Forests occupy more than 40% of Bashkir territory. In the Cis-Ural region, they are mixed forests, and in the western mountain foothills it is pine-leafed and birch tree forests, and also dark boreal taiga. In the Cis-Ural regions there are widespread forest-steppe with birch and oak forests rich in herb grasslands.
Flora of the Bashkir region accounts for more than 1700 types of wild-growing plants. Out of those, 250 types of medicinal herbs are used in scientific medicine and 100 in homeopathy. - "Medicinal plants and their uses" professor E.B. Kucherov 1993. There are 247 types of known medicinal plants. - "Honey-bearing plants of Bashkir region", E.B. Kucherov Moscow, Science 1980. Ecologically clean nature of Bashkir region is associated with rich vegetation, large territory and small population. In the comparative chart, you can review population density on the examples of three European countries.

Comparative chart

Bashkir Bee Honey is collected from ecologically clean regions of Bashkir. Ecologically clean regions are marked on the map which was developed by the Institute of Biology and Academy of Russian Science. Wildlife sanctuaries were established to preserve natural places in the Republic of Bashkortostan:

Map    South-Ural. Attention! The red line marks an ecologically clean zone in accordance with the researches carried out in the Academy of Sciences of Russia.

The winter is lengthy and cold; summer is warm, sometimes hot. A frost free period is 80-120 days and in some places it’s shortened to 60days. On some years in the lower reliefs frost can stay all summer months. Snow cover in the first part of winter can go up to 30-40cm and in the second part doubles. Rarely, in separate sheltered areas, the height of snow cover can reach 1.5-2m. The average temperature during the year is 1.5-2°C degrees lower than the average temperature in the republic. Herbaceous flora in the sanctuary account for more than a 1000 types of plants, among which are rare, epibiotic plants.

Map    Bashkir sanctuary. Attention! The red line marks an ecologically clean zone in accordance with the researches carried out in the Academy of Sciences of Russia.

The sanctuary is on a mountainside. Many hill tops are smoothed out, leveled and covered in foliage. Continuous slopes of mountainside forests change in the southern slope tops to mountain steppe with large and small meadows rich in wildlife. In both areas, this terrain has its special features. The sanctuary is located in the Atlantic-continental climate area temperature zone. Climate in the sanctuary differs by area but overall is harsh: cold temperatures drop down to -45°C. In the mountains, freezing temperatures can happen during the summer months. In this sanctuary grow approximately 700 types of grass, shrub and arboreous plants, thrive 51 species of mammals and 155 species of birds, 27 species of fish, 4 species of amphibians, and 6 species of reptiles. In the forests of the sanctuary can still be encountered a wild-hive Bashkir bee (Apis mellifera).

Map    Sulgan-Tash. Attention! The red line marks an ecologically clean zone in accordance with the researches carried out in the Academy of Sciences of Russia.

The sanctuary is located in the western mountain slopes of the South Ural region. The temperature in the middle of January is -16°C, June and July +16°C. The territory of this sanctuary contains the richest flora and fauna, which combines characteristics of broad-leaf forests and light-coniferous taiga. Oak woods are interlaced with pine and birch trees and parts of the forest have mountain steppe and grassland meadows. There are many mushroom verities (24 types), 110 types of moss, 18 types of ferns and 759 varieties of angiospermous plants. There are more than 60 species of mammals and no less than 204 species of birds, among which peregrines, Baltic storks, golden eagles, swans, snake eagles and arctic eagles are in the Red Book endangered-species list.

This national park is located in the south-western mountain slopes of the South Ural region, stretching from the dividing range of Ural-Tau in the south-eastern part of the Bashkir region. Total area of the park is 92,500 hectares with forest lands taking up 79,200 hectares. Vegetation cover of this territory is a mixed feature of steppe, broad-leaf forests, taiga, and mountain-meadow growth. The park flora reveals 15 types of rare and disappearing plants, included in Russia’s Red Book.

Map    National Park "Bashkiria". Attention! The red line marks an ecologically clean zone in accordance with the researches carried out in the Academy of Sciences of Russia.

National Park "Zyuratkul". The national park occupies the territory of 88,000 hectares. It stretches for 57km from north to south and 28km from east to west. The name Zyuratkul originates from the only lake, elevated 724m above sea level, in the mountain slopes of the South Ural region. Lake Zyuratkul is a real gem of this region, the unique natural feature. The territory of this park bears 15 natural monuments. Here live the largest forest animals of the Ural region, like bears and moose and also pine martens, red foxes and 150 species of birds. In the national park you can find relic plants of several geographical regions. On its territory grow approximately 650 species of plants, 70 of which are considered endangered and have been placed in the Red Book.

Map    National Park "Zyuratkul". Attention! The red line marks an ecologically clean zone in accordance with the researches carried out in the Academy of Sciences of Russia.

National park "Taganay". The area of the national park "Taganay" is 56,100 hectares. The territory of the park has more than 10 natural monuments, 190 species of birds and 40 species of mammals. There also grow more than 900 species of plants. The national park contains almost half (4 out of 9) species of plants found not only in Russia but in this latitude of the northern hemisphere, also 45 species of relic plants, 14 species found only in Ural and Cis-Ural regions, 20 which have been included into the Red Book of the former Soviet Union.

Map    National park "Taganay". Attention! The red line marks an ecologically clean zone in accordance with the researches carried out in the Academy of Sciences of Russia.

National Park "Altyn Solok". The total area is 93,600 hectares. National Park "Altyn Solok" was established for the gene pool protection of the wild Burzyan bee.

Map    National Park "Altyn Solok". Attention! The red line marks an ecologically clean zone in accordance with the researches carried out in the Academy of Sciences of Russia.

Government parks "Archangelsky", "Ishimbaysky", "Asebar". These wilderness conservation government parks had been created for the protection of rare animals and disappearing plants.

Map Government parks "Archangelsky", "Ishimbaysky", "Asebar". Attention! The red line marks an ecologically clean zone in accordance with the researches carried out in the Academy of Sciences of Russia.