Visimsky Nature Reserve

The Visimsky Reserve protects mountain southern-taiga forests on the western slope of the Middle Urals, in the upper reaches of the Chusovaya tributaries — the Sulyom, Darya and Shishim. Established in 1946, abolished in 1951 and recreated in 1971, it now covers 33,500 hectares, with the buffer zone bringing the total to nearly 80,000. Since 2001 it has been part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The core value is reference old-growth taiga: about 87 percent of the territory is forested, including primeval forest patches and all stages of post-fire and post-windfall recovery. Around 400 vascular plant species, 635 fungi taxa, 181 bird species and 48 mammal species are recorded. The highest point is Mount Bolshoy Sutuk (699 m), and the Europe–Asia boundary crosses the territory. When the reserve was recreated in 1971, a proposal was made to name it 'Maminsky' after the writer Dmitry Mamin-Sibiryak, a native of these parts; the name of the village of Visim was kept. Today the writer's house-museum operates near the protected area, and with the reserve administration's approval visitors can tour designated sections and climb the viewpoints by Bolshoy Sutuk.