Nature reserves

Nature reserve - a protected territory intended for the preservation of scientifically and recreationally valuable natural and/or cultural heritage areas, natural and immovable cultural values, landscape and biological diversity. The preservation of the values ​​in this territory is ensured without interrupting the existing farming activities.

Nature reserves are:

1) geological - for protection of underground structures, layered outcrops, rock or fossil complexes;

2) geomorphological - for storing typical and unique landform complexes;

3) hydrographical - for storing typical and unique examples of hydrographic network elements (rivers, lakes, ponds);

4) pedological - to protect natural soils;

5) botanical - to protect rare and endangered species of wild plants and fungis and their communities and habitats;

6) zoological - to protect rare and endangered species of wild animals, their communities and habitats; this group of reserves can include theriological, ornithological, herpetological, ichthyological, entomological and other types of reserves;

7) botanical-zoological - to protect rare and endangered species of wild plants, fungis and animals, their communities or habitats;

8) genetic - to protect populations of wild plant and animal species with genetic value;

9) telmological - for protecting typical and unique wetland complexes;

10) talasological - to protect valuable marine ecosystems.

Žemaitija National Park has 11 nature reserves: 3 geomorphological, 1 hydrographical, 5 telmological, 1 botanical and 1 botanical-zoological. The total area of ​​nature reserves is 1389 ha / 3 432.3 ac (6.4% of the total territory of the Žemaitija National Park).