Kenozero National Park
Date of foundation: Kenozero National Park was founded in 1991.
Geographical position: The Park is situated on the watershed of the White and Baltic sea in Plesetsk and Kargopol districts of the Arkhangelsk region, it included Kenozero and Lekshmozero lakes and other small shallow lakes near the Karelia glacier shield.
Aim of foundation: Protection and organization of recreational use of middletaiga landscapes of coniferous forests, and protection of monuments of the Russian wooden architecture dating back to 16-20th centuries.
The area is 139 663 hectares.
Also considering the lands included within the borders of the park without withdrawing from the previous land tenant – 7700 hectares.
Physical geographical conditions
Climate
The climate of the Kenozero National Park is temperate continental. Winters are long and cold with plenty of snow. Springs are short followed up by changeable temperatures. Summers are moderately warm and autumns are long and usually rainy. The average temperature in January is -12њС. The average temperature in July is + 16,5њС. The absolute minimum is -47њС, the absolute maximum is +34њС. The average annual number of atmospheric precipitations is 500 mm. Stable snow cover lies for 160 days, the average hight is 40 sm. Frost – free period is 105 – 110 days.
The territory of the Park is flat. Streams of glacial meltwaters formed fluvioglacial relief: elongated steepy ridges – oses, rounded hills – kames, frontal aprons. To the North of Lekshmozero lake there is one of the most famous os – ridges Maselga (Ground mountain). Swampy glacial – lake plain round Lekshmozero is evidence of big sized of this lake in the past. Numerous creeks (lakhtas), channels, islands, morainic hills, boulder fields, terraces, watershed which divides the basins of White and Baltic seas shows the geological history of the Nothern European Plain in the glacial period.
Peculiar feature of the Park is its unique diversity of natural landscapes, which can be seen at quite a small area. The uniqueness is determined by the original geological history of the territory, picturesque billowy relief which was formed by the result of influence of present day surface flows and repeated freezing.
Hydrography
Rivers of Kenozero National Park belong to the basins of White and Baltic seas. The catchment basin feeds 90 % of its water to the White Sea and only 10 % of it to the Baltic. The river density is quite weak – 0,3 – 0,38 km/square km.
There is a great number of lakes on the territory of the Park. There are up to 150 different reservoirs of the glacial and glacial-tectonic origin. The lakes are equally divided among the whole territory and are presented by two groups: vast Kenozero lake and one of the largest reservoirs in the North-West – Lekshmozero lake with its numerous islands. Kenozero islands – Kenozero, Svinoe, Dolgoe are situated together as a group by the northern boundary of the Park. They are connected by channels and form the northern group.
Lekshmozero is in the southern part of the Park. Its fellow lakes – Maselgskoe lake, Syargozero, Vilno, Naglimozeroand others (there are about 20 of them) are to the North and North-West to Lekshmozero. Columbine area of the resevoirs of Kenozero group Lekshmozeo and Vilno lake are the part of columbine basins left tributary of Onega river, flowing into Onezhsky bay of the White Sea.
Lake columbines are dewatered by numerous rivers, among those are Pocha river, main tributary of Kenozero system. More than 50 small columbines flow into Kenozero lakes and Lekshmozero lake. The source of Kenozero lake group is Kena river, and Lekshma river is of Lekshmozero.
Soil
Various forms of relief, soil founding minerals and flora determine foundation of different kinds of soil. Loamy and sandy soil prevails, it takes 74,8 % of the forest territory. Other kinds of soil are divided in the following precentage: turfo – gleevy – 3,6 %, swampo – podzol – 9,8 %, up-river peato – swampy – 5,6 %, lowland peato – swampy – 6,2 %.
Tourism
The Park plays a key role in the organization of natural, ecological, cultural and educational tourism. There are developed complex programs such as “Transkenozero path”, “Lekshmozero mysteries”, “Relict Russia” and others. Children’s ecological camp is organized in Lekshmozero part of the Park. There are two Visit-centers, a variety of cordons and guest houses, ecological paths and equipped parking lots. Private sector is used for accommodation.
There is a great concentration of religious monuments of wooden architecture, rich collection of monumental paintings including “heaven” – painting, which is characteristic only for wooden temples of the Russian North. Christian and pagan traditions, folklore, local crafts are carefully preserved here. Clumps of “Sacred groves”, bowing crosses. | 
