Cedar Pad Reserve
The area of the reserve: 18,044.8 hectares.
The history of the reserve
The history of the "Cedar Pad" dates back to the beginning of the last century, and it begins with the rescue of trees. By the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, the economic activity of immigrants in the south of Primorye resulted in complete deforestation of available forests. Thus, thousands of coniferous trees were rafted along the Barabashevka River to the sea and transported to Vladivostok for construction. As a result, only a few islands of unique tree species remained, many of which are endemic to the region.
The impending catastrophe did not go unnoticed: in 1910, an inventory of the territory was carried out - magnificent forests of black fir, Korean cedar, Schmidt birch and other valuable trees survived in the upper part of the Kedrovaya River basin. In 1916, the issue of the withdrawal of unique, valuable forest areas from timber industry operation and the organization of the reserve was raised. In the autumn of 1916, the organization of the reserve was successfully completed.
The original purpose of "Cedar Padi" was the preservation of unique forests in the south-west of Primorye, which were severely affected by practically uncontrolled human economic activity. The status of an independent institution "Cedar Pad" received in 1924. Two years later, the area of Cedar Padi increased to 9,500 hectares. Strengthening the status of the reserve had in the 1930s, when it was withdrawn from the jurisdiction of forestry authorities and transferred to the regional budget
For the purposeful protection of the Far Eastern leopard in 1979, the federal reserve "Barsovy" was created, the territory of which was in contact with the "Cedar Fall". Another reserve, "Borisov plateau", appeared in 1996 and was located north of both protected areas. In 2008, two sanctuaries were merged into one - "Leopard". Since April 5, 2012, the Land of the Leopard National Park began its work, and from that day the Cedar Pad reserve is surrounded by its territory. Under the management of a joint directorate, both institutions work for a common goal – to preserve the unique biodiversity of southwestern Primorye. And, of course, the rarest large cat on the planet - the Far Eastern leopard.
Plant world of the reserve
In the "Cedar Padi" there are 940 species of vascular plants, 283 species of freshwater algae and 179 species of mosses. This makes up almost half of the entire flora of Primorye and Amur Region: such species diversity is unparalleled in the entire Far East of Russia. The entire territory of the reserve is covered with vegetation, while 70% of the Cedar Padi is a relic forest.
The wildlife of the reserve
From the very beginning of its existence, Cedar Pad was an untouchable home for two Red Book cats – the Far Eastern leopard and the Amur tiger. There are smaller cats in the reserve: a Far Eastern forest cat hunts for small rodents and birds.
On the slopes of the hills roams the Himalayan bear, also known as the “white breast”. A beautiful treefish, he arranges his nests in the hollows of living trees and drystands.
There are other predators in the "Cedar Padi": harza, ordinary fox, raccoon dog, Asian badger.
The richest vegetation of the "Cedar Padi" makes it a wonderful home for herbivores. Several species of ungulates live on the territory of the reserve: spotted deer, boar, roe deer.
The world of birds is even more diverse in the reserve. There are about 200 species of birds that amaze with a variety of sizes and plumages.
