October 8, Minsk /BELTA correspondent/. The republican landscape reserve "Yelnya" will establish a cranberry agro-estate. The director of the reserve, Ivan Borok, informed a BELTA correspondent about this.
October 8, Minsk /BELTA correspondent/. The republican landscape reserve "Yelnya" will establish a cranberry agro-estate. The director of the reserve, Ivan Borok, informed a BELTA correspondent about this.
The agro-estate will serve as both accommodation for guests and a mini-workshop for cranberry processing. "It might be possible to start producing cranberry drinks in small packaging," noted Ivan Borok. Medicinal plants will also be harvested here. Tourists will be transported from the agro-estate to the "Yelnya" reserve by horse. It is expected that the estate may welcome its first guests in 2015.
Further plans include continuing to create conditions for people with disabilities to visit the "Ozeravki" ecological trail. This trail may become a circular route. "In the future, a new ecological trail may appear in 'Yelnya', which will pass through different biotopes and lead tourists to the reserve's landmark – Lake Kurganistoye," said Ivan Borok.
In 2015, scientific work on studying the hydrological regime of the reserve will continue, and ornithological, entomological, and botanical research will be conducted. There is a preliminary agreement that over the next five years, a major private company will allocate $100,000 annually for these purposes.
Regarding the tourist services that will be introduced this year, this winter guests of the reserve will be offered tracking walks following the tracks of wolves, elk, and hares. As Ivan Borok explained, tracking wild animals has already become a popular tourist product in some countries.
The republican landscape reserve "Yelnya" was established in 1968 and is located within the Miory and Sharkovshchyna districts of the Vitebsk region. The marshland plays an important role in preserving landscape and biological diversity on a global scale – since 2002, the reserve has held the status of a wetland of international importance (Ramsar Convention).
In addition to Belarusian tourists, "Yelnya" was visited this year by guests from New Zealand, Australia, Cuba, the USA, Germany, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Italy, and other countries.-0-
News of Belarus (BELTA)