Katun Biosphere Reserve - is one of the natural attractions of the Altai Republic. It is located on the territory of Ust-Koksinsky area at Katun Range, which is the most mountainous part of Altai. The total area of ​​the Biosphere Reserve is about 151 thousand. Ha.

The idea of ​​creation of the Altai Mountains national park appeared in 1917 and belonged to VP Semenov-Tyan-Shan. Officially Katun reserve was established 25 July 1991 of its territory made up of the southern and northern macro Katun ridge and the northern macro-slope Listvyaga.

Initially Katun Reserve seen as sustainable farming territory. However, it was composed of high mountains with snow fields and glaciers that form the upper Katun runoff, amazing alpine meadows and alpine lakes, so it was decided to organize a protected natural area. Biosphere Reserve is located in the mountain ranges such as the Southern Altai, Katun, Tarbagatai, Sarym-Sakti and Listvyaga and partially covers the array of the highest point of Siberia - Belukha mountain.

The reserve is found in almost all the characteristic landscape of the Southern and Central Altai - mountain tundra, mountain taiga, glacial-nival high mountains with snowfields and glaciers, alpine and subalpine krupnotravnye low-grass meadows, and steppe, steppe, meadow-forest and middle complexes. Total cross-border area in the reserve has more than 2 thousand. Species of vascular plants and about 68 species of mammals.

The Katun Biosphere Reserve encountered quite a large variety of alpine, forest, meadow and steppe plant communities.

Zoogeographically plan area of ​​the reserve is quite representative of the Central Altai physiographic province. Wild ungulates are found elk, red deer and musk deer, and from fur animals - squirrel, sable and squirrel. In the highlands you can find the Siberian mountain goat. To reserve Katun typical predators such as the wolverine, brown bear and lynx, and their small predators - weasel, weasel, ermine, mink. The birds nest here ptarmigan, Asian snipe, grouse.

In 2000, Katun Biosphere Reserve was awarded the status of a biosphere reserve by UNESCO.