Stolby

a preserve located 3 km southwest of Krasnoiarsk, on the right bank of the Enisei River. Area, 47,200 hectares (1975).

Stolby was founded in 1925 to preserve the natural complex of the northwestern spurs of the Vostochnye Saiany. Dark-coniferous (fir) taiga predominates, and pine and larch forests are encountered. The Siberian cedar occurs in the region. The animal life includes the Siberian stag, musk deer, roe deer, sable, Siberian weasel, lynx, wolverine, otter, Eurasian brown bear, caper-caillie, and hazel hen.

Year-round comprehensive research projects programmed for many years are conducted at the preserve to study the processes of nature and the interrelationships between different elements of ecosystems. Trudy (Transactions) has been published since 1940.

A particularly noteworthy feature of the preserve are its gran-ite-sienite monadnocks having unusual shapes and reaching heights of 100 m. From the 1890’s the young people of Krasnoiarsk have gathered around these cliffs to hold maevki (May Day celebrations) and skhodki (political gatherings). The most picturesque part of Stolby is an area of 1,300 hectares that has been set aside as a recreation site for the workers of Krasnoiarsk and other cities. There is hiking and cliff scaling.