Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
A class dedicated to the rarest big cat, the snow leopard, and its prominent researcher, Sergei Vladimirovich Spitsyn, a senior researcher at the Altai Biosphere Reserve, has opened in the geography room of M. V. Karamaev Lyceum No. 1 in Gorno-Altaisk. The Zapovednoye Polostel'stvo Foundation supported the expansion of the class's environmental education exhibit.
The project to create a class dedicated to the snow leopard was implemented on the initiative of the staff of the Altai Biosphere Reserve, the Zapovednoye Poslost Foundation, participants of the expedition "In the Footsteps of the Snow Leopard", with the support of the administration of Lyceum No. 1 and members of the public organization "Keepers of the Lake".
This is the first time such a specialized geography classroom has been established in an educational institution in Russia, dedicated to the protected area and the object of its research.
The office was named after Sergei Vladimirovich Spitsyn in recognition and respect for the conservation and research work of this employee of the Altai Nature Reserve. At the reserve, Spitsyn rose from forester to deputy director for conservation, and then to senior researcher. He pioneered the study of the snow leopard and Altai argali sheep populations. Sergei Spitsyn is considered one of the leading experts on snow leopard research in Altai.
The office wall features a unique mural on the exhibition's theme, and the office itself contains a wealth of interesting and useful information about the snow leopard and its study and conservation methods. Also on display are items and field equipment used by Sergei Vladimirovich, collections of scientific articles, books, and exhibition photographs. Among the exhibits are the camera trap used to take the first photograph of a snow leopard in this region, as well as Sergei Spitsyn's original radio and travel bag.
The Zapovednoye Polstvovo Foundation and the Zapovedniki Ecocenter's educational center supported the interactive equipment of the classroom, as well as the future expansion of the exhibition: exhibits related to the habits of this rare cat and its study will soon appear in the classroom.
The opening ceremony echoed the beautiful parable of how a seed becomes a forest. Similarly, the "Lake of Miracles" club, founded at the lyceum in 2016, has grown and become a significant force in the region's environmental education sector. The club is especially significant for us: Elena Romanova, the current head of the Zapovedniki Ecocenter's Educational Center, is the club's founder and first director. Elena personally attended the ceremony, conveyed congratulations from the "Zapovedniy Polost" (Reserve Embassy), and presented a certificate for further equipping the geography classroom.
The event was attended by Spitsyn's colleagues and good friends: Vasily Manyshev, Chairman of the Committee of the State Assembly – El Kurultai of the Republic of Adygeya on Agrarian Policy, Ecology, and Nature Management; Igor Pautov, organizer of the "In the Footsteps of the Snow Leopard" expeditions; Dobrynya Satin, ethnomusician, expedition participant, and lead singer of the band "Novaya Aziya"; Igor Kalmykov, Chairman of the Republican Branch of the Russian Geographical Society and Director of the Altai Biosphere Reserve; as well as employees of the Altai Reserve and Saylyugem National Park, and leaders of the RGS Youth Center. Participants of the "In the Footsteps of the Snow Leopard" expedition from across the country sent video greetings sharing their impressions of working with Spitsyn.
The Lyceum's management recognized the project participants with letters of gratitude.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.