Wildlife
Stolby area, located between the Mana and Bazikha Rivers, represents a well-preserved segment of Central Siberian taiga with all the typical species for the region. There are two major types of forest cover represented in the zapovednik. At lower altitudes grow broadleaved and larch forests with fragments of steppes on the southern slopes. With increased altitude the areas become covered with dark-taiga forests, typical of mountainous areas. Vegetation belts are clearly distinguished. Despite the fact that the area was heavily affected by felling and frequent forest fires in the past, the flora is varied. Many species, which are rare elsewhere, are common and their populations thrive. For instance, there are rare orchids such asCalypso orchid (Calypso bulbosa),Large-flowered Cypripedium (Cypripedium macranthum), Military Orchid (Orchis militaris), Neottianthe cucullata and others. From 770 vascular plants and 257 species of mosses of which, 114 are considered rare, endemic or endangered in Central Siberia or elsewhere.
The fauna of the zapovednik is also varied owing to the unique overlap of species, from the Altai-Sayan mountain system, forest steppes of the Krasnoyarsk valley and Siberian taiga. Large mammals in the zapovednik include the Brown Bear (Ursus arctos), the Siberian Musk Deer (Moshus moschiferus), Siberian Roe Deer (Capreolus pygargus) and Red Deer, also known as maral (Cervus elaphus maral) of which in the 1970s almost 500 were recorded. In the 1980s, several wolves wandered into the zapovednik, creating a small but stable population. Since then a significant decrease in the number of marals was observed with their current population estimated to be 100 – 120. In the 1950s, Siberian sable was successfully reintroduced. The zapovednik has a rich bird-list (199 species), therefore making it a potential future bird-watching destination.
The zapovednik had its own wildlife rehabilitation centre created in the 1960s by Elena Krutovskaya and James Dulkeit, both dedicated conservationists who tremendously helped the zapovednik. Unfortunately, the centre, which helped raise many wounded and orphaned animals from the Siberian taiga, was closed due to lack of funding.
Things to do
Zapovednik Stolby is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Krasnoyarsk region. The special tourist-recreational zone of the zapovednik is open all year round. However, it is advisable to come in spring or early autumn to avoid crowds. Visitors can use a number of trails and facilities (including a campsite and visitor-centre) inside the zone. A great way to explore Stolby and enjoy its special beauty is to hike along the existing trails at one’s own pace. However, the zapovednik’s administration offers a host of guided excursions as well as other tourist services.
At the main entry point (near the road to the zapovednik) a small wooden chapel of St. Innokenti can be visited. It was built in 1998 to commemorate the deceased ‘stolbists’ (rock climbers) and alpinists in the area. There are several special events and festivities related to the stolbism movement regularly taking place in the zapovednik. They include: Opening of Stolby (3rd weekend in June); The Veteran Day of Stolbists (3rd Sunday in July) and the Day of Rock Climbers (3rd weekend in September). Moreover, there are a number of competitions in alpinism and freestyle rock climbing, including: Winter Stolby Festival (5 – 9 January), Annual Competition in Memory of Brothers Abalakovych (late June) and in Memory of V. Teplych – part of the Day of rock climbers (3rd weekend in September).
Conservation issues
To cope with the challenging situation of catering for both tourism and strict conservation, the zapovednik has been divided into three separate zones with different regimes of nature conservation. Unlike other Russian zapovedniks, Stolby has a special recreational zone allowing open access to visitors. It includes the majority of the famous rock pillars and hence is the most attractive part for tourists and rock climbers. This part of the zapovednik operates in a regime similar to that of a national park. However, this zone is very small (only 1,410 ha of the reserve’s territory), which effectively means that in the main season the trails and other nature reserve’s visitor facilities become crowded. On the other hand, the major part (core zone) of the zapovednik (42,484 ha) is under strict protection. In other words, most of the reserve’s territory is out of bounds for all visitors. Only research activities take place in the zone. The core zone is surrounded by a buffer zone (3,260 ha) regulated by a similarly strict regime of conservation. For access to the buffer zone a special permit issued by the zapovednik’s administration is required. See also Instruction and rules section for further details.
Information for visitors
There are several guidebooks and maps of the zapovednik available at the zapovednik’s visitor centre and in many bookshops in Krasnoyarsk. Visitors are advised to read the Visitors safety section on our webpage as well as getting an updated weather forecast before starting the trip. We kindly ask all visitors to adhere to the zapovednik’s regulations and follow the instructions provided by the protected area staff to minimize the negative impact on the local environment. More detailed information about the Zapovednik Stolby and stolbism (rock climbing) movement is available at the site of the Friends of Stolby: www.stolby.ru
There are plenty of accommodation facilities of various categories in the city of Krasnoyarsk and around the reserve. The reserve can be reached by public transport from Krasnoyarsk. There are a number of ranger’s posts in and around the edge of the reserve, providing limited accommodation and tourist services. The largest called Narym is located near the First Pillar; it includes a camp-ground and other useful facilities.
Zapovednik Stolby Administration
660006, Krasnoyarsk, Karyernaya 26a (street),
Tel./fax: 7 3912 611710 or tel. 7 3912 698667
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