Being a volunteer is easy!

The 7th «Pristine Russia» festival in Gostiny Dvor continues and each day is somehow dedicated to the conservation of nature.

Employees of the Prioksko-Terrasny Zapovednik are regular participants of the festival and the day of January 30 was no exception – it was devoted to volunteering in specially protected areas and was organized by great masters of their work – specialists of the «Zapovednik’s» Ecological and Educational Center.

Volunteering is very multifaceted and involves a variety of people working in various fields. If one of those present, coming to the event, did not know anything about the volunteers, then he left well-informed. Interesting presentations took place from parks and museums, where volunteer paths, walkways, trees, benches and much more appeared. People who have been volunteers in various regions of Russia told their stories – from 75 days in Kamchatka on a cordon in the Kronotsky Reserve, among bears and a ban on the use of washing powder, to planting seedlings in the Moscow Region park. But the most important thing in these discussion stories is to show that becoming a volunteer is not at all difficult and, if you want to become involved in the great and important matter of nature conservation, to see rare places and meet interesting people, this is easy and possible at every step. Employees of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve also spoke with pleasure about their experience – how volunteer actions are held with us, and how any person can participate in them.

But the volunteer movement is not limited to the help of private enthusiasts. Corporate volunteering has become very widespread all over the world. Corporate social responsibility for many business representatives is a very important business. Many companies attract their employees to charity events and the help of such organized groups is invaluable.

Someone will say: “Why do successful companies participate in this business, what good is it for them”? Corporate volunteering fits into the staff development programs, joint visits and labor bring together employees of various departments. And the company itself participates in socially significant projects, receives reputation dividends and of course helps to make the world better.

In 2019, volunteers of various companies came to the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve – Video & Audio Communications, Sberbank, CUSTIS, CISCO, BOOKING com, DHL, EVRAZ, Nornickel, Smith & Nephew.

«Zapovednik’s»  Ecological and Educational Center organizes volunteer events for many companies throughout the year. Thanks to them, the Dixy and Qiwi companies provided invaluable assistance to the reserve, with the help of their employees a lot of work was done to improve the Central Estate of the reserve and the Central Bison Nursery.
In gratitude, we were pleased to participate in the solemn awarding of representatives of companies participating in volunteer events at the «Zapovednik’s»  Environmental Center.

This was the bright ending of the day dedicated to the volunteer movement. But the festival continues – on February 1, the whole day is devoted to specially protected areas – reserves and national parks. Employees of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve are glad to see everyone and together with their colleagues from other natural territories will present their programs at the festival.