1. «MuMuseum» in the Nature Museum
An exhibition entitled “Bison and Bufallo in Works of Art and Everyday Life” has opened in the Nature Museum of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. The exhibition is dedicated to the 76th anniversary of the opening of the Central Bison Nursery in the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve, the first in Russia and the third in the world center for the restoration of the king of European forests – the bison. The exhibition was collected over many years by Irina Bochkova, a collector if items depicting cows and bulls. Visitors to the Nature Museum will see works by artists and photographers, toys, badges and souvenirs dedicated to bison and their closest relatives – buffalo. And full information about the life and habits of the largest mammals of the European continent can be found during an excursion along the ecological trail “Road to the Bison”. Since 2001, the collection of Irina Bochkova has been called “MuMuseum” and has more than 35,000 exhibits. The collection is a 4-time record holder of the Book of Records of Russia for the largest collection of figurines, soft toys, dishes and magnets with symbols of cows and bulls. The author of the exhibition dreams of organizing a permanent premises for the collection, where thematic events, educational programs and charity events could be held. Her goal is to please people with her unique museum and continue to develop the project.
2. Preparations for the reserve’s anniversary have begun
Next year, the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve will celebrate an important date – 80 years since its foundation. A plan of events dedicated to this significant event has been developed. The event with the presentation and formation of the strategy of interaction of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve with representatives of business, executive authorities and public organizations took place last Friday, November 8, in the reserve. Representatives of the tourist guild at the Serpukhov Chamber of Commerce and Industry took part in it. As part of the meeting, a round table was held on the topic: “2025 – the year of effective cooperation”. The meeting was opened and the welcoming speech was given by the Director of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve Svetlana Rodionova. After that, all those present listened to the report of the Deputy Director for Environmental Education, Development and Tourism Natalia Shpilenok on the topic “The plan of events for the 80th anniversary of the reserve as a tool for effective interaction”. Then, the participants of the event discussed a number of issues: “Events of the reserve in the organization of tourism in the region”, “Mass events and individual programs in the reserve as an object of tourist attractiveness”, “Promising issues on the interaction of representatives of travel agencies, tour operators, executive authorities and public organizations with the reserve in 2025”. During the meeting, the reserve’s management received a proposal from the participants of the event to create an organizing committee for the preparation and holding of a series of events dedicated to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the reserve! It should be noted that the guests of the reserve became participants in the opening and the first visitors to the exhibition of the collector Irina Bochkova “Bison and Bufallo in Works of Art and Everyday Life”. The exhibition is dedicated to the 76th anniversary of the organization of the Central Bison Nursery in the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve and will continue to work until March 25, 2025.
3. Tour operators in the reserve
The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve took part in the program of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Moscow region to popularize the sights of the Moscow region. On Tuesday, November 12, specialists from the Department of Environmental Education and Educational Tourism of the Reserve organized an information tour for a group of tour operators from the Moscow region and representatives of the Ministry, who visited a number of the main sights of the urban district of Serpukhov that day. As part of the event, the guests took part in an excursion to the Central Bison Nursery. During a walk along the ecological trail “Road to the Bison”, the participants not only learned the story of the bison’s rescue, but also received answers to numerous questions. Our guests were interested in everything related to the organization of work with guests in a specially protected natural area: how to conclude an agreement with tour operators, how long the excursion lasts, whether it is always possible to see bison, how families with small children and people with disabilities cope with the route, what other interesting things can be seen in the reserve and much more. An important place in the dialogue was given to mass environmental and educational events dedicated to the memorable dates of the reserve: the Day of obtaining status of a biosphere reserve – February 19, the Day of the establishment of the reserve – June 19 and the creation of the Central Bison Nursery – November 21. At the end of the event, the participants wished the reserve development and an increase in tourism potential, and also promised to return in the very near future.
