The network of specially protected natural areas (SPNA) in Vitebsk Oblast includes:
2 national parks – «Braslav Lakes» and «Narochanski» (partly),
25 national reserves,
86 national monuments,
63 reserves
141 local natural monument.
The area of SPNA is 392.900 Ha or 9.81% of the oblast area.
Berezino Biosphere Reserve is the first officially registered specially protected natural area in the oblast. It has the status of a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
8 specially protected natural territories (Berezino Biosphere Reserve, national reserves "Osveysky", "Yelnya", "Kozjansko", "Servech", "Drozhbitka-Svina" and local reserves "Vileity" and "Golubitskaya Pushcha") included in the list wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites).
The lake Osveiskoye is ranked second largest in Belarus. Most deep-water lakes are located in Vitebsk Oblast.
7 state environmental agencies have been created: "Osveysky", "Yelnya", "ECO-ROSY", "Korytinsky moss", "Kozjanski", "Golubov Garden" and "Braslav-Richi".
Vitebsk Oblast, in contrast to other oblasts of the Republic, is the most well-water. Water resources potential of Vitebsk Oblast is represented by large reserves of surface and underground water.
In the oblast, there are 2 large transboundary rivers - the Western Dvina and the Dnieper, about 610 medium and small rivers with a total length of 9240 km. About one fifth of the territory of the oblast in the southeast belong to the Dnieper basin and 80% belong to the basin of the Western Dvina.
Our oblast is distinguished by a large number of lakes - 2300, with a total area of 936 km2 and a volume of water 3243 mln.m3. The largest ones: the Osveiskoye Lake (second place in the country after the Naroch Lake) the Lukomskoe Lake, the Drivyaty Lake, the Neshcherdo Lake, the Snudy Lake. The deepest ones: the Dolgoe Lake in Glubokoe region; the Richi Lake in Braslav region; the Ginkovo Lake in Glubokoe region.
Theoblasthas explored 56 deposits of surface fresh water and 29 deposits of underground mineral water.
Water resources are used for drinking and industrial water supply, hydropower, recreation, fish-pond farming, irrigation.
The total forest area, under the authority of Vitebsk State Forestry Production Association is 1661.300 ha, including wooded land -. 1453.050ha.
The total stock of standing wood within the association is 298.74 mln. m3.
The total area of wooded land, middle-aged stands dominate - 36,3%. Ripe and over-planting tree species in the forest area from which depends of cut-over land and timber income is 20%.
Large areas of forest of the association (52.5%) is presented by softwood tree species (alder, birch, aspen) growing in typical for their growing conditions - at lower locations with excessive moisture.
Lands of the oblast are 4005.0 ha (19.3% of the lands of Belarus). Agricultural lands occupy 35.8%, of which cropland22.6%, forest lands of state woodland 43%, trees and shrubs 7.9%, marshes 4.7%, under water 3.5%, under roads and other traffic routes 1.6%, under streets and squares and other common areas 0.5%, under construction 1.3%, other lands, including impaired 1.7%.
Agricultural organizations occupy 41,5%, peasant (farmer) farms 0.9%, citizens 3.8%.
About half of the land and 98% agricultural lands are in the possession and use of agricultural organizations and citizens-manufacturers agricultural products.