Buzuluk Pine Wood, Gallery. RDC ScanEx

Gallery

Title
Buzuluk Pine Wood

Acquisition date
19/09/2001

Sensor
Landsat 7 ETM+

1025 x 945
BMP (2 906 Kb)

Buzuluk Pine Wood

The image shows a distinct deep green forest, which stands out on the background of the typical pattern of arable fields. This is a unique natural formation – the Buzuluk pine wood.

The Buzuluk pine wood is located north-east from Buzuluk town at the boundary of Orenburg and Samara regions. It started to grow on sand dunes and ridges in the basin of the river Borovka about 6-7 thousand years ago. At that time pine and birch forests emerged in the area of the current pine wood. In three thousand years a pine wood with broadleaved understorey took the area over. Nowadays the southern boundary of the forest runs along the river Samara.

To date the Buzuluk pine wood has been thoroughly studied for about a century and a half. Deforestation started out in the end of XVIII century and artificial reforestation commenced in 1852.

The Buzuluk pine wood is located at the boundary of steppe and forest-steppe natural zones. It represents a forestland that runs along the Borovka river, which at the south end of the wood flows into the Samara river. The pine wood extends for around 50km in latitude and 32km in longitude and covers the area of about 850km2. The pine wood sits in the riverine sink, which is 100 – 150 meters lower than the surrounding territory. The major part of the sink is taken by sand with thickness up to 90 meters. The Terra Aster image dated September 6, 2002, a fragment of which is used as an inset, clearly shows sand dunes and ridges covered with forest giving the landscape a peculiar pattern.

The pine wood is surrounded with a strip of broadleaved forest, which is shown in light green on the image from Landsat 7 satellite. Broadleaved forests are also found along the river Borovka. Oak, poplar and alder prevail here.

Separate aspen and birch wood areas are scattered around the entire pine wood. The largest part of the forest is composed of pine and mixed wood. They are captured in darker green.

The steppe around the Buzuluk pine wood is the area of old agricultural development. Land lots different in degree of farming are clearly seen on the image. Thus the darkest – maroon - colors correspond to tilled soils. Pink tones mean cut but not yet brought in crops. Fields of light green provide evidence of young winter crops.

Buzuluk town is displayed in the south-east part of the image as an orange spot.

In the 1960’s considerable oil deposits were explored under the Buzuluk pine wood. 164 wells were drilled in the pine wood area. However nowadays all wells are mothballed and natural forest vegetation recovery take place at the well pads. Therefore traces of oil production are usually not visible on the medium resolution images.

Presently the Buzuluk pine wood is assigned the status of a national part and a lot of scientific activities are carried out there.

Title:	Buzuluk Pine Wood
Acquisition date:	19/09/2001
Sensor:	Landsat 7 ETM+

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©2005-2010 R&D Center ScanEx. All Rights Reserved.
mailto: webmaster@scanex.ru