Petrov Island

Petrov island lies a few hundred metres off the Lazovsky coast, covering about forty hectares, and on it grows a grove of pointed-leaf yew - trees several hundred years old, some over a thousand, in a dense stand of a few hectares. The grove is unusual enough that it has been argued to be planted or at least managed rather than natural, associated with the Bohai state that held this coast in the eighth to tenth centuries and whose remains are on the island, along with earlier Jurchen material. What is certain is that the stand is exceptional and extremely fragile: yew grows slowly, the root systems are shallow, and foot traffic compacts the ground and kills them. So access is tightly controlled - reserve permits, guided groups of limited size, a fixed boardwalk route, and closed periods. Boats cross from the mainland shore in calm weather. It is one of the more strictly managed small sites in Russia, for good reason.

What you actually see

• The yew grove - a dense stand of trees several hundred to over a thousand years old.
• The Bohai remains - archaeology from the state that held this coast a millennium ago.
• The management question - whether the grove was planted or tended rather than natural.
• The boardwalk - a fixed route protecting shallow roots from foot compaction.

When to go

June to September, when the crossing is possible. Half a day. Permits and a guided slot must be arranged in advance.

Honest expectations

Numbers are capped and permits compulsory - turning up is not possible. The boat crossing is cancelled in swell. Leaving the boardwalk is prohibited and is what would destroy the grove. The visit is short and closely supervised.

Nearby

The Lazovsky reserve runs along the coast; Preobrazheniye is the nearest town.