[1] The forest is divided into two parts: a small section ("Preovsky") located on relatively flat forest-steppe land (the "Minusink basin") 60 km north of the ridge of the West Sayan Mountains, and a much larger "Mountain section" on the north slope of the Western Sayan range.

The mountain section in dominated by the Borus Massive, a high ridge of five peaks that runs north-south through the middle of the forest.

[3] This region describes the mid-elevation portion of the high mountains of Siberia, in the transition zone between the Siberian taiga and the Mongolian steppe.

This climate is characterized by large swings in temperature, both diurnally and seasonally, with mild summers and cold, snowy winters.

[1] Bird records indicate the presence of 272 species, including golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), and Black Stork (Cinonia nigra).