Notable case, Chojniki, Gomel Region, Belarus
Polesie State Radioecological Reserve
Палескі дзяржаўны радыяцыйна-экалагічны запаведнік
The Belarusian part of the land evacuated after Chernobyl: 2,162 km² in the south of Gomel Region, bordering the Ukrainian exclusion zone. More than 22,000 people lived there in 96 settlements.
At a glance
- Status
- Contained
- Area
- 216,200 ha on land1
- Activity
- 1986–1986
- People affected
- 22,000 (1986)2
- Media
- soil, living organisms, surface water, sediment
- Kind of site
- nuclear, accident
- Area. 1,313 km² when founded in 1988, plus 849 km² added in 1993.
- People affected. Residents of the 96 evacuated settlements ('over 22,000').
Contaminants
Radionuclides
Status
Contained
The area remains closed to residents. Reserve staff carry out radiation monitoring, wildfire prevention and containment of the contamination, and run experimental forestry, crop growing, horse and cattle breeding and beekeeping (Wikipedia).
Story
After the accident of 26 April 1986 the residents of this area, in Brahin, Khoiniki and Narowlya districts, were evacuated. In 1988 the land was made a reserve; it was enlarged in 1993.
With no settled human presence the reserve has become a refuge for wildlife: 46 mammal species, 213 bird species and 1,251 plant species are recorded there.
Timeline
- 1986Chernobyl accident and evacuation.
- 198818 July: the reserve is established (1,313 km²).
- 1993Enlarged by 849 km².
Remediation
- 1988access restrictionCreation of the reserve with a ban on residence, monitoring and fire prevention.
From the literature
Species that acted on one of this site's contaminants in at least one study. The list is automatic and takes no account of this site's soil, concentrations or climate.
Plants
- Amaranthus retroflexusRedroot pigweedCaesium-137Strontium-90Evidence: field
- Brassica junceaIndian mustardStrontium-90Caesium-137Evidence: field
Fungi
- Boletus edulisKing bolete, porciniCaesium-137Evidence: survey of wild specimens
Nearby
Sources
- Polesie State Radioecological Reserve, Wikipedia, 2026
- Chernobyl exclusion zone (for the radionuclides involved), Wikipedia, 2026
Draft compiled from public sources, not yet reviewed.