Digest April 2023

Training for guides

Also on Saturday, April 1, in the Central Bison Nursery there was a training session for current guides. It was conducted by the deputy director for maintenance and breeding of bison of FGBU “Prioksko-Terrasny State Reserve” Stefutin Andrey. In the course of the class were disclosed nuances of veterinary service, specifics of animal feeding, safety and disease prevention. Now no question of our visitors will not remain unanswered! The tour guides became more familiar with the work of the nursery and learned more about the life of bison: starting with the “passportization” of each animal after the birth of a calf and ending with the tracking of all stages of its life.

 

Open Day

Last Saturday, April 1, Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve invited all those interested in the work of a tour guide to visit it. An interesting program awaited the applicants: acquaintance with the excursion activities of the Reserve, presentation “Excursion guide – a dream job!”, excursion along the ecological trail “Road to the bison”, visit to the Museum of Nature and tour of tourist facilities of the Reserve. Warmth comes to the Moscow region and soon we will need the help of competent and positive tour guides who passed the difficult exam with honor.

 

Creative week

On Friday, April 7, pupils of the A.A. Buzovkin Moscow Art School came to the reserve for a spring sketching. Young artists have already painted the summer, fall and winter of the Prioksky forest. Now it is the turn of spring! The first flowers became the object of attention, the bright sun added a bright palette to the surrounding world, and the singing of birds inspired the artists to create. The best works created in the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve and the bison nursery by the art school students will be on display at the exhibition, which will open at the Central Manor of the Reserve on the eve of its 78th Birthday.

 

Artist Valerius

Sunday, April 9, our colleagues at the State Memorial Historical and Art and Nature Museum-Reserve of Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov hosted the closing of the exhibition of works by the artist Valerius. St. Petersburg artist Valery Ivanov personally took part in the event.

The author works in the genre of “ethno-infance” and in his art opens and uses a variety of techniques. For example, his author’s technique of “scratching” allows visually impaired people to admire the paintings. In addition, Valerius is the author of a unique project that unites adults and children from different regions of our country. “River of Life” is a giant coloring book, hand-painted by the artist on canvas and colored by different people. Children and adults from many regions of Russia are already participating in the project. The “brook” of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve will join the general “River of Life” in June this year. Va-lerius kindly handed over a 6-square-meter coloring canvas to us so that all the guests who came to the 78th Birthday of the Reserve could take part in the coloring. There are already many, many square meters of intricate lines and bright colors in the project. The coloring is constantly growing and today it is more than 1,000 square meters, which brings it steadily closer to the record!

Fire-hazardous season in the Moscow region

On April 10, 2023, by the decree of the governor of the Moscow region Andrey Vorobyov, the onset of the fire-dangerous season was announced in the forests of the Moscow region. By the order of the Director of the Prioksko-Terrasny State Natural Biosphere Reserve, the fire danger season also started on April 10. In order to strengthen the skills of actions in extinguishing forest fires and testing of special firefighting means, the Reserve held theoretical classes on ways of fighting natural fires, after which they moved on to practical classes. The firefighting team showed that it was well equipped and able to quickly and effectively use the available means.

 

“Biologists draw”

On April 12, a lecture-dialogue “Biologists Draw” was held in Lipitsky House of Culture. How does fine art serve biology? Why modern photographic art has not yet replaced naturalistic drawing? Ilya Murashev, a biologist, ornithologist, co-worker of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University and Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, told about it to the senior students of Lipitskaya school. During the lively dialog the children learned about his scientific expeditions and what biologists do, what are the pros and cons of this profession. The organizers of the event are sure that meetings with interesting people not only broaden the students’ horizons, but also help young people to choose a profession. Along with his professional activity Ilya Murashev is engaged in naturalistic illustration. His works can be seen in the definition of birds of Kamchatka, the Red Book of the Russian Federation and other publications, as well as in the Lipitsky House of Culture, where a personal exhibition “Dialogue with Nature” was opened.

Mutual understanding in the prevention of forest fires was reached

April 14 was held an interdepartmental meeting between representatives of the FGBU “Prioksko-Terrasny State Reserve” and the branch “Russian Forest” GKU MO “Mosobelles” on the topic “On the organization of joint cooperation to ensure fire safety measures in forests in the fire season of 2023. Since the territory of the reserve borders with Dankovsky and Otradinsky district forestries, both parties have a common goal – prevention of fires, and in case of their occurrence – prompt interaction of forces to eliminate them. The nuances of the organization of joint patrols of the protected area of the reserve, especially on weekends and holidays, the order and methods of notification of representatives of both institutions when monitoring the fire situation, as well as the issues of awareness-raising among the population. The issues of interaction to ensure fire safety in forests were agreed upon.

