RESERVES

RESERVES, state natural, category of specially protected natural areas, within which the natural complexes and sites are completely withdrawn from commercial utilization. R. is declared to be a territory with a landscape, typical or valuable for a given geographical zone, and intended for preservation of natural diversity, gene pool of plants and animals, unique objects of inanimate nature and may be accepted as a benchmark landscape. The first R., organized in the territory of Bashkortostan was called Bashkirsky. Such R. as Bashkirsky, Shulgan-Tash, South Ural with a total area of 325 thous. ha (2006) operate in the Republic.