Virgin Komi Forests

In the west, the land is low, with marshes. In the east, it rises into the Ural Mountains.

Weathering has shaped some rocks into pillars.

IUCN's summary describes lowlands in the west that rise into the northern Ural Mountains in the east, joined by the basins of rivers such as the Ilych. Weathering in some river basins has shaped rocks into columns and other leftover mountain forms, which IUCN's 1994 summary lists as protected nature monuments.

Many of these rocks are the remains of ancient reefs. The oldest date back to a time called the Ordovician period.

IUCN/WCMC summary (1994): the 3.28 million ha area is dominated by lowlands in the west rising to the Northern Urals in the east, linked by the Uniya and upper Ilych basins. Weathering in the Ilych, Podcherema, Shchugor and Bolshaya Syn basins formed columns and residual mountain structures protected as nature monuments; many are remnant reef structures, the oldest dating to the Ordovician.

Vegetation follows the relief: marshes and floodplain islands in the lowlands, boreal forest to the foothills, then subalpine scrub woodland, meadows, tundra and bare bedrock. IUCN notes the site also holds the Ural mountains, tundra, lakes, bogs and wild rivers; the nomination it summarized also cites mountain-glacier formations.

Cone-bearing trees, aspens and birches grow here. Peat bogs, rivers and lakes lie between them.

Wolves, lynx, otters and wolverines are among the animals listed here.

UNESCO describes a vast area of conifers, aspens and birches, with peat bogs, rivers and natural lakes. IUCN's 1994 summary lists animals from both Europe and Asia and counts about 43 kinds of mammals, 204 kinds of birds and 16 kinds of fish.

Among the mammals it named are the wolf, otter, beaver, sable, wolverine and lynx. When IUCN visited in 1995, it saw very little sign of wildlife and asked for a count of the main animals.

UNESCO: conifers, aspens, birches, peat bogs, rivers and natural lakes. IUCN/WCMC (1994): European and Asiatic species; some 43 mammal, 204 bird and 16 fish species recorded; mammals listed as threatened in that summary were wolf, otter, beaver, sable, wolverine and lynx. IUCN's field mission (1995) noted very limited evidence of wildlife and asked for a census.

IUCN compared the forests with Nahanni and Wood Buffalo national parks in Canada: similar conifer, aspen and birch forests and wild rivers, but with an extensive area of alpine tundra in the Urals.

Scientists have studied these forests for more than 50 years.

They watch how a wild forest changes all by itself.

UNESCO says the area has been monitored and studied for over 50 years, giving valuable evidence about the natural processes that affect living things in the taiga.

IUCN called it a natural benchmark for monitoring climate change and said the area is almost totally natural. Fewer than 50 people lived in the area when IUCN visited in 1995.

UNESCO: monitored and studied for over 50 years, providing evidence of the natural processes affecting biodiversity in the taiga. IUCN (1995): the Pechoro-Ilych Biosphere Reserve is one of the few sites in the region with a long record of monitoring and research; the property is an unsurpassed natural benchmark for monitoring climatic change; it is almost totally natural, with fewer than 50 residents, and cultural features are rare except an old, abandoned traders' trail.

IUCN placed it in the northern boreal forest biome that encircles the northern hemisphere, at the interface of arctic tundra and boreal forest.

Wear warm layers and keep dry in cold weather.

Stay with a grown-up near rivers and lakes.

The CDC says the most important thing in cool weather is staying dry: wear layers and change out of damp clothes quickly. Water and wet clothing take heat from the body fastest, then wind.

Rivers and lakes can hide strong currents, rocks and murky water, so children should wear life jackets in and around natural water. In 1995, IUCN described the nature reserve as limited to research and the national park as open to tourism, with many restricted areas.

CDC Yellow Book (cold): heat loss is fastest by conduction (water immersion, wet clothing), then convection (wind), then radiation; in cool environments remain dry by layering and quickly changing moist clothing; shivering is a warning sign of hypothermia. CDC drowning prevention: natural waters hide currents, rocks and poor visibility; life jackets for children in and around natural water.

IUCN (1995): the zapovednik had a very strict regime limited to research, while Yugyd Va National Park had many restricted areas but was open to tourism.