Nalychevskye thermal hot springs.
Nalychevsky Nature Park Photographed by N.Kraev, E.Lobkov, A.Nechaev.
Text by V.Menshikov.

 

Nalychevo Nature Park - established on August 18,1995 by Governor Vladimir A Biryukov, it became the first state conservation recreational site established on on the Kamchatka Region. On December 6,1996, the park was included on the World Heritage List. Park's land size - 309320 ha. It contains many unique and fragile natural sites which were in need of protection.

 

Steller's Sea Eagle.The area has a complex geological construction and interesting history of volcano magma and hydrothermal activity. It is comprised of the valley of Nalychevo River which flows out to the Pacific Ocean and surrounding ancient, mostly extinct volcanoes. The 4 the highest active volcanoes are Koryaksky (3456m above sea level) which last eruption in 1956, Zhupanovsky (2927m), last eruption in 1957, Avachinsky (2741m), erupted in 1991, and Dzendzur (2285m), historical eruptions are not recorded but fumarole activity is registered. At the upper reaches of Nalychevo River on land of 40km2 some thermal and mineral springs are concentrated (temperature 14 - 75C and total debit- up to 200 l/sec). Of these the best known are Nalychevskie, Talovye, Shaibnye, Kraevedcheskie, Dzendzurskie, and Shumskie. Here cold mineral springs are also found - Aagskie, and Koryakskie. Nalychevskie, the biggest of these springs, releases more than 50 Iiters of water per second. The name Nalychevski refers to a very rare type of "carbonaceous, arsenious, boracic, concentrated by a number ofmicrocomponents". These deposits are unique in the world.

 

The park has scenic mountain, tundra and sea landscapes. Combination of present volcanic and ancient glacial landscapes, specific microclimatic conditions of the valley of Nalychevo River condition the richness and diversity of flora and fauna, most species are presented in the Red Book Periodic volcano eruptions lead to the death of vegetation on sizable areas, therefore it is possible to study here the process of rehabilitation of plants on lava fields and lava flows of different age Vegetation that appear on hydro-thermal changed soils near hot mineralized springs has a special interest for research Erman Birch (stone) forests in the vicinities of hot springs are unique because of high non-typical for Kamchatka grassy layer of rare species of Orchid family including wonderful lady's slipper.

 

Salmon spawning place.Geographical location of the park is optimal for recreation use South boundary of the park is in 10-15km from the community Petropavlovsk-Yelizovo and coincides with a green boundary of these cities. It takes 20-25 min to get to the park's center by helicopter Park's area is the most well-known and accessible place for many inhabitants of the peninsula. Each year thousands of pupils and tourists make foot and ski tours to the scenic place of rest and cure at Nalychevo hot springs. There is a trail from Pinachevo village to the park's central part, its length is 44 km.

Special regime of nature use and conservation is settled in the Nalychevo Nature Park. Therefore, any activity on its area can be carried out only with permission of the Kamchatka Nature Parks Directorate.

Fauna is presented by 33 species of mammals. The biggest are bear, deer and snow sheep. Nalychevo River valley is a place of bear season concentration in the period of salmon spawning and berry season. Volcano slopes and Nalychevo Cape rocks are the habitats of bighorn sheep. List of birds numbers nearly 145 species (including 90 nest birds). Specially protected are brant goose, Steller's sea eagle, white-tailed eagle, gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon, and golden eagle. Five species of Pacific salmon spawn in Nalychevo River and its tributaries. Rare species of char salmon and Kamchatka mikizha can be seen here.


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