1. “The Reserve Spartakiad-2024” took place
The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve loves to welcome guests. In winter and in summer, the reserve will always find a reason to celebrate! 45 years ago, it joined the World Network of Biosphere Reserves as part of the UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” Program. Traditionally, it was decided to celebrate this event with an environmental and educational event with a sports component – “Reserve Spartakiad-2024”. Anyone who wished could take part in the celebration, having previously registered on the Institution’s website! As a result, more than a hundred people gathered – both individual participants and organized teams came to visit. The following teams entered the game struggle in the Spartakiad: “Seven Brave”, “Ukh, Poekhali”, “Unstoppable”, “Kings of Nature”, “Bisons”, “Murakami”, “Reserve Snowdrops”, “Rocket”, “Reserve Honey Mushrooms”, “Reserve Fly Agarics” and “Good Squirrels”! The level of training of the team did not matter – everyone received the same gifts! The participants were awarded a souvenir: a commemorative medal, a participant’s certificate and a gift certificate for visiting various tourist sites of the reserve. Five teams of skiers walked a route through the protected area of the reserve, where they were met with: clean air, sun, birdsong and a story about the work of the background monitoring station! Six teams of hiking enthusiasts were able to walk along the excursion trail “Road to the Bison” , and as everyone who has ever walked it knows, this is a full three kilometers of protected nature! At the finish line, both skiers and fans of traditional modes of transportation were treated to delicious porridge, sweet treats and hot tea. The event concluded with a presentation about the biosphere reserve and an award ceremony for partners and participating teams.
2. Hard in training, easy in battle
On March 5, the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve took part in interdepartmental exercises to organize interaction between structural divisions of various departments during the fire season. At the very beginning of spring, when the thermometer is still in the minus zone at night and during the day, active preparations for the upcoming fire season begin. According to the legend of the exercises, directly the “System-112” line received a message about a fire in dry grass, which, in a strong wind (15 m/s), caused the fire to spread to a forest in the protected area of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, not far from the settlement of Karpova Polyana, thereby creating a threat to the settlement and the specially protected natural area. The fire hazard class according to weather conditions (air temperature +30) was assigned IV. Information about the fire was quickly transmitted to the EDDS (unified duty dispatch service) of the urban district of Serpukhov, after which all available firefighting forces and equipment of various departments were sent to the scene of the emergency. Through joint efforts, the fire was localized and extinguished. The forces of the structural divisions of various departments tested all available firefighting means and equipment in conditions close to real ones. The vehicle crews tested their equipment and, most importantly, practiced in joint coordinated work between the divisions of different departments. The training task was solved clearly, special means worked in the normal mode. State inspectors in the field of environmental protection of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve checked the readiness for work of special equipment and machinery. The exercises showed the full readiness of the personnel and sufficient staffing with the necessary equipment and inventory. The objectives of the exercise were: improving the interaction of the management bodies of the Serpukhov link of the Moscow regional system for the prevention and elimination of emergency situations caused by wildfires, timely and complete notification and information about the fire hazard of all interested services and departments, and implementing a prompt response to the information received, as well as practicing methods for extinguishing forest fires in various natural conditions. The structural units of various departments involved in the exercises demonstrated high coherence and readiness to solve complex problems if necessary.
3. Festive meeting in the reserve
The festive meeting took place in the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. 36 people – families of participants in the special military operation – visited the main attraction of the southern Moscow region. The event was organized jointly with the Unified Center for Support of Participants in the Special Military Operation and their families. The guests were met on the square of the Central Estate of the Reserve. The “Zubr” costumed mascot greeted adults and children at the bison sculpture. There, a brief introduction to the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve took place, after which the guests went on an excursion along the ecological trail “Road to the Bison” in organized groups. Upon returning, everyone had a friendly tea party and talked with the Director of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve Svetlana Rodionova. Boys and girls vied with each other to ask tricky questions and received comprehensive answers from the Director of the Institution. Then everyone took part in the “My Bison” master class on painting plaster figures, which did not leave even adults aside: parents took brushes and paints in their hands. The event ended with a photo session with the “Zubr” costumed mascot.
