Novgorod region is rich in unique places. One of these is located in the Poddorye and Holm areas. This place is old Slavic name Rdeyskogo in General the edge. Its name, it is the edge of two lakes obliged Polito and Rdeyskogo.

The man almost left traces of their stay is the Kingdom of mosses, marshes and swamps, where they can grow dwarf shrubs and stunted pines. Everywhere, among mosses, the sun reflected in the large and small Windows of clean water, who chose for his habitation unimaginably large variety of birds.

Swamps make up the largest system not only in Europe but also in North-West Russian Federation. The complex of marshes formed by the merger of six peatlands that have developed independently. The originality Rdeyskogo bogs give a hummock-hollow complex, very strongly developed, small streams that flow within peatlands, mires the shallow, occupying a vast area, more than a dozen lakes and mineral Islands are ubiquitous. A layer of peat up to eight meters.

You cannot underestimate the impact Rdeyskogo marshes on the environment. First, they represent a natural reservoir for water. Secondly, participate in the task of the hydrological regime of a large part of the territory of Novgorod region, especially in the southwest. Thirdly, in Rdeyskogo marshes originate such small rivers and rivulets, as Reda, Hlavica, Halyna, Polist. The latter aspect is particularly important to stabilize the level of lake Ilmen in the off-season and in dry years.

Despite the apparent difficulties and inconveniences: the abundance of water, unstable soils, insufficient area of land suitable for doing the planting, this region was inhabited even in ancient times. Local people love their bogs and cherish.

In 1994, on these lands to protect and study the unique sphagnum mosses rare species of fauna and flora of nature reserve was created, called "Rdeyskogo". Its area was nearly 37 thousand hectares.

The reserve's flora is diverse. In the North are representatives of softwood and, in General, this part is closer to the taiga forests. South and West are inhabited by small-leaved and spruce forests, in some places they are mixed. The Eastern part is a Paradise for trees broad-leaved trees. They are represented mainly by oaks, maples and lindens. Sometimes there are elms and ash trees, but in much smaller amounts. The age of forests is uneven, mostly young forests, the same age, but at the same time there are areas of forests, which grow bicentennial ate.

Wooded and Islands rising from the peat bogs, the largest of which, Dome, Andrianov and aspen mane. These Islands are no settlements, so nature is not touched, and they are preserved in their original form.

In the forests there are more than 350 species of plants, of which 25 9 rare and protected. Every year scientists discover new species of mosses. Only in the summer of 1999 was opened about fifty species of moss.

The fauna includes: mammals, 36 species, amphibians and reptiles are represented by 6 species of fish and 9 species of birds, 122 species, 14 of them listed in the Red book. Birds deserve special attention. The reserve is home to several hundred pairs of large Curlew, this population is the largest in Europe. Here you can find a ptarmigan, Golden eagle, grey crowned crane, black stork, Golden Plover.

Rdeyskogo marsh system international organization UNESCO was included in the project "Thelma".