In the Vyborg district, near the villages of Ozersk and Balabanovo, is the State nature reserve "Shallow Lake", covering an area of about 4000 acres, of which 1000 hectares occupied water resources.

The reserve was founded in 1976. He is the subject of regional significance. To get to the sanctuary by rail, you need the Losevo in road transport through the New Village settlements and Chamomile to reach the left Bank of the Vuoksa river. The wildlife refuge is nearby.

The main objective of the refuge is to preserve intact the place of the annual waterfowl nesting.

Is the reserve on the South of the Baltic shield and includes lake meadow and Shallow with adjacent water areas. Both lakes and their associated tributaries and enter the Vuoksa system. The lake is shallow, their territories are small Islands and Ludi, which are huge boulders. Surface of lakes has splaine from wild cinquefoil. Here are the manna, horsetail, water Lily, cane, jug, cattail, telorez. Coastal flora consists mainly of small-leaved lesnjak and pine groves on the hills. In the underbrush grows juniper, cherry, honeysuckle, Rowan. In the lowlands are birch and olsanova groves. The territory has depleted meadows, which often found timber copyr.

Since lakeside and lake areas rich in food, there are during spring and fall migrations flocks of waterfowl. Here on the nest can be found of whooper swans and small swans, almost any species of dabbling ducks, tufted ducks and sea, flocks of Goldeneyes, common Pochards, coots, moorhens, numerous clusters of wetland passerines, waders. Especially numerous in the reserve annual populations of dabbling ducks, coots, Goldeneyes, tufted ducks. Often on the lakes you can see colonies of gull species of birds, among which there are also grey and black-headed gulls, black and common terns. Frequent "guests" of lakes and lakeside areas are water shepherdess, Crake, corncrake, Redshank, moorhen, porucheynik. Shallow and meadow lake are a favorite hunting spot osprey, whose nests are located in forests and lakes.

Muskrat, American mink, beaver and river water vole are common inhabitants of these places. On the coast of the lakes can be seen moose and a family of wild boars.

The main protected objects in the sanctuary are colonies of birds on the breeding grounds, feeding areas for birds during the seasonal migrations, spawning bream, pike-perch, burbot, roach. The state shall protect the plants listed in the Red book, rare plants and wildlife, such as osprey that live here, a small potbelly, corncrake, marsh Sandpiper, water rail, Crake, bittern, common crane, all kinds of birds of prey, owls, swans (mute, small), goose lesser white-fronted goose and grey goose, black Brant, Barnacle goose, red-eyed and the ferruginous pochard, large and medium-sized Curlew, snipe.

The reserve "Shallow Lake" is strictly prohibited to use outside roads and vehicles near lakes, grazing livestock from nearby farms, the use of motor boats, a visit to the lake Islands, reed beds, quagmire, from 1 April to 15 July, any kind of hunting game, the use of snares or traps, poison baits, fires, descent bollards, use for any purpose of the pesticide or pesticides, hay (until 6 July), fishing outside designated areas located in the South of Shallow lake. Banned – tourist camp, settling on the Islands and shores of lakes bivouac. In addition, the sanctuary is forbidden to take dogs of different breeds (from 1 April to 15 July).