Cleaning the hay meadows
On May 2 employees of GazpromTransgaz-Moscow came to help the reserve in its economic affairs. The event was held in the specially protected natural area together with the Department of Territory Protection. Several mobile and well-equipped groups were engaged in clearing hayfields of dead trees. Our helpers had no time and energy left for the excursion to the Central Bison Nursery, but it was a good reason to come to the reserve again. Many thanks to GazpromTrans-Gaz-Moscow employees who can do anything!
Volunteering can be combined with field practice
On May 11, the Reserve hosted a large group of first and second year students of the MGIMO Department of International Integrated Problems of Nature Management and Ecology. In addition to helping in the Central Bison Nursery, the young people had very big plans: to get acquainted with the work of the reserve, to see bison and to visit the background monitoring station. All tasks were accomplished! In the Central Bison Nursery fences were painted and dead wood was removed, the students were able to communicate with the head of the SFM Vera Ableyeva, who showed the equipment used at the station and told about the specifics of her work, and the day ended with a tea party and a tour of the nursery.
Restoration is a matter for professionals
The archive of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve holds many rare paintings and sketches by famous artists. For many years the works of Vasily Alekseevich Vatagin, People’s Artist of the RSFSR, Dmitry Vladimirovich Gorlov, Honored Artist of the RSFSR, Konstantin Konstantinovich Flerov, animalist Vadim Vadimovich Trofimov, animalist Evgeny Georgievich Gavrilov, painter and sculptor Valery Vasilyevich Simonov have been kept here. In preparation for the exhibition “The Bison Returns”, which will be held from May 26 to July 1 in Stupino art gallery “Nika”, it turned out that many paintings are in poor condition and require urgent restoration. Not an easy task! It is good that we knew whom to turn to for help. We are very grateful to the teachers and students of the A.A. Buzovkin Art School, who carried out a quick, high-quality and professional restoration of valuable exhibits.
Friends of Protected Islands
Last week Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve joined the Friends of Protected Islands movement. Irina Pushkova, Chief Environmental Education Specialist, took part as an expert in the case championship of the Friends of Protected Islands. On May 12, 40 teams-participants presented proposals for solving actual problem situations in protected areas, which were formulated in 16 cases. A quarter of the participants who received the maximum number of points made it to the finals. They had to solve an actual and quite serious case from the National Park “Commander Islands”, which is located in Kamchatka. You can familiarize yourself with the case study at the link. The defense of cases was held on Sunday in online format. Of course, all participants are real eco-heroes! And the winner were the students of Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas (RGU).
Not like the others
May is a hot and noisy time for the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. A large number of young tourists come to visit us at this time. The main task of schoolchildren is to visit the Central Bison Nursery and see red-listed animals with their own eyes. The Museum of Nature and the high-altitude ecological trail “Through the foliage” are no less popular with children. For those who are thirsty for creativity, we hold master classes “Bison Panel” and “Shopper Bag with the Reserve’s symbols”. After all the activities the children buy souvenirs. Tired, satisfied, filled with knowledge and impressions, they go home. One thing we remember from school is that there are exceptions to every rule! Students of school №3 of Protvino arrived to Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve not empty-handed. Under the guidance of their class teachers, they prepared a list of possible new names for the bison, and also, giving free rein to their imagination, drew original postcards. On them pupils depicted animals of the reserve and fictional animals. We thank teachers Olga Maslova and Galina Golovina for their attention to our specially protected natural area and environmental education of the younger generation.
The bison returns
On Wednesday, May 17, specialists from the Environmental Education Department traveled to the town of Stupino. The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve together with the Darwin Museum is presenting a large exhibition “The Bison Returns”. It is devoted to the fate of the largest animal in Europe. At the exhibition you will learn the history of origin, extermination and restoration of the bison, get acquainted with bison nurseries in Russia and see the works of outstanding Russian artists, who were inspired by the bison to create true masterpieces of animalistic art. These are vividly painted graphic and sculptural works: V.A. Vatagin, K.K. Fleurov, B.Y. Vorobyov, V.A. Belyshev, V.V. Trofimov, DV Gorlov, GE Nikolskogo, VV. Simonov. The exhibition will be of interest to visitors of all ages. Interactive programs have been developed for young guests: “Flora and fauna of Prioksky forest”, “Build your own bison nursery”, “Bison and buffalo: similarities and differences”, silent quest, photo zone “Who are you: bison, buffalo, tour”. The exhibition will be held in the art gallery “Nika” at the address: Stupino, Bakhareva St., 8 from May 26 to July 1.
Interaction between departments
On Wednesday, May 17, a training session for state inspectors in the field of environmental protection was held in Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. Inna Sukhanova, a leading specialist in tourism development of FGBU “Prioksko-Terrasny State Reserve” told about the excursion activities of the reserve, its tourist facilities and the specifics of working with freelance co-workers and tour operators. The information received will help to improve the interaction between the departments in the current work and in case of emergency situations.
Start of a new project
On Saturday, May 20, a new project was launched at the Central Estate of Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. The future dendrological flowerbed got its outlines. 400 bushes of cotoneaster were planted by caring hands of volunteers from Moscow. Employees of PJSC “Unipro”, whose activity is production and sale of electric power and capacity and heat energy, armed with shovels, watering cans and rakes, decorated the perimeter of the future flowerbed. The team turned out to be very energetic! They dug a trench of a hundred meters, planted and abundantly watered young, not yet strong bushes. The process was supervised by Svetlana Golovacheva, a 4th year student of the gardening and landscape construction department, GAPOU MO “Gubernsky College”. The organization and coordination of volunteers was undertaken by our good friends from the Ecocenter “Zapovedniki”.
