NATIONAL NATURAL PARKS and RESERVES

            Natural complexes
 There is a number of unique natural complexes of republican value on the territory of Northern Kazakhstan. This uniqueness was repeatedly marked by the local military officials of 19th century serving in the fortresses of “The Gorkaya line”. So in the historical information of colonel, dated on July 18, 1881 it is written that: «this district is presented by all blessings of the nature: huge, partially front coniferous woods, an abundance of river and lake fishing waters, vast meadows with infinite pastures for cattle, it represents one of the largest economic riches of the Peter and Paul district».
Shalkarsky and Ajyrtausky regional branches of the state national natural park "Kokshetau" are located on Ajyrtausky administrative area of the North Kazakhstan region. These specially protected territories are intended for the preservation of unique natural complexes, monuments of history and culture, rare disappearing and especially valuable fauna and flora species of Northern Kazakhstan. This territory concerns forest-steppe and steppe climatic zones. The climate is sharply continental, with hot summer and severe winter of little snow. The presence of various ecosystems defines the variety animal species. There are about 160 kinds of mammals and about 200 kinds of birds that promote the development of ecological tourism. 

The Imantau natural zone
The majority of the relief types inherent in the Kokshetau Upland is presented on the small area: low mountains, low hills and a plain, lake and river terraces. The Imantau recreational zone represents the natural oasis stretched from the north to the south for 70 km, from the east to the west for 65 km. Its basis is made by mountains and forests with reservoirs and Imantau Lake which is considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the region. Woods in a combination with lakes create a special microclimate. Elks, roe deer, badgers, foxes, squirrels, black grouses, partridges and another animal species live there. Such nature sanctuaries as “The Kettle Hills” and “Obozreniye”, “Cossack island”, “Byjan gorge” attract local residents and people resting there by their unique beauty. Lake Imantau coasts are a favorite resting place of "wild tourists». Small towns of color tents grow there in summer. An access to the lake is simple; the transport network of roads connects the resting zone with Chistopole village, and leads further to Yesil, Turgay and Volodarovsky villages, and to the cities of Kustanai, Chelyabinsk, Kokshetau, Omsk, Tyumen and Novosibirsk. The Imantau resting zone is administered by Arykbalyksky regional branch of state national natural park " Kokshetau ". 

The Shalkar natural zone 
The Shalkar recreational natural zone is characterized by its middle mountainous relief. The lake Shalkar, which water surface area is 3241 hectares. It is surrounded by the mixed and pine wood and has a horseshoe-like form. There is healing clay in the southern part of the lake. The water is salty, pure enough, its depth is up to 10 meters, on its contents the water corresponds to the Black sea water; it is used for skin diseases treatment. Beach zones are sandy, partially stony. «The mountain of Dreams» is a picturesque sanctuary. Ayyrtavchik and Gluchoye Lakes, surrounded by the set of legends, stretched near to Shalkar Lake. Fans of fishing have possibility to fish a perch, an ide, a carp, a crucian, a ripus, and a bream all year long. Lakes are divided by «Two brothers» mountain, of 500 meters height. The slopes of the mountains are covered by coniferous wood; there are some rock outs of granite breeds on the tops.

Silver Wood
In questions of an origin of steppe pine forests in Northern Kazakhstan the majority of scientists adhere to that point of view according to which these pine forests are the rests of the extensive woods communicated with woods of the Urals and the Altai. The Silver Wood, located in Kyzylzharsky administrative area near Bolshaya Malyshka Village, occupies the territory of 243 hectares. More than the half of trees is about100 years old. The pine forest is surrounded by a ring of silver birches. That is why it is called a “silver wood”.
A number of years the pine was used as a building material for various constructions. The first villages that appeared in this area were: Dolmatovo, Krasnojarka, Sokolovka, and Vagulino. But even that time there were the officials understanding the uniqueness of the local natural landscapes and consequently they forbade cutting down of pine wood. Thanks to these efforts it is possible to observe the unique Silver Wood today. Now it is a small part of the ancient pine forest occupying earlier a prevailing part of the Ishim River floodplain terraces. The nature of the pine forest is unique. You can find different northern and southern kinds of berries there: a cowberry, a strawberry, a stone brambleberry. The moss and lichens adjoin with valerian and anemone there.

Relic pine forest “Zhanazhol”
The pine forest “Zhanazhol” borrows small territory - 16 hectares and is localized on ancient lakeda terrace in Zhambyl administrative area in 3-4 km from village Zhanazhol. Places the pine forest goes down on a bias to lake. Natural plantings of a pine which separate copies have 200-years age draw attention. Here it is possible to meet various kinds of mosses and lichens, fern orlyak and medicinal kupena. The tract is under protection of forest area Chernolesye, but is not protected. Though the unique pine forest represents greater scientific value and demands appropriate protection.

Sogrovsky zakaznik
Zakaznik it is created in 1968. The area of Sogrovsky zakaznik is 134 thousand hectares. The western border passes on the river Ishim on distance of 45 km., northern - on border with the Tyumen area. Value of zakaznik consists that it is located in a valley of the river Ishim that enables to keep the rich world woods over water meadows with their rare and disappearing kinds. Between villages Krasnojarkoj and Dolmatovo the unique natural boundaries of coastal undermining presented by steep breakages of the right coast of the river Ishim, and towering by places above a water level in the river on 40-50 meters are observed. These natural boundaries are characteristic only for this site of the river located to the north from of Petropavlovsk. High coastal slopes alternate with significant enough on extent flat grivnas. These natural boundaries are remarkable in the respect that some of them are unique geological cuts in which sedimentary thicknesses are naked, on which scientists study continental paleogen and neogen adjournment. River landscapes represent contrast landscapes of thrickets of willow-bed and the birch oak groves growing at tops of manes, and also “urem woods?”, a consisting from silvery and black poplar, a bird cherry, a willow and a dogrose. Urem woods of Zakaznik are the real jungle of the Northern Kazakhstan. Grasses here reach the huge sizes up to 3 meters of height. The abundance of water promotes violence of vegetation. Places meet the deep ravines leaving to Ishim, a unique place in Northern Kazakhstan where 3 kinds of an orchid brought in the Red Book of protection of nature grow, so-called “veneriny bashmachki”.

Sergeev reservoir
There is a reserve “Sardonik” in territory of area named after Shal akyn. It is located in 40 km from an administrative centre of area Sergeevka.
The card of Sergeevka is hydrounit. The water basin was stretched along the river Ishim on 100 km. From a Sergeevka up to Kupriyanovka. The area of a water mirror - 117 sq km, the maximal depth is 20 m. Here are available remarkable opportunities for development of water kinds of tourism and beach rest. The area named after Shal akyn is located in a forest-steppe zone. Inflows of Ishim are picturesque small rivers Iman Burluk, Baganaty and Shudosai. In this territory it is totaled more than 100 small lakes. The lake Small Torangul and lake Kozlovskoe is famous for greater stocks of fishes. In cultural-cognitive plan museums of known writer Zejnel-Gabi Imanbaeva, akyns Akhmetzhan Nurtazin and Yermek Konarbayev, survey of barrows of archeologic monument Bekteniz, Sergeevvsky hydrounit, the Alder grove where in small territory rare plants for area grow, including an alder black are of interest. The area is the native land of four Kazakh academicians: Yevney Buketov, Amanzhol Koshanov, Kazis Tashenov and Myrzatai Sergaliev; cosmonaut Alexander Viktorenko.