The Yalta Reserve with a total area of ​​14,523 hectares is located on the southern macroslope of the Main Ridge of the Crimean Mountains. Its territory is a strip stretched along the Black Sea coast from west to east from the village. Foros to the village. Gurzuf at 40 km, maximum width (from north to south) 23 km. The reserve also includes a small part of the Black Sea coast.

The flora of the reserve is rich and original. About 75% of its area is occupied by coniferous and broad-leaved forests of the sub-Mediterranean and Central European type. The main forest-forming species is Crimean pine. Oak forests are in second place, beech forests are in third. Pine forests grow along the entire southern slope, descending almost to the sea itself. They have cheerful tones everywhere, all the gaps between the trees are filled with sun and air, everything here is saturated with the healing aroma of resins and the smell of the sea.
The fauna of the reserve's vertebrates is not rich, which is typical for the entire Crimean peninsula. 37 species of mammals, 150 species of birds, 16 reptiles and 4 species of amphibians live here. Mammals include the Crimean subspecies of the red deer, roe deer, mouflon (acclimatized), the Crimean subspecies of the fox, the badger, the Crimean subspecies of the weasel, the stone marten, the barnacle, the European hare; birds - vulture, black-headed jay, woodpecker, blackbird, chaffinch, goldfinch, mountain bunting, blue tit, crossbill, siskin, etc. Among the reptiles and amphibians of the reserve, the Crimean gecko and the Crimean lizard, copperhead, leopard and yellow-bellied snakes, yellow-bellied, combed newt, tree frog, lake frog, green toad; in reservoirs - brook trout, minnow, chub, barbel, etc. Bats are listed in the Red Book (large and small horseshoe bats, Natter's and tricolor bats, evening bats, bats), small shrew, badger, a number of insects (Crimean ground beetle, swallowtail, polyxena , euxinian satyr, etc.).
The Yalta Mountain and Forest Nature Reserve is part of the natural reserve fund, is a national treasure and is of national importance. Preserving the integrity of the territory of the reserve and its objects is the main task of forest protection. Identification, prevention and elimination of identified violations is the daily work of the staff of the reserve.