Shubaragash Tract

The Shubaragash tract (Urochishche Shubaragash) is a forest island in the south of Orenburg Oblast, 20 km south of Sol-Iletsk, in the Sol-Iletsk urban district, between the Ilek and Malaya Khobda rivers, next to the village of Pervomayskoye. It is the southernmost large forest massif in this part of the region: about 5,000 hectares, roughly half of it forest groves and the rest sandy steppe.

Nature

The name "Shubaragash" comes from Kazakh and means "mottled forest" or "colorful forest" — a description especially fitting in autumn, when the foliage changes color. The main trees are birch, aspen and black alder; in the wettest spots white willow grows alongside them. Old-growth birches survive here, up to 20 meters tall with trunks up to half a meter in diameter.

The tract is also notable for birdwatchers: more than 110 bird species have been recorded here across different seasons.

The relief of Shubaragash is a gently undulating plain, in places hilly with hollows. The southern edge of the forest meets the steep rim of the watershed plateau — the erosional slope of the Malaya Khobda valley, which has a narrow floodplain and a winding channel. Near the Bolshaya Izluchina bend, the river undercuts Peschany Yar, a sandy bluff of aeolian, dune origin more than 20 meters high. On the watershed part of the massif, the sand layer ranges from half a meter on flat areas to 4 meters on the dunes.

What to see

The tract is used for recreation, mushroom and berry picking. The contrast of forest groves and sandy steppe patches, the old-growth birches and the variety of birds make it a notable natural site among the otherwise sparsely forested districts of southern Orenburg Oblast. In this part of the region, where continuous forest is rare and most surrounding land is open steppe and farmland, an island of forest set among sandy steppe stands out both for its greenery and for the abundance of birds.

The bank of the Malaya Khobda at the Bolshaya Izluchina bend deserves special attention: the Peschany Yar sandy bluff rises more than 20 meters and is clearly visible from the river, a vivid example of water undercutting ancient dunes. The combination of forest, sand and a steep riverbank makes a walk through the tract varied, from shaded birch groves to open sandy ridges.

Getting there

The Shubaragash tract lies 20 km south of the town of Sol-Iletsk, next to the village of Pervomayskoye in the Sol-Iletsk urban district of Orenburg Oblast. The nearest large town is Sol-Iletsk itself, known for its salt lakes; dirt roads lead from it to the tract across the steppe.