Meshchyorsky National Park
Meshchersky is a national park founded in 1992 in order to preserve the unique natural, historically cultural complexes of Meshcher lowland, their use for scientific and environmental purposes. Its area is 1050 km2. The national park is located in the following two districts of the Ryazan region: Ryazan, Klepikovsky.
The park has more than 120 villages with a total of approximately 10,000 inhabitants and the city of Spas Klepiki with a population of approximately 7,000 inhabitants. This national park is located in the southern part of the central part of the Meshcher region. From the northern part, the park is adjacent to the national park of Meshcher in the Vladimir region, the southwestern interval is the Central Russian Upland, from the south side - the Oksko-Don Plain and in the east - the Oksko-Tsninsk Plateau.
Approximately 30% of the park’s area is the field where local residents graze cattle and collect berries. More recently, logging and peat mining were carried out here in industrial scales. The central part of this park is the Oka River Basin and the main water artery of the Pra River. Its main tributaries are Sovka, Belaya, Vozha, Urazh and Kad. The length of the Pra River is 162 km, and the basin area is more than 2400 km2. Lanshaft of Meshcher Park abounds with lakes and swamps, most of which are unique natural monuments. Among which are: lakes Beloe, Seleznevskoye, Ivanovo, Urcevo, Martynovskoye, Sokarevo, Komgar, Belenky, Negar.
Soft and broadleaved forests predominate in Meshcher Park. About 850 types of higher vascular plants grow on the lands of the park. The richest types of families are complex, cereal, special, legumes, pink, cross-colored, cloves, Norichnik and butter, sponge-colored. The following species of flora predominate - herbaceous plants.
The park has approximately 46 types of rare plants: a bristly, water nut, sword grass, and the thinnest caulium. Swamps in Meshcher Park are often represented by huge massifs, where various types of swamps are combined. They are mainly associated with a whole group of rather rare types of plants and animals. The species composition of vertebrate animals in this park is huge: there are Russian exhuholi, black storks, white-tailed eagles. Approximately 50 species of mammals that are found in this park are protected based on the decision of the regional authorities.
There are many historical, architectural, cultural monuments in Meshcher National Park. The list of architectural monuments includes the following: the Renewal Church, the Assumption and Pokrovskaya Churches, the Nicholas and Preobrazhen Church. On the Ryazan Meshchery Square there is 21 archaeological sites - settlements, parking lots, mounds and villages.
A huge number of lakes, rivers, forests are attracted to the fleet of fishermen, tourists, lovers of hunting for game. About 5,000 people visit the park during the year.
