Press releases

MINSK, 19 April (BelTA) - Another three specially protected natural territories in Belarus received the international status, Natalia Minchenko, the head of the biological and landscape diversity department at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, told a press conference, BelTA has learned.

“Three more Belarusian specially protected natural territories gained the international status. These are the reserves Drozbitka-Svina, Iput River Floodplain and Dikoe Fen Mire (located in the National Park Belovezhskaya Pushcha). They have been included in the World List of Wetlands of International Importance. At the moment 23 territories in Belarus have this status. This increases the attractiveness of our country for tourists,” Natalia Minchenko noted.

The reserves that are already on the list of wetlands of international importance include Sporovsky (the habitat of aquatic warbler), the venue for the European Scything Championship; Zvanets, Europe's largest lowland with mineral islands of extraordinary beauty; Yelnya, one of the biggest arrays of ancient glacial lakes and bogs in Central and Western Europe; and Middle Pripyat.

As of 1 April 2016 the system of especially protected natural territories of Belarus included 1,275 sites, including 1 wildlife sanctuary, 4 national parks, 98 reserves of national importance, 275 reserves of local importance, 329 natural monuments of national importance and 568 natural monuments of local importance. The biggest ecological tourism sites feature Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Braslav Lakes, the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, the National Parks Naroch and Pripyatsky.