History of the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve
Berezinsky nature reserve was established in 1925 when a solitary population of beaver, thought to be extinct in Belarus was discovered by Professor A.V. Fediushin. A decree was issued by the Council of People’s Commissars for the purpose of protecting, and increasing numbers of wild animals and game birds, especially beaver, making this the first state game reserve in the Belarussian Soviet Socialist Republic.
The area had suffered during the war period (1914–1921) as reduction of the forests lead to the sharp decline in the numbers of wild animals. Elk, wild boar, red deer, roe deer, bear, otter, pine marten, capercaillie and black grouse had all become very rare.
The decree banned any hunting activity all year long except where special authorization was given for scientific purposes. Tree cutting was stopped except for the necessary removal of dead wood, and timber floating on the rivers was forbidden in order to enact proper protection of the territory. Provisions were made to «allot and re-locate from the territory of the reserve such inhabitants of the villages and farms which were situated in placed detrimental to the reserve or did not answer to the purposes of the reserve».
At this time the reserve covered an area of approximately 48,000 hectares, bordered by the existing roads, and included two forestry areas, Velikorechsky and Berezinsky. In 1928 the first forests were planted in the areas of recently vacated hamlets. Scientific research work started, along with the creation of a beaver farm and elk nursery, and a museum was built. This, along with the protection offered by the decree led to an increase in the numbers of many species of animals, particularly beaver, elk and wild boar. The beaver population was so successful that animals from Berezinsky were also re-introduced into many other regions of the country.
During the war period from 1941 to 1945, the reserve suffered under the Nazi occupation. The scientific materials and the buildings were destroyed along with the beaver farm, elk nursery, museum and collections. The reserve became a base for numerous partisan regiments, the forests the scenes of their battles with the Nazis.
After the liberation of Belarus in July 1944, the Government of the Republic passed a special decree for the reserve to resume its activities. The residential and administrative buildings destroyed by the Nazis were hastily rebuilt, protection of the territories was renewed, a census of the wild animals taken and a new beaver farm and elk nursery were begun. The Scientific Department was started anew, and one of the tasks was to develop principles of beaver breeding in cages that could also be used for other animals.
Disaster for the animal populations struck in 1951 when the Berezinsky Reserve was liquidated. A republican game reserve was organized on its territory, and the forests underwent intense exploitation resulting in a decrease of the numbers of animals. However, in 1958, the reserve was renewed with its former boundaries by a Decree of the Council of Ministers of BSSR. Scientists from the National Academy of Sciences carried out zoological and forestry-botanical research and inventories in the decade following the re-instatement of the reserve.
In 1965 the total area of the reserve was increased to 76.2 thousand hectares following acquisition of the land of two collective farms within the boundary. Four years later in 1969, Berezinsky became directly accountable to the USSR’s Main Directorate of Nature Protection as having all Union importance.
In 1979 Berezinsky was awarded the status of biosphere reserve, and in 1995 it was awarded the Diploma of the Council of Europe, which was subsequently renewed in 2000 and 2005.
Today the reserve is a fully fledged nature protecting scientific research establishment.