4. Intourmarket 2024
The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve traditionally takes an active part in exhibitions dedicated to tourism. On the eve of the summer tourist season, the 19th international exhibition “Intourmarket-2024” was held in Moscow from March 16 to 18. Federal, regional and municipal tourism and hospitality management bodies, specially protected natural areas of federal significance, members of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, founders and managers of progressive enterprises and creators of unique tourism products presented their potential at the exhibition. Three days were filled with speeches, presentations and interactive activities. More than 150 events were held within the framework of the exhibition, where important topics and current problems of the Russian and foreign tourism industry were raised. Today, tourism and the hospitality industry have become a powerful tool for the integrated development of the territories. Local business, the interests of local residents, and the solution of environmental and social problems depend on it. Specialists from the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, the only one in the Moscow region, took part in the Intourmarket exhibition program, within the framework of which the Fifth Sustainable Tourism Forum “Time to Choose!” was organized. Its goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of sustainable tourism practices for the integrated development of Russian regions and the development of entrepreneurial activity. The forum’s working platform included a round table entitled “Specially Protected Natural Areas of Federal Significance – Potential for Developing Ecological Tourism in Russian Regions”, during which ecotourism experts spoke about the problems, existing experience, and successful practices of developing tourism in Russian national parks and reserves. Representatives of various environmental protection agencies took part in the round table: Maria Fedorova, Head of the Department of the Information and Analytical Center for Support of Nature Reserves, Sergey Fedoseyev, Director of the “Kaluzhskie Zaseki” Reserve, Tatyana Penyugalova, Head of the Environmental Education Department of the “Russkiy Sever” National Park, Editor-in-Chief of the Federal Mass Media Agency “Ecology of Russia”, Olga Strelkova. Deputy Director of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve Natalya Shpilenok introduced the participants of the round table to the potential for organizing tourism activities on the territory of the Prioksko-Terrasny Biosphere Reserve. Specially protected natural areas of federal significance are key objects for the development of ecotourism and tourist destinations in the hospitality industry.
5. Tourism exhibition MITT 2024
On March 19, specialists from the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve took part in the opening of the International Exhibition of Tourism and Hospitality Industry (MITT). Spring is the time of awakening of nature, new plans and famous tourism exhibitions, which everyone who provides tourism services and, of course, those who use them – i.e. active and interested people, must take part in. Only on March 18, the doors of the 19th international exhibition “Intourmarket-2024” closed, as the anniversary 30th International Exhibition of Tourism and Hospitality – MITT 2024 opened on the territory of the “Crocus Expo” Multifunctional Exhibition Center. The scale of the MITT exposition is impressive as always – on the first day alone, 909 participants from 29 countries joined it. The business program of the exhibition includes more than 20 thematic sessions: conferences, presentations, discussions and educational seminars. Its motto is “Maximum practical information and benefit, without “water””. At the exhibition, you can get up-to-date information on trends in the development of the tourism market, the hospitality industry, and forecasts for the development of the industry from market leaders and recognized experts. The huge stand of the Moscow region, as usual, became one of the most popular and visited, which is not surprising, because well-known representatives of the tourism industry of Serpukhov, Kolomna, Sergiev Posad, Dmitrov, Zaraysk, Istra, Podolsk and Yegoryevsk gathered here. Specialists from the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve presented ecotourism programs in the specially protected natural area, talked about the current display objects and plans for modernizing the tourist infrastructure in the near future. Our long-standing partners and good friends from the Serpukhov Historical and Art Museum, the “Uyezdny Gorod” tourist company, the “Medovy Sad”apiary and the “Velemi” cheese factory became neighbors on the site. Visitors to the exhibition had the opportunity to take part in quizzes and prize draws from representatives of the Serpukhov tourist community and even taste the products of local producers.
6. We meet birds in the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve
An ornithological event called – “Meet the Birds”, dedicated to April 1 – International Bird Day, was held in the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. In March, the trade union organization of the Institute of High Energy Physics (Protvino) for children and grandchildren of members of the trade union of the Research Center “Kurchatov Institute” held a festival of birdhouses and bird feeders, the final of which was held in the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. Participants demonstrated their works, and specialists from the reserve gave comments. The program of the event was rich. Participants were given a fascinating presentation, where adults and children guessed the birds by their voices, and then listened to a detailed story about them. Having received a little theory, everyone went on an excursion to the Central Bison Nursery, where in addition to bison and buffalo, you can meet many different feathered inhabitants of the Moscow region forests, see and hear them in their natural environment. Upon returning, all participants were presented with commemorative certificates and pleasant souvenirs. We are sure that we will definitely meet more than once with everyone who visited this event in our reserve at other competitions and environmental events, and their feeders and birdhouses will delight the feathered inhabitants of the Central Estate of the reserve for many years.
