Kenozero National Park (also called Kenozersky National Park in Russian: Кенозерский национальный парк) is a protected area in northern Russia. It is centered around Lake Kenozero and is located in the Kargopolsky and Plesetsky Districts of Arkhangelsk Oblast.
The park was created at the request of Yelena Shatkovskaya, who was its first and only director, on December 28, 1991. In 2004, the park became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. In 2024, its cultural landscape was added to the list of World Heritage Sites. According to the World Heritage website:
Unlike most areas in the historical center of Russia, this cultural landscape avoided industrialization and modernization during the Soviet era, keeping many of its original features from before the Soviet period. The biggest threat to this landscape’s original condition is the steady loss of people, as more villages are being abandoned.
History
Kenozero has always been a remote area. In the 19th century, the area was split into two parts: the western part belonged to Pudozhsky Uyezd, and the eastern part belonged to Kargopolsky Uyezd, both of which were part of the Olonets Governorate. During the Soviet Union, after several changes in how the area was managed, it became part of the Arkhangelsk Oblast. After World War II ended, the northern part of Russia experienced serious population loss. For example, all villages between Lake Lyokshmozero and Lake Kenozero became empty.
In 1991, a decision was made to create a national park in the area. All historical monuments were given to the park’s management, and some have been repaired. On December 28, 1991, the park was officially established. At the time of its creation, the park had 7 staff members. By 1992, the number increased to 35, and by 1993, it grew to 153. In 2004, the park was recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Location and geography
Kenozersky National Park is located in the south-western part of Plesetsky District and the north-western part of Kargopolsky District in Arkhangelsk Oblast, near the border with the Republic of Karelia. The northern part of the park is centered around Lake Kenozero, one of the largest lakes in the region. The park's headquarters are in the village of Vershinino, which lies on the northern shore of Lake Kenozero. Lake Kenozero is the source of the Kena River, a major left tributary of the Onega River. The upper part of the Kena River is within the park, as well as the Pocha River, a major tributary of Lake Kenozero. The Pocha River originates from Lake Pochozero, and the lower part of the Undosha River, a main tributary of Lake Pochozero, is also located in the park.
The southern part of the park includes Lake Lyokshmozero and the upper part of the Lyokshma River, a tributary of Lake Lacha. Lakes Lyokshmozero and Kenozero are separated by smaller lakes, such as Lake Naglimozero and Lake Vilno.
Some areas near the Karelian border drain into the Vodla River, which eventually flows into the Baltic Sea. This means the park includes part of the boundary between the drainage basins of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.
Tourism
The many old wooden buildings around Kenozero Lake show the different ways people lived and worked in the past. These structures use long-used methods of building with wood and logs, showing how homes and religious places evolved over time. The arrangement of old villages and signs of how people used natural resources in the area around the lake and rivers help explain the long-lasting cultural history of the Russian North.
An example of Russian wooden architecture is the Porzhensky Pogost, built in the late 1700s in the western part of the park. It includes a church for St. George, a bell tower, and a wooden wall with gates and towers. The nearby villages are empty, and no roads lead to the Pogost, so visitors must walk on a trail to reach it.
The park focuses on ecotourism. Many walking paths are available. Two roads lead into the park. One is an unpaved road in the south, connecting Kargopol and Pudozh near Lake Lyokshmozero. Another road in the north splits off from the Onega highway, linking Kargopol through Plesetsk to Yemetsk. This road reaches the village of Pershlakhta on Lake Kenozero and connects to other villages around the lake.