The Polesie State Radioecological Reserve (PSRER; Belarusian: Палескі дзяржаўны радыяцыйна-экалагічны запаведнік, romanized: Palyeski dzyarzhawny radyyatsyyna-ekalahichny zapavyednik; Russian: Полесский государственный радиационно-экологический заповедник, romanized: Polessky gosudarstvenny radiatsionno-ekologichesky zapovednik) is a radioecological nature reserve in the Polesie region of Belarus, which was created to enclose the territory of Belarus most affected by radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl disaster.
The area, located in southern Gomel Region and bordering the Ukrainian Exclusion Zone, includes part of the raions (districts) of Brahin, Khoiniki and Narowlya.
[2] It is crossed by the Pripyat River, and the city of Mazyr is 36 km (22 mi) from the northwestern entrance, in Narowlya.
Due to the minimal human presence, it is possible to observe the natural development of wildlife in the conditions of Belarus.
"In connection with the removal of anthropogenic load and the wealth of flora the ideal conditions for the recovery of the animal world have been created here", states the report of the Committee on the Health Effects of the Chernobyl disaster at the Council of Ministers of Belarus.
Main activities include:[5] The administration uses land in the reserve to earn income in addition to its budget.
Cattle are being bred to endure the conditions of radioactive contamination, and young individuals are sold for further breeding.