Povorinskiy District: Khoper, Lake Ilmen and wetlands

In Povorinskiy District, river landscapes, forests and wetlands meet historic buildings. The “Peskovskiy” Nature Reserve includes a 23.8-kilometer stretch of the Khoper, along with its water protection zone. It extends along both banks of the river and includes a section of forest managed by the Peskovskoye forestry enterprise. The description of the reserve therefore brings together river, banks and forest within a clearly defined natural area.

Forests, river and wetlands

Forests cover 90 percent of the “Peskovskiy” Nature Reserve. The rest consists of clearings, meadows, marshes, logged areas and bodies of water. This mix of wooded and open habitats defines the character of the reserve. Lake Ilmen borders it to the west; the lake’s shores are densely overgrown with sedges and reeds.

Many waterbird species live in Lake Ilmen, including swans and herons. The lake is also considered rich in fish. Its shoreline vegetation, waterbirds and abundance of fish give the lake its own natural character within the district’s landscape.

The Deryuzhkino bog is also located in Povorinskiy District. It is a raised bog, a type of wetland that is very rare in Voronezh Oblast. The bog adds a distinctive type of wetland to the river and forest landscapes.

A historic site in the district

The Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God stands in Samodurovka. It was built and consecrated in 1827. The year of its construction and consecration adds a specific historical note to the district’s natural features: the area is not only about river, forest and bog, but also includes a place with a clearly documented history.

More nature destinations in Voronezh Oblast

The “Khoperskiy” Nature Reserve also showcases the variety of landscapes in Voronezh Oblast. Its distinctive features include the floodplains of the Khoper and its tributary, the Karachan, as well as the Sukhoi Karachan and Alferovka ravines. These landscape features belong to the reserve and offer a regional complement to the natural attractions of Povorinskiy District.

The Khopyor Nature Reserve in Voronezh Oblast offers a choice of different tours. The “Legendy Khopra” walking tour is five kilometers long and takes three hours; the walking route is closed during spring floods. The “Tur de Khopyor” cycling tour is 26 kilometers long and takes four hours. The distance, mode of travel and stated duration make it easy to compare the two tours.

The Natural History Museum in the Khopyor Nature Reserve uses two halls to showcase the reserve’s wildlife and their habitats. Exhibits include beavers, Russian desmans, aquatic and predatory birds, as well as wild boar, moose, fallow deer and red deer. There is also a large relief map of the reserve. Check the museum’s visiting arrangements before your visit.

A different landscape characterizes the “Divnogorye” Museum-Reserve in Voronezh Oblast: chalk landscapes with cliffs on steep slopes and large, ridge-like chalk ravines. The Divnogorskiy Canyon is about one kilometer long and up to 200 meters wide. The same museum-reserve also includes six religious caves and cave complexes carved into the chalk massif on the right bank of the Tikhaya Sosna and Don rivers, extending for about 8.5 kilometers.

Discover more destinations: Novousmanskiy District, Anninskiy District, Bobrovskiy District, Novousmansky District, Verkhnekhavskiy District, Bogucharskiy District, Ramonskiy District, Voronezh.

For the broader travel overview: Voronezh Oblast.