Category: Environment

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

I hereby voluntarily, of my own free will and in my interests give my consent to the Foundation "Zapovednoye Posolstvo", OGRN 1187700012829, INN/KPP 7728437737 / 772801001, located at: 117335, Moscow, Arkhitektora Vlasova St., Building No. 3, (hereinafter referred to as the Foundation), for the automated and non-automated processing of my personal data, including the use of Internet web analytics services in accordance with the following list:

Last name. First name. Middle name. Contact phone number. Email address. User ID stored in cookie. Source of entry to the Foundation's website. Search or advertising query information. Region.

for the purposes of compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation; concluding and executing contracts; informing about new products and services; preparing individual offers; conducting advertising activities; providing Users with access to specialized information; processing applications on the Fund's Website; forming a personnel reserve; publishing on the website, in internal directories, and in the organization's address books; carrying out activities in accordance with the constituent documents; sending out informational notifications.

The Foundation has the right to process my personal data in the following ways: collection, recording, systematization, accumulation, storage, updating, modification, use, transfer (distribution, provision, access).

This consent comes into force from the moment I tick the consent box and is valid for the periods established by the current legislation of the Russian Federation.

In all other respects not provided for in this Agreement, the Foundation and Users are guided by the Personal Data Processing Policy (hereinafter referred to as the Policy) and applicable provisions of current Russian Federation law. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of the Policy, the terms of the Policy shall prevail.

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.

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Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The fifth traditional volunteer gathering took place at the Bobrovy Log Fun Park in Krasnoyarsk. Norilsk Nickel brought together volunteers from major corporations. On the first day of the "Siberian Perspective. Volunteers" Eco-meeting, a roundtable discussion was held, where participants discussed the most successful practices, prospects for the development of the volunteer movement, and the role of corporate volunteers in biodiversity conservation.

The second day was dedicated to landscaping the Bobrovy Log Fun Park and the Krasnoyarsk Stolby National Park. Back in 2018, Krasnoyarsk became a permanent venue for Norilsk Nickel employee initiatives, and in 2021, the "Siberian Perspective" summit and eco-meeting were held for the first time. Over the years, volunteers have built an eco-trail at the entrance to the Krasnoyarsk Stolby National Park from the Bobrovy Log side, installed information boards, and constructed observation decks.

"We gather in this beautiful place to do wonderful and kind environmental work," noted Elena Kryuchkova, Head of Social Capital and Philanthropy Development at Norilsk Nickel. "The Bobrovy Log Fun Park is our infrastructure facility, bordering the Krasnoyarsk Stolby National Park. It has become a favorite spot for all city residents. We believe our mission is to focus our efforts on making this area even more beautiful, so that people love and care for the nature that exists here. Norilsk Nickel volunteers work alongside volunteers from other companies, creating ecological routes and engaging in environmental education. The company is solving an important problem by being a leader in volunteer programs in Russia, uniting partners around its initiatives."

The number of participants at the events increases every year. This year, representatives from not only Norilsk Nickel, but also Rosatom, Sber, Sibur, Russian Railways, MTS, and other organizations are participating in the eco-meeting.

"This Nornickel project is extremely important. Its value lies in the fact that corporate volunteers from various companies have gathered in one place; no one is trying to take matters into their own hands, but everyone is working together on a common cause," emphasized Vitaly Drozdov, Chairman of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee of the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. "This is precisely the task of the state, among others: to unite efforts."

Eco-Let's Day 2025 is taking place in the year of Norilsk Nickel's 90th anniversary and Krasnoyarsk Stolby National Park's 100th anniversary. As Vyacheslav Shcherbakov, director of the national park, said, gathering together to do good deeds has truly become a good tradition. This year, volunteers planted Siberian plants and seedlings, cleared vandalized graffiti from the rocks of Maly Takmak, repaired an eco-trail, and replaced information boards.

On the slope of the Northern Garden—the name given to the landscaped area in Bobrovy Log—volunteers planted bergenia, shrubs, and mountain pine. These plants create a landscape reminiscent of the Arctic tundra and serve to stabilize the soil on the slopes.

"Mountain pine has proven itself and is considered the best species for stabilizing such slopes. It takes root well, and in just two or three years we'll see a lush, beautiful, and environmentally friendly garden," noted Vyacheslav Shcherbakov, who is participating in the planting.

Fog and light rain did not prevent the renovation of the boardwalk on the eco-trail in the National Park.

The Zapovednoye Posledstvo Foundation has been a partner of the Siberian Perspective rally for five years.

