Ugandi Plateau

3124 km2

 

The Graveyard denudation in Tartu: the Aruküla stratus of the Middle-Devonian sandstone in the primeval valley of the Emajõgi river
http://pilt.delfi.ee/en/picture/6845117/

Located on the sandstone bedrock between Peipsi and Võrtsjärve lakes

Borders with Vooremaa in the North, Otepää Height in the South, and Palumaa in South-East

Plains with reddish-brown non-calcareous moraine, easily abrading sandstones

Devonian sandstone denudations at Kallaste near Peipsi lake and at Tamme near Võrtsjärve lake; also on the river banks of the Ahja and Võhandu primeval valleys

Deep buried primeval valleys, filled with Quaternary sediments, their valley beds below the sea level

In partly buried valleys there are rivers (Emajõgi, Ahja, Elva, Alatskivi, Kavilda) or lakes (Verevi, Viisjaagu, Vissi)

Moraine plains with rolling landscape near Elva-Vitipalu, Vara, Rannu and Valguta

Drumlins on the east coast of Võrtsjärve lake

Hilly kame fields near Vellavere and Kambja

The highest form of kame fields is Vooremägi hill of 123 m at Haaslava

Mires in valleys and in abrasional basins of glaciers

Moraine landscapes mostly cultivated

Spruce forests in valleys and on plains (in the east), pine forests on sandy soils

Floodplain communities

Bigger cities: Tartu, Elva, Kallaste, Põlva, also rural cities Alatskivi, Luunja, Puhja

Protedted areas rather small, mostly to protect valleys with natural communities:

The Ahja River Primeval Valley Nature Protection Area;

Elva-Vitipalu Landscape Protection Area