Tsar-Bor Ecopark

Tsar-Bor Ecopark (Экопарк «Царь-бор») is the signature recreational area of the Buzuluksky Bor National Park in the Buzuluksky district of Orenburg Oblast, near the settlement of Koltubanovsky. The park opened in June 2022 as a landscaped entrance zone to the forest: a parking lot, restrooms and several rest areas built around the park's main attraction — a cluster of relict pines aged 300 to 350 years with trunks about four meters in girth.

What to see

The park's central route is a loop ecological trail called Tsaritsa-Sosna ("Queen Pine"), about one kilometer long. It runs through a wooded and marshy stretch of the forest and is laid with a wooden boardwalk: roughly a hundred meters of bridges cross the wet sections, protecting the soil from trampling and making the trail accessible to people with disabilities. Signposts, information boards, art objects and benches line the route, and a fenced viewing platform has been built around the oldest pine.

The ecopark also has four playgrounds and educational areas for children, plus a separate rest zone with sun loungers and hammocks for adults.

History

The ecopark was built in 2022 as part of a landscaping program for Buzuluksky Bor National Park. The design of its gazebos, signboards and loungers repeats architectural details from the facade of the old Borovaya Forest Experimental Station (BORLOS), including its characteristic herringbone timber joints.

The fence around the main pine was not added for decoration: for decades, visitors had trampled the soil at its roots, tucked coins under its bark and broken off branches, and by the time the ecopark was built the tree needed protection.

Getting there

The ecopark lies within Buzuluksky Bor National Park, next to the settlement of Koltubanovsky. The easiest way to reach it is by car. Walking the ecological trail is free; visitors can explore it on their own or book a guided tour with a park ranger.