Čepkeliai Marsh
Čepkeliai Marsh | |
---|---|
Location | Varėna District Municipality, Lithuania |
Coordinates | 54°0′N 24°31′E / 54.000°N 24.517°ECoordinates: 54°0′N 24°31′E / 54.000°N 24.517°E |
Area | 11,212 ha (27,710 acres) |
Official name | Čepkeliai mire |
Designated | 20 August 1993 |
Reference no. | 625[1] |
Official name | Kotra |
Designated | 21 October 2002 |
Reference no. | 1216[2] |
The Čepkeliai Marsh (Lithuanian: Čepkelių raistas) is the largest bog (a mire) in Lithuania. Located in Varėna District Municipality, south of Marcinkonys village and north of Kotra River, which flows along the Belarus–Lithuania border in this area.
The area of the swamp is protected as a natural reserve and part of the cross-border wetlands of international importance: Kotra Ramsar site.[2] and Čepkeliai Ramsar site.[1]
The bog itself covers an area of 5,858 hectares (14,480 acres), while the larger area of 11,212 hectares (27,710 acres) which also includes some neighboring sections of the Dainava Forest is declared as the Čepkeliai Nature Reserve. It was created in 1975, and is protected since 1960 (firstly as a botanical-zoological sanctuary).[3]
Most of Čepkeliai is a raised bog while there are some smaller areas of a fen and flooded forests. There are some small relict lakes the largest of them is the . A peat stratum is of 5–6 meters of thickness.[4]
It grows a lot of cranberries, wild rosemaries, heather. The reserve is a sanctuary for cranes, white-tailed eagles, black grouses, heather cocks, mountain hares, martens, smooth snakes.[3]
The Čepkeliai Marsh is closed for visiting, except from one watching tower and an informational track south to Marcinkonys village.
Gallery[]
A heath in Čepkeliai
Informational track
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Cepkeliai mire". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Kotra". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Paltanavičius, Selemonas (2001–2015). "Čepkelių rezervatas". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas. Retrieved 2021-04-26.CS1 maint: date format (link)
- ^ Kunskas, Rimvydas (2001–2015). "Čepkelių raistas". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas. Retrieved 2021-04-26.CS1 maint: date format (link)
External links[]
- Čepkeliai-Dzūkijos PAN Park: Čepkeliai, visited 21.01.2015
- Wetlands of Lithuania
- Ramsar sites in Lithuania
- Varėna District Municipality
- Lithuania geography stubs