Complex monument of nature "Staraya Ladoga" was founded in 1976. It stretches on both banks of the Volkhov river not far from Old Ladoga and the village of Plekhanovo in the Volkhov area. The monument covers an area of 220 hectares.

Staraya Ladoga reserve was declared a natural monument in order to preserve the geological outcrops, artificial caves, ancient burial mounds on the banks of the Volkhov, and the purpose of protection of wintering bats. The territory of the nature monument is used to organize educational activities in the field of ecology, tours with a visit to the caves, archaeological excavations, Museum-reserve "Staraya Ladoga".

In the slopes of the banks of the river Volkhov exposed Ordovician rocks. The lower part of the outcrop presents obalonye shale and Sandstone, slightly higher lying glauconitic sandstones. The upper part consists of limestones with intercalations of Dolomites.

On the territory of the natural monument "old Ladoga" there are three artificial caves. The slope of the left Bank of the Volkhov river, just opposite the Church of St. John the Baptist is located Staraya Ladoga cave. The largest in the area is Trecchina cave. It is located on the left Bank of the river, about a mile North-East from the location of Staraya Ladoga caves, 150 m from the shore, in the ravine. A little further downstream, on the right Bank of the Volkhov river is a cave Baby. In 1998, they found another cave near the Church of St. George. Staraya Ladoga cave is widely known as an important wintering place for bats in North-Western Russia.

Background natural complex – pond and water bats, usani and whiskered bats. Marked by single Northern bat.

The most important for wintering left Bank is a large cave – Trecchina cave. In winter shelters in the climatic conditions of the Leningrad region bats spend about six to eight months a year, in the period from October to June month.

Old Ladoga is one of the oldest Russian cities, which arose on the site of ancient settlements of the Slavs, known since the 7th century In the territory of Staraya Ladoga hitherto preserved Varangian and Slavic burial mounds, churches, parks former estates. All the sights currently are part of the architectural and historical-archeological Museum-reserve "Staraya Ladoga".

Specially protected objects in the natural complex are artificial caves, paleontological fossils, geological outcrops on the banks of the Volkhov river, parks former farmsteads, ancient barrows, various species of bats that hibernate in caves.

In the natural environment to produce geological survey, extract minerals, engineering and construction work, to dump waste water into the cave, to arrange the discharge of household and industrial waste, to feed livestock, to start fires, campfires, digging mounds.