Bashkirian Urals

In 1996, the territory was nominated for inclusion onto the World Natural Heritage List under "natural" criteria. In 1998, upon the decision of the World Heritage Committee Session, the site was declined inscription as it was not asknowledged as a unique natural area. Presently, preparation of submission documentation for the nomination of the Bashkirian Urals under the criteria of a "cultural landscape" is in process.

This is a uniquely preserved territory in an old, heavily industrialized region of the Urals. A narrow belt of settlements along the Belaya River is the only human disturbance to 150,000 ha of integral natural landscapes. Interaction between humans and nature has been balanced and harmless here since ancient times. For many centuries, the traditional use of natural resources remained the basis of life and economics for the local people. First, this area is a unique natural and cultural complex on a world scale, in which an ancient traditional way of making honey through wild bee farming ("bortnichestvo") is still maintained. This method of making honey is over 1,500 years old. The last populations of Russian wild bee species also survived here.

The area retains the traces of the presence of many ancient tribes. The Kapova Cave serves as an important symbol of the Shulgan-Tash Nature Preserve. The Cave is famous for its Palaeolithic rock paintings dating back 14,500 years. These paintings are the oldest known in all of Eastern Europe.

The heterogeneity of the geological structure of the area resulted in the emergence of diverse and picturesque relief forms. Giant cave systems, underground rivers, grottos, beautiful canyons and waterfalls are manifestations of natural karst processes on the limestone plateau. The Bashkirian National Park alone accounts for 21 caves, including the largest cave in the Urals, Sumgan, which penetrates 120 m vertically into the ground and has passages up to 10 km long.

The location of the "Bashkirian Urals" on the boarder zone of 4 biogeographical provinces has resulted in a vast biodiversity. Boreal coniferous forests, broadleaf forests and steppes form close inter-relationships in the locality. Over 800 flowering plant species, including 117 rare, endemic and relic species are noted here. Protected areas provide habitat for over 60 mammalian species (among them are the brown bear, elk, wolf, lynx and beaver), 11 amphibian species and around 30 fish species. There are 150 bird species in the area and 3 of them - the imperial eagle, peregrine falcon and white-tailed sea eagle - are on the verge of extinction worldwide. Many plant and animal species here are reaching the extreme limits of their habitats.

Contrary to the Republican and Federal laws, illegal construction of the Umaguzinsky water reservoir without a positive conclusion of a Federal Ecological Assessment Committee is taking place in the National Park "Bashkiria".

By early November 1999 somewhat 200 ha of unique broadleaved forests were cut down within the grounds of the National Park. The construction activities were initiated on the basis of a Provision of the Cabinet of Ministers of Bashkortostan in December of 1998. Prescriptions of Goskopmekology on termination of the illegal reservoir construction activities and of their financing have not been fulfilled and the activities have continued. Moreover, in August of 1999 the Cabinet of Ministers of Bashkortostan has adopted a law-breaking provision on alteration of the National Park boundaries so that construction would be taking place outside the National Park.

Construction of the water reservoir is supervised personally by President of Bashkortostan M. G. Rakhimov.