"We hope to extend the eco-trail toward the main Pillars. The Bobrovy Log Fun Park and the National Park are places of power that truly evoke a desire to help. Volunteers eagerly participate in this event every year, waiting and asking, 'Well, when will it be?'" noted Ksenia Gasparyan, the foundation's Development Director.

As a reminder, starting in 2025, Norilsk Nickel will combine its key corporate projects—the "World of New Opportunities" charitable program and the "Kindness Factory" corporate volunteering program—into a large-scale social capital development program called "People of the Territory."

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.

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Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

A major eco-volunteer event has kicked off: the "Siberian Perspective. Volunteers" Eco-Rally! Norilsk Nickel is organizing the eco-rally, and the Zapovednoye Posledstvo Foundation is, as always, one of the partners.

Following an established tradition, the Bobrovy Log Fun Park has become a place where active volunteers exchange ideas and experiences, turning them into initiatives to improve the urban environment and natural areas.

The first day flew by in a flash! The roundtable discussion focused on the role of corporate volunteers in biodiversity conservation, environmental education, and strengthening partnerships.

Ksenia Gasparyan, Development Director of the Nature Conservation Embassy Foundation, opened the roundtable. She discussed national conservation priorities, new volunteer trends in biodiversity conservation, and, of course, how businesses and society are engaging in these processes.

"The new national project boasts impressive figures for the number of visitors to protected areas. To preserve our natural heritage, we need to create nature-friendly infrastructure, and this presents challenges for both the state and companies. So what does this have to do with volunteers? Volunteers can be involved in this, too. Volunteers are not just a workforce, but potential friends and ambassadors of the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. There are many areas that can be implemented today with volunteers," Ksenia said.

What did Ksenia mean by "multiple directions"? For example, the excellent experience of scientific volunteering in the form of expeditions currently taking place in protected areas in the regions where Norilsk Nickel operates (remember we wrote about them?). In this experimental format, science department employees, who usually rarely meet with volunteers, were surprised by their interest, involvement, desire to learn new things, and the considerable amount of assistance they provide.

Tomorrow, participants will enjoy even more activities, experience sharing, and lively interaction. Stay tuned!

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.

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Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The fourth season of one of the largest volunteer projects in the country, the Potanin Foundation's "Preserving Heritage" School, concluded in Kenozersky National Park.

Students and teachers participating in the Vladimir Potanin Scholarship Program, selected through a competitive process, became volunteers for the School. They had the opportunity to help preserve the unique historical and natural heritage, and as a bonus, they were given the opportunity to travel to the most amazing corners of the country, experience ancient crafts and modern technologies, learn more about Russia's nature reserve system, and gain unforgettable experiences. The Foundation School is an initiative of the Potanin Foundation, with the "Reserve Embassy" Foundation serving as its partner.

In 2025, 283 Foundation scholarship recipients and grantee teachers participated in the Foundation's School. School volunteers attended eight cultural heritage sites (museum-reserves), 12 national parks, 13 nature reserves, and one natural monument—34 territories total. These ranged from popular sites of crucial importance to Russian history and culture, such as Tsarskoye Selo and Yasnaya Polyana, to the hidden, hard-to-reach, and incredibly beautiful Sailyugemsky National Park and Katunsky Nature Reserve. In each area, volunteers performed both physical work (landscape improvements, tourist infrastructure repairs, housekeeping, etc.) and intellectual tasks (visitor surveys, data processing and cataloging, scientific research, content creation, etc.). There were also unique tasks: for example, in Kenozersky National Park, volunteers from the Foundation School verified over 1,000 books in the memorial library of folklorist Yuri Smirnov, and in the Orenburg Nature Reserves, they participated in the collection and study of biomaterial from the endangered Przewalski's horses.

Oksana Oracheva, CEO of the Potanin Foundation: "This year, 34 volunteer programs were held in 25 regions across the country. This is 1.5 times more than the previous year. We are especially pleased that the School's 100th session is taking place in Kenozerye, the territory of our long-standing partner and repeated beneficiary. I would like to point out that the opportunity to explore protected areas in this format and personally contribute to their development is a starting point for many to further their immersion in environmental issues. For example, during our pilot sessions in 2022, the camp leaders were individuals who had long-standing professional involvement in the environmental movement, and this year, 26 of the 34 camp leaders were Foundation scholarship recipients from various years. We are delighted that we are creating such an inspiring project, even a movement, that creates opportunities not only for the areas we work with but also transforms people, demonstrating how interconnected culture, nature, and heritage are today."

