Virgin Komi Forests

The Virgin Komi Forests are a large expanse of largely undisturbed boreal and subarctic forest in the Komi Republic of north-eastern European Russia, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995.

The protected status combines long-established nature reserves and national parks that conserve ecosystems that have been little altered by industrial forestry. Conservation measures and reserve designations were expanded in the late 20th century to protect representative tracts of the northern forest biome.

The forests lie in the Komi Republic, on the western side of the northern Ural region of Russia, within a remote, sparsely populated part of European Russia; the nearest regional administrative centre is Syktyvkar.

• Access: Access is highly regulated; much of the area is protected as strict nature reserves and visits typically require permits or guided arrangements.

What to See #

• Yugyd Va National Park: Includes the Yugyd Va National Park, a large protected forest area containing extensive boreal ecosystems and river valleys.
• Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve: Includes the Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve, a contiguous protected area of old-growth forest and mountainous terrain.