Shvakshty (reserve)

Shvakshty - a hydrological reserve of republican significance in the Postavy district of the Vitebsk region of Belarus . Founded in 1996 with the aim of stabilizing the hydrological regime in the Stracha River Basin and preserving in its natural state a unique natural complex with populations of rare and endangered plant and animal species. The area of ​​the reserve is 5603 ha.

Shvakshty Reserve
IUCN category IV (Territory of species or habitat management)
basic information
Square	5603 ha
Founding date	September 25, 1996
Managing Organization	Naroch National Park
Location
A country	Belorussia
Region	Vitebsk region
Area	Postavy district
Nearest town	Pastavy
Shvakshty Reserve
Shvakshty Reserve

The central object of the reserve is the lakes Big Svakshty and Maly Shvakshty , the hollows of which are filled with powerful biogenic sediments of high-quality sapropel . On the territory there are also many swamps .

The terrain is low . More than 60% of the territory is covered by forests : pine (55%), small-leaved (28%), spruce forests (17%). A number of plants are included in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus : the heart-shaped and ovoid , the three-slotted ladian , the arboretum , the green foxberry , the greenbird sedge , the cloudberry squat , the dwarf birch .

The fauna of the reserve includes 129 species of terrestrial vertebrates . On the territory of the nest 10 species of birds that are included in the Red Book of Belarus: small gull , common Gogol , big bittern , gray crane , big curlew , swamp owl , etc.

At present, the Shvakshty reserve is part of the Narochansky National Park ^[1] .