Director of the Priokso-Terrasny Biosphere Reserve Evgeny Grigoriev, Deputy Director for Science Yuri Buyvolov participated in the international regional scientific and practical conference “The role of biosphere reserves in the conservation and sustainable development of the territories in large river basins on the example of the basin of the rivers Volga and Po (Italy)”.

The event was held to exchange experiences in Venice and brought together scientists from Italy, Spain, Romania and Russia. Our country was represented by the heads of 12 nature reserves, Italy – three biosphere reserves located in the basin of the river Po: “Ticino” in the vicinity of Milan, “Monviso” and “Po Delta”. At the meeting, an application for inclusion in UNESCO’s program of a new reserve in the basin of the river Po, located near Turin, was submitted. Presentations were made by representatives of the biosphere reserve “Danube Delta” from Romania and “Terres de l’Ebre” on the Spanish river Ebre.

The initiators of the conference were the Italian office of UNESCO and the administration of the biosphere reserve “Po Delta”. The organizers of the meeting from the Russian side was the Russian MAB Committee and the non-profit partnership “Biosphere Reserves of Eurasia”.

The reports of the representatives of the was summed up the experience of nearly 40 years of involvement in the UNESCO “Man and Biosphere” (MAB), in the organization and conduction of complex ecosystems research and environmental monitoring. Conference participants learned about environmental education, educational and sightseeing activities of the Priokso-Terrasny Reserve, as well as how to manage to keep the “island” of nature in an urban environment. The conference presented the recently published collection of the Priokso-Terrasny reserve scientific papers, prepared in close cooperation with ten research organizations. The collection will soon be available on the website of the reserve.

The sessions of the conference lasted two days, and then the participants had an excursion in the “Po Delta” Biosphere Reserve, got acquainted with its sights and history. Scientists took a view of the converted power plant as an example of successful implementation of a sustainable development model based on economic and ecological requirements. Previously, the power plant worked on black oil and caused significant environmental harm to the delta natural complexes. Over time, its activities became unprofitable, but disassembly required too much work, so in the Biosphere Reserve decided to adapt the power plant to the tasks of ecological tourism. The exhibition center was created here, and a viewing platform was arranged on its pipe. The former power plant building is now a popular touristic object. From the tower one can see the amazing beauty of the river delta landscape with sea, island and mountain areas, where more than 500 thousand waterfowl winter and stop to rest in the migratory period.

Speech of the Director before the poster of the reserve. On the photo: Deputy Chairman of the Russian MAB Committee V.M. Neronov, director of the Priokso-Terrasny Reserve E.M. Grigoriev, representative of the Middle Volga Biosphere Reserve V. Vehnik and “Terres de l’Ebre” Biosphere Reserve (Spain) M.M. Geyra.

In the photo from left to right: Illyaz Gainutdinov – “Bashkir Ural” – Biosphere Reserve (BR), Evgeny Grigoriev – Priokso-Terrasny BR, Alexander Granovsky – Visimsky BR, Anna Lukonina – Volga-Akhtuba BR.

Converted into a tourist site power plant in the Po delta.