Legends of the northern forests
From early morning on Saturday, May 20, unusual guests appeared at the Central Farmstead of Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve – they were actors of the theater “Theater of Parables” and members of the expeditionary team “Navigator”, students of the Department of Re-restoration, 5 and 6 SP. They made strange preparations: they put up a huge tent and quickly changed into unusual costumes. The surprise was a success – before the volunteer work began, Unipro employees and morning visitors who happened to be here could see a beautiful performance called “Legends of the Northern Forests”. The action invited to plunge into a fairy tale story about the living connection between man and the natural elements, to get acquainted with the mysterious Forest, the Raven and the Unicorn. In the fairy tale people could easily talk to animals and plants, good and evil fought for life and death, and love influenced the paths of man. After the performance, the actors quickly transformed into volunteers and enthusiastically helped to improve the territory of the reserve’s manor.
Summarizing the results of the contest “The World of Protected Nature”
Last Wednesday, May 24, FGBU “Prioksko-Terrasny State Zapovednik” completed the first stage of the ecological contest of children’s artistic creativity “The World of Protected Nature”. It is held within the framework of the action “March of Parks-2023”, with the support of the Wildlife Conservation Center (WCC). This year the motto of the contest is “Restoration of natural ecosystems – prosperity of the Earth!”. Like last year, the contest has one nomination – a drawing on the theme “Residents of natural ecosystems”. The contest was attended by 115 people, whose works met all the requirements. The jury of employees of the FGBU “Prioksko-Terrasny State Reserve” by voting determined 13 finalists. The contest continues. The finalists will be sent to the Wildlife Conservation Center for participation in the second stage of the contest. The results will be summarized on September 30, 2023.
TV 360
On the same day, May 24, the reserve was in the spotlight. Employees of the environmental education department answered questions from the host of TV channel 360 in an online format. How the reserve works and what summer tourist objects are open for visiting, about bison and master classes, school programs and new services, and, of course, about plans for the upcoming birthday – you can find out in the interview with Irina Pushkova, the main specialist in environmental education.
High honors
Director of FGBU “Prioksko-Terrasny State Reserve” Svetlana Rodionova participates in the jubilee X Nevsky International Ecological Congress, which is held from 25 to 26 May 2023 in the Tavrichesky Palace in St. Petersburg. Nevsky International Ecological Congress – one of the most important platforms for the formation of a modern environmental agenda. A pleasant moment for the staff of the FGBU “Prioksko-Terrasny State Reserve” was the presentation to Svetlana Alekseevna of an honorary award of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation – the badge “Excellent Nature Conservationist”, for many years of hard work, great contribution to the development of environmental education and promotion of environmental knowledge. In addition, Svetlana Alekseevna received another award – a letter of appreciation from the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation for high professionalism in the performance of her official duties and great contribution to the development of specially protected natural areas. Irina Makanova, Director of the Department of State Policy and Regulation in the Sphere of Development of Specially Protected Natural Areas of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation, presented the high awards in a solemn atmosphere.
Bison in Stupino!
This was the motto of the communication between specialists of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Prioksko-Terrasny State Reserve”, Deputy Director for Environmental Education, Development and Cognitive Tourism Natalia Shpilenok and Chief Specialist for Environmental Education Irina Pushkova in the studio @avtoradio_stupino. The new issue of the program “People want to know” is dedicated to the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. “Bison” were in the urban district of Stupino for the first time. The reason for the visit to the radio was the opening of the exhibition and the approaching 78th anniversary of the founding of the reserve. We are waiting for the program to be aired and will certainly share the link to the audition.
Bison returns
Last Friday, May 26 in Stupino art gallery “Nika” opened the exhibition “The Bison Returns”. This is a large joint project in which the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Prioksko-Terrasny State Reserve”, the Stupino Museum of History and Local Lore and the State Darwin Museum directly participated. The exhibition is timed to the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Central Bison Nursery – the first Russian bison breeding nursery. The exhibition was opened in the presence of the Reserve’s specialists, who familiarized the first young visitors with the exposition. Following the excursion, everyone could solve a quest. Interactive games and an art master class were also waiting for the children. The exhibition presents graphic, pictorial and sculptural works by masters of animalistics: Vasily Vatagin, Konstantin Flyorov, Dmitry Gorlov and others. Many works from the archive of the Reserve have not been shown for a long time, and for their restoration it was necessary to address to specialists-restorers. You can visit the exhibition until July 1.
With care for the planet: GRASS
A new interactive labyrinth stand has appeared in the Central Bison Nursery. The novelty was immediately noticed and appreciated by curious schoolchildren who came to visit the ecological trail “Road to the Bison” this Friday. The stand is dedicated to the inhabitants of the Central Bison Pet-nik and in a visual form tells about the peculiarities of red-listed animals on the example of one family group. But the most interesting thing is its interactive part – even kids can playfully show care for the animals: take the mother bison to the lake to drink water, play with the bison in the grove, feed the daddy bison with hay, which is stored under the shed, built, by the way, last year with the financial help of the GRASS company. GRASS company is the largest Russian manufacturer of professional car care products and detergents. Already on Wednesday, May 31, a large volunteer event will be held in Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve with the participation of employees of this company, during which 300 linden trees will be planted.