Unexpected help

Wednesday, April 19, MBOU “Turovskaya SOSH” in Danki received unexpected help! Volunteers from Serpukhov College came to clean up the lush vegetation around the school complex. Seven future first-year auto mechanics were ready for any difficulties, and for organization and as much help as possible they were joined by a specialist from Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, responsible for volunteerism. The young people worked tirelessly and in just a few hours managed to do exactly half of the huge amount of work! While the volunteers were working, a surprising event happened – the pile of dry branches was growing rapidly and a hedgehog, disturbed by the work, decided to use it as a shelter. At the same moment, appearing as if from nowhere, the hedgehog was surrounded by junior high school students who were very concerned about the fate of the prickly animal. The insect-eating animal was caught and moved to a safe area of the park with a huge excited crowd (the children asked to keep it on the school grounds). After the work was finished, the volunteers had a lovely lunch in the school canteen and a sightseeing tour of the Central Bison Nursery.

New friends

On Thursday, April 20, Irina Pushkova, chief specialist in environmental education of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Prioksko-Terrasny State Reserve”, paid a working visit to the Department of Restoration and Woodworking 26 KADR (Moscow). On this day, the traditional “Meeting about the main thing” took place in the college, to which architects, restorers, representatives of museums, graduates of the department were invited. In addition to serious conversations on professional topics, the event included a creative program. Pupils of the college showed a theatrical performance “Parable of Peace”. The event united two international holidays close to the traditions of the Restoration Department: the Day of Protection of Monuments of History and Culture and Mother Earth Day. The nearest plans include signing an agreement on cooperation and friendship between the institutions.

Opening of the volunteer season 2023

On Saturday, April 22, FGBU “Prioksko-Terrasny State Reserve” held the first open volunteer day of the season. To help the reserve in the spring cleaning came volunteers from a variety of places: here you could meet residents of the entire Moscow region, Moscow, Tula, Kashira, organized group came schoolchildren from the village of Zaoksky. The central estate of the reserve and the park “Tree House” were cleaned up: bushes were trimmed, stands were washed, paths were swept and the fire pond was cleaned. After the completion of the main work the volunteers had a lot of important things to do: to record a video message to the School of Kamchatka Nature Defenders, to go on an excursion to the Central Bison Nursery and, of course, to have tea and refreshment. All of the above mentioned was done qualitatively and in time. The administration of the Reserve is very grateful to everyone and hopes to see you in the new volunteer season!

The Reserve on the “Coast of Good Deeds”

On Wednesday, April 26, Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve took part in the All-Russian campaign “Water of Russia” (“Coast of Good Deeds”), organized by the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Center for the Development of Water Management Complex” (Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia). A small river Sushka flows in the protected zone of the reserve and it was decided to clean up household garbage in its floodplain near the village of Danka. This difficult task was undertaken by several dozen volunteers from GAPOU MO “Gubernsky College” and MBOU SOSH No. 18 of Serpukhov. Serpukhov. Although the weather was rainy, several hundred kilograms of garbage were collected and removed in two hours. “Water of Russia” is a part of the federal project “Preservation of Unique Water Bodies” of the national project “Ecology”, aimed at cleaning the shores of water bodies from garbage.

Volunteer yourself

On Friday, April 28, a special action took place in Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. It was a Subbotnik with a capital letter. Employees of the reserve took part in it! The turnout for the subbotnik was one hundred percent. From the very morning employees of all departments came to the Central Estate and the work began. All around was filled with laughter and fun – it is not without reason that since ancient times it is customary to hold the subbotniks in spring, when nature is renewed and the street is so good and easy to breathe. The scope of work was substantial: to wash stands, benches and posters, to trim bushes and clean the territory of the main summer tourist objects – the park “Tree House” and the trail “Through the foliage” from fallen branches. By lunchtime, even the most stubborn left and the fuss subsided.  Gradually everyone went to their workplaces and returned to their duties. A year will pass and in the future April, the staff of the Reserve, who are hungry for physical labor, will again come out to the Central Square and will gladly grab rakes and brooms to make cleanliness and order again and again please arriving tourists.

The season is open!

Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve opened the summer tourist season – 2023! Preventive works have been completed and since April 29th the ecological park “Tree House” and the ecological trail “Through the foliage” welcomed their first visitors this year. Now in the reserve you can not only go on an excursion along the ecological trail “Road to the bison”, but also walk at a height of 8 meters above the ground in the crowns of trees, try your hand at four march-routes of different levels of difficulty, located at a height of one to six meters, and for children – to overcome log obstacles, located directly on the ground.