1. Bison day at the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy
On January 21, a unique thematic environmental event took place in Moscow at the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy „Bison day”. The venue was the „Prirodograd” pavilion, where, as part of the exhibition-forum „Russia”, Days of Protected Areas have been held since January 11, dedicated to the amazing untouched corners of our country. Last Sunday, the hero of the day was the last wild bull in Europe – the bison, the story of his disappearance and miraculous return to the wild, to the specially protected natural areas, where the bison has found a home. Specialists from the „Orlovskoye Polesie” and „Ugra” national parks, the „Kaluzhskie Zaseki” and „Kavkazskiy” nature reserves came to talk about their work, achievements and plans for the future. The event was coordinated by the Prioksko-Terransy Reserve – as the first in Russia where they began to restore the bison population. Until the evening, lectures and screenings of documentaries from specially protected natural areas were held on the main stage. The main stage hosted lectures on the topic of bison restoration in Russia: “People and bison” – speaker Viktor Anatolievich Grishenkov (director of the “Ugra” National Park), “Bison of the Orlovskoye Polesie: past, present, future” – speaker Andrey Petrovich Karpachev (specialist of the “Orlovskoye Polesie” National Park); “The history of the bison in the Kaluga abatis” – speaker Sergey Vasilyevich Fedoseyev (director of the “Kaluga zaseki” Reserve); “How to photograph nature” – speaker Vitaly Ivanovich Gorshkov (Chairman of the Kaluga regional branch of the Union of Wildlife Photographers); “The return of the bison to the Caucasus” – speaker Natalya Gladkova (senior specialist in tourism development of the “Caucasus Reserve”). Documentary films were also shown, dedicated to specially protected natural areas, where work has been underway for many years to restore the bison: “Bisons of the Orlovskoye Polesie: past, present, future”, “4 seasons of the Prioksky forest”, “the Ark”. Traditionally for all Days of protected areas on the “Day of bison” in the “Prirodograd” the reserve post office was open. All cards with wishes will soon fly from the heart of our Homeland to its most remote corners.
2. Interdepartmental meeting on preparation for the 2024 fire season
On Wednesday, January 24, specialists from the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve took part in an interdepartmental meeting with representatives of the “Russian Forest” branch of the Main Control Directorate of the Moscow Region “Mosoblles”, the Serpukhov Urban District Administration, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations for the Moscow Region, on the topic “On the organization of joint actions to ensure fire safety measures in forests in terms of preparation for the 2024 fire season”. A number of topical issues on ensuring measures to prepare for the fire season and organizing joint work were discussed. During the meeting, a list of populated areas and economic facilities bordering the forest fund, included in the protected area of the reserve and the territory of the district forestry “Russian forest” was determined. The issue of the advisability of early plowing of these objects was being decided. As long-term statistics show, it is here that the risk of fires is highest, especially the appearance of spring grass fires. As a result of the meeting, a schedule was developed for patrolling these objects and places of mass recreation for the population by interdepartmental mobile groups in order to prevent violations of fire safety. It was decided to continue work on holding general meetings of citizens in populated areas, on issues of preventing the lighting of fires, burning of garbage, foliage, agricultural fires and use of open fire sources in areas adjacent to forest lands during the fire season. As part of the preparation for the 2024 fire season, it is proposed to consider in the near future the issue of increasing the involvement of the Russian police officers “Serpukhovskoye” and representatives of the administration of the urban district Serpukhov in joint patrolling. To further improve the work of specialists from various departments, if was decided to work out the algorithms for interaction between dispatchers of the single duty dispatch service of the municipality with the specialized dispatch service of the Podolsk-Russian forest branch of the Main Control Department of the Moscow region “Tsentrleskhoz”, as well as with local fire and rescue garrisons. In February-March, traditional joint exercises of the fire extinguishing group of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve and emergency rescue teams of other departments will be held.
3. “The Reserve: Seasons”
On January 30, specialists from the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve took part in the opening of the art exhibition “Reserve: Seasons”. The venue was the Serpukhov Municipal Budgetary Comprehensive Educational Institution Secondary Comprehensive School No. 2. All the exhibited works were made by students of the Children’s Art School named after A.A. Buzovkin as part of the joint project with the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve “Reserve: Seasons”, during which plein airs dedicated to the nature of the reserve are regularly held. The first visitors to the exhibition were the school students, but in addition to studying the exposition, they were treated to an environmental education program from the reserve’s specialists. The children were happy to take part in the quiz “Reserve inhabitants” and watched a number of beautiful documentary videos dedicated to its nature. The opening of the exhibition was timed to coincide with the celebration of January 11 – the Day of Reserves and National Parks.
4. We choose hospitality
FGBU “Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve” is starting to publish a series of articles on the implementation of the National project “Tourism and Hospitality Industry” in its specially protected natural area. In 2023, the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve received targeted subsidies as part of the implementation of the National project “Tourism and Hospitality Industry”. The goal of the Project is to increase the number of trips around Russia, make them convenient, safe and interesting. Domestic tourism in our country is growing every year and travelers should receive quality service, and organizers of recreation areas and tourist routes should receive comprehensive state support. The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve has long been one of the main attractions of the south of the Moscow region. The number of visitors to this specially protected natural area is steadily increasing – from several hundred in the early 1950s to 120 thousand in 2023. But despite the growing number of visitors, opportunities to improve the tourism infrastructure and make it meet modern requirements, is not always possible at the expense of the Institution’s own funds. Therefore, the implementation of a number of activities through the allocation of targeted subsidies within the framework of the national project “Tourism and Hospitality Industry” of the federal project “Development of tourism infrastructure” for the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve became one of the priority tasks in 2023. Thanks to the funds received, from August 31 to December 29, 2023, work was carried out to improve the entrance area of the Prioksko-Terrasny State Nature Biosphere Reserve, the pedestrian area of the Central Estate and the excursion route along the ecological trail “Road to the Bison”. In addition, in order to implement measures to create a single database of photo and video materials, obtain professional photographs, as well as the development of a portal about the life of wild nature in Russia, modern digital equipment was purchased. Participation in the project will increase the attractiveness and accessibility of tourist sites of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, and will contribute to the development of educational tourism, in accordance with international standards. The nature of Russia is amazing, diverse and unique. Thanks to the implementation of the National project “Tourism and Hospitality Industry” it will become closer to every resident of our country.
