Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
From December 8 to 11, 2025, the Nature Embassy Foundation held a comprehensive seminar, "Oil Spills: Impact, Consequence Management, and Psychological Preparation of Personnel," in Sochi and the Sirius Federal Territory. The event brought together 20 specialists from coastal nature reserves and national parks across the country, whose territories are most vulnerable to this man-made threat. The seminar was part of the new, large-scale "Living Black Sea" project, launched in November 2025 and implemented by the Nature Embassy Foundation with the support of JTI Russia.
The seminar program included lectures by leading scientists from the State Institute of Natural Sciences and the Institute of Oceanology of the Republic of Armenia, who have been studying this topic for many years, along with specialized practical workshops (for example, on providing veterinary care to injured animals), and training sessions to enhance the management and psychological competencies of protected area staff when working in emergency situations. Seminar topics included studying the impacts on ecosystems in specific areas, ensuring the safety of people and animals, monitoring and scientific research, and actions to restore ecosystems after emergency situations.
In particular, Sergey Zatsepa, a leading researcher at the State Oceanographic Institute, spoke about the use of modern technologies for scientific modeling and forecasting of oil spills, using the Kerch Strait and other waters as examples. Representatives of the Utrish Nature Reserve and the Anapa Peresyp Nature Park outlined key factors that must be considered when assessing the vulnerability and protecting specially protected natural areas. Vyacheslav Krylenko, a senior researcher at the Southern Branch of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, explained how to plan for emergency response based on an understanding of coastal ecosystems.
Tatyana Denisenko, Head of the Department of Virology and Microbiology at the K.I. Scriabin Moscow Veterinary Academy, dedicated her report to helping cetaceans and studying the impact of oil spills on the health of Black Sea dolphins. During a discussion moderated by Olga Pegova (Caucasian Nature Reserve), protected area staff discussed the risks to their natural areas and outlined elements of an oil spill response plan.
The program for the second and subsequent days was structured around the principle of "from on-site action to crisis management." The second day of the seminar began with a practical sea voyage on a vessel with the scientific director of the Delfa Dolphin Rescue Center. Participants were fortunate to encounter all three species of dolphins inhabiting the Black Sea. The focus then shifted to technology and rescue: experts presented the capabilities of satellite monitoring and their experience in oil spill response in the Arctic. A key section was a detailed algorithm for rescuing birds contaminated with oil products, from capture to setting up a rehabilitation center, presented by veterinarians from the Wildlife Hospital. The day concluded with a tour of the high-tech laboratories of the Sirius National Technical University, where participants were able to observe the development of a microbiological method for the disposal of oil products.
The third day was dedicated to developing "soft" skills, crucial during emergencies. Under the guidance of experienced mentors, participants explored external and internal communication strategies, volunteer management methods, and working with local communities. The culmination was a practical workshop, organized jointly with the press service of the Caucasus Nature Reserve, during which each participant recorded a mini-interview on a sensitive topic and received a professional on-camera analysis of their work.
The final day began with an inspiring excursion to the Caucasus National Park. Following this, professional psychologist Victoria Dmitrieva conducted a key training session on stress management, burnout prevention, and the ethics of interaction in emergency and crisis situations. The seminar concluded with a shared experience and a certificate presentation ceremony.
"The integrated approach used in designing this seminar not only allows us to provide specific instructions but also to develop a holistic understanding of the crisis and a course of action among protected area staff—from immediate shoreline interventions that preserve their own psychological resources to long-term measures that foster a trusting dialogue with the public. The Nature Embassy Foundation expresses its sincere gratitude to JTI Russia for supporting the project and the seminar, to all the experts and speakers for their invaluable knowledge and practical skills, to our colleagues from the Caucasus Nature Reserve for their assistance in organizing and conducting off-site events and workshops, and to the participants for their high level of engagement, willingness to engage in dialogue, and their inexhaustible motivation to protect Russia's nature. The tools we received and the professional connections we established are a significant contribution to improving the preparedness of the nature reserve system to respond quickly and effectively to environmental challenges," noted Polina Grigorieva, an expert at the Nature Embassy Foundation and director of the Living Black Sea project.
Sergey Zatsepa, Acting Head of the Marine Environment Modeling Laboratory and Leading Researcher at the N. N. Zubov State Oceanographic Institute, said: "The seminar, organized by the Zapovednoye Polustvo Foundation, allowed us to look at the Anapa oil spill from a new perspective. It was attended by biologists, geomorphologists, and representatives of specially protected natural areas whose mission is to preserve and study protected areas. I was incredibly impressed by their attention to the incident and their desire to do everything in their power to ensure that future incidents, should they arise, are dealt with as effectively as possible and with minimal impact on specially protected areas. The opinions of the seminar participants deserve to be summarized and disseminated so that an effective oil spill response system can be established in our country."
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