegetation here is mainly boggy, arboreal and shrubby. Berula erecta included into the Red Data Book was noted here. Common European viper which is included in the preventive list of the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus can be found here. As many as 78 bird species have been registered in the reserve, the vast majority of which are nesting here. Some species visit the reservoirs of the reserve during seasonal migrations. The Black stork included in the “Red Data Book” visits the reserve for feeding.

Hydrological reserve «Meshkaly»
Lowland swamps, medicinal peat


Hydrological reserve «Meshkaly» was created in Voronovo district in 1992 to stabilize the hydrological regime of the Ditva River in its middle reaches, to preserve the biological diversity of flora and fauna, taking into account the importance of wetlands for the ecological safety of natural areas. In 2020, as a result of research work, the BSU scientists made a proposal to increase the area of «Meshkaly» to 106.50 hectares.
The territory of the reserve includes various types of lowland and boggy meadows and lowland swamps. This explains the fact that the fauna is represented mainly by wetland or water¬related species. Numerous beaver settlements contribute to further waterlogging and make these places inaccessible. Four species of wild plants included in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Belarus have been identified here. It is the second in Grodno region and the most southern territory of the hair¬like sedge in the republic. The “Meshkaly” hydrological reserve has valuable reserves of medicinal types of peat.

Hydrological reserve «Trostyanka-Morgal»
Swamps give water to rivers


In 1995 several water¬regime reserves in Dyatlovo district were created for rational use and protection of peat resources. Several years later, according to the results of research on bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus “Trostyanka¬Morgal” kept its status of a hydrological reserve of local importance.

The reserve plays an important role in the water regime of the surrounding area, maintaining the level of groundwater, giving rise to water supply for small rivers, in particular the Chernyavka and Trostyanka rivers, as well as a number of streams flowing into the Shchara and Dyatlovka. Former peat deposits are habitats of rare representatives of flora and fauna, places of harvesting valuable food and medicinal raw materials.

Hydrological reserve «Vishnevka»
Peat reserves, cranberry massifs


“Vishnevka” hydrological reserve of local importance was created in 2002 to preserve the peat deposit and the largest raised bog in Zelva district. Peat reserves amount to 35 thousand tons here. Once, in the 60s and 70s of the last century, peat was mined here, manually and mechanically with the help of a cutter, and this is clearly visible even today. The bog is fed on melt, rain and ground water and never dries up. In many places, water is on the surface.

It is covered with shoots of the pine and warty birch as well as herbaceous vegetation characteristic for excessively moist areas. There are impressive cranberry areas. It is the main place for collecting this healing berry for the residents of the district. In high places, there are thickets of medicinal and food plant species: wild rosemary, heather, blueberry.

Hydrological reserve «Korevin lug»
Raised bog in its pristine beauty


A hydrological reserve, a berry reserve and a bog massif rare for the region – all this is about the hydrological reserve of local importance «Korevin lug» in Zelva district. The total area of the reserve is 44.5 hectares, it is located 11 kilometers south of Zelva, a district center, not far from the village of Kosheli. It was created in 2002 on the basis of a peat deposit which is the only comparatively large bog of a raised type not affected by human activity in the area. Peat has not been mined here. The natural area has been preserved in its almost original form.

The tract is surrounded by hills that are more than three meters high. The reserve is located in the basin of the Zelvyanka river. There is no drainage of water into and out of the swamp; it feeds on melt, rain and ground waters. At the same time, the swamp never dries up, and in many places the water is on the surface. The places are humid, which influences the nature of the plants. The trees are represented by bog forms of pine and downy birch. A third of the territory is a kind of fruitful natural cranberry plantation.