4. Visiting the kids
The event, dedicated to the ecological holiday “Titmouse Day”, was held by employees of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve in the preschool department “Cinderella” of secondary general education school No.13 of the Serpukhov urban district. This meeting was held in a traditional format. During the presentation, the children got acquainted with the birds that fly to the feeders in winter, learned what is the best treat for the birds and now everyone without exception can distinguish any species of tits. The continuation was a quiz, in which the children demonstrated absolute knowledge – they unmistakably identified all the guessed birds by their silhouette. After that, there was a creative activity – the children drew a collective bird. At the end of the meeting, there was a master class, in which each child made their own imaginary bird out of paper. The event ended with a meeting with a life-size doll “Bison”, to which the children gave tasty treats – carrots, apples and acorns. Specialists from the Department of Environmental Education gave them to the bison and buffalo living in the Central Bison Nursery.
5. Until spring
Due to weather conditions, the high-altitude ecological trail “Through the Leaves” and the ecological park “Tree House” are closed until spring. Until recently, it seemed that at least for a short time, the warmth would return to the Moscow region, but it looks like this will not happen. The hot summer is over, very warm September and October, golden autumn has given way to pre-winter, which means it is time to close our seasonal tourist sites. Scheduled repairs will be carried out next spring. All failed elements will be replaced and all fastenings will be carefully checked. In April-May next year, the high-altitude ecological trail “Through the Leaves” and the ecological park “Tree House” will reopen for visitors, updated and safe. But the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve continues to welcome guests! The ecological route “Road to the Bison” is open all year round. Now it has become even more interesting – the bison in the Central Bison Nursery are almost constantly in sight, spending more and more time near the feeding areas. Everyone who has been on the excursion has a chance to take good photos.
6. Michaelmas Day and Nursery Day
The Central Bison Nursery turns 76 years old. On this day, November 21, 1948, the first bison arrived at the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve and the long, difficult and painstaking work of returning the wild bull of Europe, the bison, to nature began. The entire history of the restoration of the bison population is inextricably linked with the name of Mikhail Aleksandrovich Zablotsky, who became one of the most authoritative scientists and an internationally renowned bison specialist. Mikhail Aleksandrovich was the first heat of the Central Bison Nursery. He worked in this position from 1949 to 1963 and from 1971 to 1976. On November 21, 1948, on Michaelmas Dat, Mikhail Aleksandrovich’s birthday, the first bison Puslav and Pushchanin arrived from Poland. As Mikhail Aleksandrovich himself believed, the opening of the nursery and the arrival of the bison were the best birthday gifts of his life. But as is known, behind every famous man, there is always a smart woman. And for Mikhail Aleksandrovich Zablotsky, such a woman was Lidiya Vasilyevna Zablotskaya, née Kraynova. She was often in the shadow of her husband, but she was also a great scientist who left a bright mark in science and, of course, in the history of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. On January 1, 1949, M.A. Zablotsky transferred from the Main Directorate for Reserves under the Council of Ministers of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to work at the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve as a senior research fellow and head of the Central Bison Nursery. Following him, Lidiya Vasilyevna Kraynova (Zablostakaya) also transferred to the Moscow region Reserve, becoming one the first research fellows of the reserve. The works of Lidiya Vasilyevna also allowed to give valuable recommendations for feeding bison in captivity. L.V. Zablotskaya developed new methods of theriological monitoring. She stood at the origins of the creation of the reserve’s protected zone, this work took over 5 years, as it required multiple approvals in more than 50 instances, in some organizations – several times. Today, the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve is popular and constantly on everyone’s lips thanks to the Central Bison Nursery. Tens of thousands of visitors come here every year. Thanks to the bison, the reserve is not only a center of science and educational tourism, but also exists in principle. The bison saved the reserve when in August 1951 two thirds of the reserves that existed in our country at that time were closed (88 out of 128). The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve survived only because the Central Bison Nursery operated on its territory. Thus, the work of Mikhail Aleksandrovich Zablotsky and Lidiya Vasilyevna Zablotskaya played an important role in the formation of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve.
