Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation
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The traditional Day of the Zapovedniki Charitable Educational Foundation took place at the All-Russian Nature Festival "Primordial Russia" in the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall. Traditional, yet special: it kicked off the 30th anniversary celebrations of the Zapovedniki Ecocenter, one of the oldest non-profit environmental education organizations in the post-Soviet space, whose team founded the foundation. Guests also participated in discussions about the role of youth in nature conservation at the Russian and global levels, learned more about the brown bear in a new nature conservation lesson, gathered for a warm meeting dedicated to volunteerism, and viewed a public report on the results of their work.
Opening the "Reserve Reception" for friends and partners, which marked the day's culmination, Natalia Romanovna Danilina, President of the "Reserve Embassy" Foundation, said: "The well-being and preservation of protected areas, as well as our colleagues and friends in the protected areas, have always been important to our organization. That's why it's so special that so many friends are here in this beautiful hall today. In 2026, the "Reserves" Ecocenter—the very one that launched all our projects and initiatives—will turn 30. We now have a large team and a whole host of organizations, but we've been working towards this point for a long time. We've made a significant contribution to the development of environmental education in protected areas, pioneered environmental volunteering, and created the only non-profit, licensed training center for specialists in the conservation industry."
Key achievements for 2025 confirm that the Nature Embassy continues to set a high bar for the development of nature conservation, environmental education, and nature volunteering. Over the past year, 24 specially protected natural areas (SPNAs) received assistance in preserving 10 endangered species—from the bison and Pallas's cat to the Black Sea dolphin and Atlantic puffin. Reforestation projects planted over 20 hectares of forest in the Buzuluksky Bor, Smolenskoye Poozerye, and Ugra National Parks. More than 2,500 corporate volunteers (from Norilsk Nickel, MTS, Sibur, Rosatom, and others), as well as 283 Potanin Foundation School scholarship recipients, participated in volunteer expeditions and events. The Nature Embassy represented Russia at international venues (the IUCN World Congress in Abu Dhabi, UN conferences, and others) with guests from over 80 countries. Bilingual collections of best practices were published. 230 employees of specially protected natural areas were trained, and seven new interactive nature conservation lessons were created. The amount of the first environmental endowment in Russia, created by the Nature Embassy Foundation, increased by 2.89 million rubles.
"Our formula for love of nature is: 'learn, love, preserve.' It's important to us that people develop a personal relationship with the protected area; and only through personal affection does the desire to preserve nature emerge. This is the formula we live by and build our entire work upon, and the achievements we've presented contribute to this chain," emphasized Ksenia Gasparyan, Development Director of the Nature Embassy Foundation.
A key feature of the Zapovednoye Polostvo Foundation's work is its transition to large-scale, multi-year, comprehensive initiatives in protected areas, in collaboration with environmentally responsible businesses. Natalya Romanovna Danilina, for example, mentioned a recently completed project in Smolenskoye Poozerie National Park: "This is what I've dreamed of doing all these years of our organization's existence. To implement a comprehensive, large-scale project for the development of a protected area from scratch, from analysis, strategy development, planning, to infrastructure construction, animal rescue, reforestation, and even the creation of a visitor center. And we were incredibly lucky to have found a business partner who helped us realize this dream project."
The Foundation recently launched a new comprehensive project to develop the cooperation area between Meshchera National Park and the village of Urshelsky in the Vladimir Region.
Alexander Myaskov, Trustee of the Nature Embassy Foundation, Director of the Mining Institute at MISIS University, Chairman of the Union of Wildlife Photographers, and Chairman of the Public Council under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, summarized: “I’ve known and loved this team for a long time. I’m pleased to serve as a Trustee and to see how dedicated and professional they are. They continue to learn every day to become better, more proactive, kinder, and, in a good way, more aggressive in their work. Wishing them every success!”
The "Protected Nature Embassy" Day brought together up to 300 guests—representatives of government agencies, businesses, NGOs, teachers, and volunteers. Special events immersing students in the world of protected nature were held for dozens of schoolchildren and students. The program included discussions on "Building Interaction between Natural Areas and Moscow Universities" and "Tools for Engaging Youth in the Implementation of the International Conservation Agenda," a meeting of the Protected Nature Volunteers Club, a presentation of the new lesson "Keeper of the Taiga: The Essentials of the Brown Bear," developed jointly with the company Polyus, and a protected nature playroom.
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