Junipers in the Utrish Nature Reserve

There are three types of junipers growing in the reserve: Tall, Foul-smelling and Red. They differ in crown shape and size. The first two junipers are listed in the Red Book of Russia. In the Utrish Nature Reserve, these rare junipers grow on an area of 10 thousand hectares.  There are no juniper forests of this size in other parts of Russia.

The air in the Utrish Nature Reserve and its surroundings is filled with phytoncides. It is a biologically active substance, a natural antibiotic that plants secrete. Phytoncides destroy pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria. Deciduous forest on an area of 1 hectare daily releases 2 kilograms of phytoncides, coniferous forest – 5 kilograms. Juniper is an absolute record holder for the release of phytoncides. Per day, 1 hectare of juniper forest produces up to 30 kilograms of phytoncides, i.e. 6 times more than ordinary coniferous trees.

The tour of the Utrish Nature Reserve is conducted along a circular route to the Canyon, and then along the coast. During this tour, you can see all three types of juniper trees. The ecological trail begins near the largest juniper in the reserve, which is more than 700 years old. This is the only juniper in Russia of this age. In summer, the juniper forests of the Utrish Reserve are filled with the chirping of cicadas.

In one of the places, at the foot of the junipers, Dictamnus albus flowers grow, which is popularly called the Burning Bush. This name is due to that during the flowering period the plant secretes a large amount of essential oils. If you put a burning match to a flowering plant on a windless day, the plant will flare up like gunpowder. However, this fire will burn out quickly without damaging the plant itself.

The essential oils that the Dictamnus albus secretes during flowering are very dangerous for humans. If they get on the skin, then a day later severe burns in the form of blisters will appear in this place. It is even more dangerous to inhale these essential oils. During the flowering of the Dictamnus albus, all tourist routes in the Utrish Nature Reserve are closed to the public.