County: Vilnius Municipality: Švenčionys distr. Latitude Longitude 52º 12' N 25º 22' E

Physical - geographical features

The strict nature reserve is located in the middle of the Labanoras woods. Geo-morphologicaly it is the fluvio-glacial sandy plain intersected by thermo-glacial valleys. The Girutiškis strict nature reserve occupies the range of mires, which are formed in those valleys. There is no dominating mire. Largest of them are Aisputiškis (245 ha) and Girutiškis (110 ha). Then, according to the size there come Girutiškis I (86 ha), Gervežeris (61 ha), Baline (53 ha) raised bogs, and Gilužis (10 ha) fen.

The mires formed in the former lake-beds have a peat layer of 5 - 8 meters, under which in some places there still lies lake mud of almost 2 m. In the small territory there are 15 lakes. One of the biggest is the Girutiškis Lake (61 ha) with the average depth of 3,1 m. The mire complex stretches in the watershed of Lukna and Peršokšna Rivers. During the spring flood when the water level rises greatly, water surplus runs down the small runnels into these rivers.


Biological diversity

In the forests of the Girutiškis strict nature reserve prevail pine forests with admixture of spruce and birch. In some places one can find pure spruce, birch and alder groves. Raised bogs are mainly overgrown with pine. In the marshlands there can be found very rare in Lithuania relict dwarf birch groves. There is a great abundance of rare plants. One can find Carex heleonastes, Hammarbya paludosa, Lepidotis inundata and many other endangered species.

Great diversity of plant communities have determined high fauna diversity. Rare insects are here represented by Ceruchus chrysomelinus, Carabus ritens and Peltis grossa. In the mire and surrounding areas there live adder (Vipera berus), slow worm (Anguis fragilis), grass-snake (Natrix natrix), 7 species of amphibians.

Good feeding and breeding conditions determine the site attractiveness to birds. One can see here osprey (Pandion haliaetus), honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), capercaillie (Tetrao urogalus) and in 1997 there was registered willow grouse (Lagopus lagopus), which have been thought to be extinct.

Different mammal species are found in the reserve. Moose (Alces alces) and characteristic to raised bog mountain hare (Lepus timinus) can be observed there. Now and then there wander wolves (Canis lupus).