7. Bison Day at Turov School
On the day of the foundation of the Central Bison Nursery, November 21, the Municipal Budgetary General Education Institution “Turovskaya Secondary General Education School” received special guests. Specialists from the Department of Environmental Education and Educational Tourism of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve arrived to hold an educational environmental event in honor of the memorable date. The audience was strict and quite mature – there were students from the first to the fourth grades. They listened to a presentation dedicated to the history of saving the bison and the work of the Central Bison Nursery. Having received a basic understanding of the nursery’s activities, the children were quite ready to go through the exciting quest “In the Footsteps of the Bison”. Studying is good, but you also need to rest! Finally, each student had the opportunity to paint a souvenir with an image of a bison’s head with their own hands. The lesson was fun, moderately noisy and definitely very educational! The students received a lot of useful knowledge, and the reserve staff received a lot of positive emotions.
8. Bison as a gift
The birthday of the Central Bison Nursery continues! On Saturday, November 23, the grand opening of the art object sculpture “Bison” took place. The new art object is made of natural materials and donated to the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve by corporate volunteers of the “Combine of Goodness” program of the Norilsk Nickel company with the support of the Charitable Educational Foundation “Zapovednoe Posolstvo”. A huge life-size of a male bison, completely assembled from wood, appeared on the square of the Central Estate of the Reserve. The project was brilliantly implemented by the famous master of his craft – Kirill Pavlovich Bair. The creation of the model, preparation of materials and preliminary work on the creation of the art object took place as part of the “EcoArt” stage of the ninth volunteer environmental marathon “PonesLos” 2024. The marathon started on June 9 in all regions where Norilsk Nickel is present and on November 23 reached the only reserve in the Moscow region – Prioksko-Terrasny. This year the motto of the marathon is: “Here we go in art”. Several dozen employees of the company’s Moscow office gathered for the ceremonial event of the opening of the sculpture and volunteer work. For them, the reserve’s specialists held a presentation dedicated to the specially protected natural area and, of course, the Central Bison Nursery. It was a cloudy and rainy day, but the volunteers were well equipped and did not lose their enthusiasm. Having split into groups, they immediately got to work: the bison statue was treated with a special impregnation, the fodder beet was sorted out in the vegetable storage, the street benches were removed until spring and much more! Despite the increasing rain, no one refused the excursion to the Central Bison Nursery. Wet and tired volunteers of the “Combine of Goodness” left the reserve only at sunset. We are grateful to our helpers and thank you for the wonderful gift in honor of the 76th anniversary of the creation of the Central Bison Nursery.
9. The Reserve Dictation
On November 26, specialists from the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve held the All-Russian Reserve Dictation fro students of the Municipal Budgetary General Education Institution “Turovskaya Secondary General Education School”. This year’s theme is “A Path to the Reserved Nature on Your Bookshelf”. The book teaches to understand where good is and where evil is, encourages to study the world around us, and inspires the person to choose the right path in life. The dictation is designed to attract the attention of young people to the value of communicating with nature, introduces them to the wonderful literary works of world-famous classics dedicated to the beauty of nature, and teaches the importance of friendship with protected areas. For their dictation, the reserve specialists chose an excerpt from I.S. Turgenev’s work entitled “Forest and Steppe”. The text in the recording was read by Elena Sitnikova, Deputy Director for Research at the Bryansk Forest State Nature Biosphere Reserve: “Here is the forest. Shade and silence. Stately aspens whisper high above you. Long, hanging branches of birches barely move. A mighty oak stands like a fighter next to a beautiful linden. Midges fly in a column, brightening in the shade, darkening in the sun. Birds sing peacefully. The golden voice of a robin sounds innocent, chatty joy: it goes with the scent of lilies of the valley.” In 2024, the All-Russian Reserve Dictation will be held from November 11 to 30. The 2024 Dictation is held as part of the comprehensive project “Reserved Meanings. Science”, which is being implemented with the grant support of the Movement of the First. The organizers of the Reserve Dictation for the fourth year in a row were the “Movement of Friends of Reserved Islands” and the charitable educational foundation “Zapovednoe Posolstvo”. The partners were: Roszapovedtsentr of the Ministry of Natural Ressources of Russia, the Federal Center for Continuing Education, the All-Russian Ecological Public Movement “Ecosystem”, the Interregional Ecological Public Organization “ECA” and the Russian State Library for Youth. Everyone who wrote the dictation will receive an electronic certificate.
