The Setun's River Valley nature reserve (696.05 ha) is the largest “Green Isle” within the city. As compared to a great number of other natural-historic parks of Moscow of compact area, the Setun's River Valley nature reserve stretches along the river bed and “closed” with residential and industrial buildings from both sides.
The plant and animal life of the nature reserve located almost in the very heart of the metropolis is amazingly diverse. Birch, oak, lime and even pine plots of forests growing on steep and smooth slopes of the river valley interchange with bywater complexes of willow-shrub and grey alder groves; shore meadows and bushes surrounding spring water discharges interchange with turf fens. The present flora of the nature reserve comprises 384 species of vascular plants, 47 of which are rare for Moscow. There may be May lilies, small bur reed, cowslip paigle, bellflowers, orchids and other plants of the endangered species seen blooming in the forest areas and on meadows or the least weasel and ermine encountered in the Setun River bottom. There may be the Eurasian water shrew and musk beaver seen in the water bodies. 41 vertebrata species inhabiting the nature reserve are rare for Moscow. There are 5 species of amphibians, 69 species of birds and 18 species of mammals registered in total in the river valley. There are 62 species of birds nesting in the nature reserve.
There are valuable historical and cultural objects located in the nature reserve amidst the splendor of flora and fauna: archaeological sites, remnants of ancient settlements and burials, namely the ancient Matveevskoe settlement that existed in the pre-Mongolian period with the preserved hill burial ground and the Davydkovskiy burial discovered in the course of the quarry development on the left bank of the Setun River.
Improvement and Protection
No natural area can exist independently in the urban environment, but all such areas need a care and protection. It is important to create and develop a recreational and environmental educational infrastructure of areas balancing it with spots of wildlife. There should be means of showing them to people found with a minimized negative impact of a high recreational load. Presently, there is much attention paid to the area appearance and to compliance with the environmental laws and special protection duties.
No natural area can exist independently in the urban environment but all such areas need a care and protection. It is important to create and develop a recreational and environmental educational infrastructure of areas balancing it with spots of wildlife. There should be means of showing them to people found with a minimized negative impact of a high recreational load. Presently there is much attention paid to the area appearance and to compliance with the environmental laws and special protection duties.
The management of the State Budgetary Environmental Protection Institution Administration of Specially Protected Natural Areas for the Western Administrative District carries out a set of land improvement activities. Such land improvement activities include parking and alley development, arrangement of lawns and flower gardens, paths, children’s playgrounds, recreational areas, arrangement of ecological paths. The land improvement department is engaged in the daily supervision over all areas of the Western Administrative District and monitors their condition.
Picnic points and recreational areas in the Setun's River Valley Nature Reserve:
- Picnic and recreational area (36, Kremenchugskaya Street);
- Matveevskiy Les picnic area (10, Starovolynskaya Street);
- Picnic area and children’s playground (intersection of Dorgobuzhskaya and Ryabinovaya Streets);
- Children’s playground (16, Pyryeva Street).
Environmental Education
For the purpose of making people aware of rules of behavior in the Specially Protected Natural Areas the department of science, monitoring, biological diversity and environmental education of the State Budgetary Environmental Protection Institution Administration of Specially Protected Natural Areas for the Western Administrative District carries out a dynamic educational work with school pupils, foster children and visitors of the social service centers and children’s craft centers of the Western Administrative District. There are informative signs with rules of behavior in the Specially Protected Natural Areas installed in each area specifically for visitors of the parks. In addition, such sings list the telephone numbers of services which can be contacted by any citizen in case of illegal actions by other visitors.
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