The Foundation School 2025 was held under the motto "Lighting the Beacons." The organizers imbued this phrase with several meanings. It represented the beacons of help that lit up across the country. It also represented the fact that the Foundation School highlighted each region, making it more widely known and visible on the map of Russia. Finally, each lit beacon represented each participant, as the organizers made an effort to fully develop and showcase the talents of each scholarship volunteer.

Natalia Danilina, President of the Nature Embassy Foundation: "The Foundation School's volunteer season concluded with a symbolic 100th volunteer shift since the project's launch in 2022. Yes, the Potanin Foundation and the Nature Embassy Foundation have already organized 100 volunteer camps. The project has become large-scale, encompassing many regions, but most importantly, it is expanding not only in breadth but also in depth! Volunteers are gaining experience, and their work is becoming increasingly diverse and complex, requiring their professional skills and even revealing their talents! The training of camp leaders and volunteer organizers from nature reserves and parks has become more thorough. We see that the project is beginning to contribute not only to the promotion of volunteerism but also to the development of the nature reserve system as a whole, as well as to the interaction between protected areas and nature reserve museums, custodians of natural and cultural heritage. We believe in the value of this project and are interested in its further development."

The Foundation's School is the Potanin Foundation's largest environmental and volunteer initiative, combining education, practical training, and contributions to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. It creates a unique environment for participants' professional and personal growth, engaging them in real-world projects in the country's specially protected areas. The Zapovednoye Posledstvo (Protected Embassy) Charitable Educational Foundation is the School's partner. Since the start of the volunteer program in 2022, 560 scholarship recipients and teachers have participated in the Foundation's School. In 2025, an additional 283 volunteers joined their ranks.

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.

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Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

A new visitor center is being built as part of the three-year development program for the Smolenskoye Poozerie National Center, implemented by the Zapovednoye Polosstvo Foundation with the support of JTI Russia. Natalia Danilina, President of the Zapovednoye Polosstvo Foundation and Director of the Zapovedniki Ecocenter, discusses the opportunities this new space will open for visitors to the protected area and local residents.

– When did the idea of creating a visitor center arise?

The idea for a visitor center emerged during a lengthy discussion with our partner, JTI, which supported the Smolenskoye Poozerie development project. We agreed to develop a comprehensive project, the likes of which had never been seen before. This comprehensive approach implies that the project will evolve from a vision of the future and a tourism development strategy for the national park to its practical implementation. This includes entrance and exit points, pedestrian and vehicle navigation, a network of eco-trails, and the development of the most significant tourist attractions. The visitor center is the central part of the visitor infrastructure.

According to the strategy we've developed, tourist flows to the park will increase. Smolenskoye Poozerie is located near major cities and the state border, offering significant potential for tourism development. To attract large numbers of tourists, we need to provide them with the opportunity to gain a thorough understanding of the area: explain the history, biology, and geology of the national park, and introduce them to the park's facilities and sites dedicated to the natural and cultural heritage of the area. The visitor center, currently being completed, will serve as a focal point for visitors to learn about the park, as well as a venue for local events and a kind of club space for all the park's friends.

This is the most financially demanding project. I am very grateful to our partners, JTI Russia, for supporting my idea. All protected natural areas that welcome tourists and lack a visitor center dream of one. The park's management and staff are, of course, delighted that their long-held dream of a visitor center is coming true. After all, they had previously invited experts, prepared proposals, selected a site, and, crucially, secured the land rights for its construction. And finally, this dream is coming true through the project of the Nature Embassy Foundation and JTI Russia.

– What are the main functions of the visitor center?

The visitor center is a space for learning about the specially protected natural area and choosing routes to visit it. Here, tourists can relax after a long journey and plan their next trip.

Smolenskoye Poozerie National Park is located in a densely populated rural area and, in addition to its visitors, needs to interact with the local population. Therefore, the visitor center should become a space for collaboration, education, and leisure. For residents of surrounding villages, the visitor center will become a community space where celebrations and meetings dedicated to nature and local cultural traditions will be held. We hope that the visitor center will foster a community of local residents and friends with whom the park will work.

How long has the tradition of creating visitor centers been around in Russia? Or has it evolved from somewhere?

Until the 1990s, nature museums were established in some nature reserves in Russia. This was a different structure—exhibitions, museum storage facilities, and scientific collections. They also had a certain informational element. Such museums were few in number; they mostly existed in the largest nature reserves with long-standing scientific traditions and the best-funded ones. When the national park system began to take shape, starting in 1983, the need arose for visitor centers where communication with visitors and local residents would be paramount. Informational content would become the primary focus. Interaction with guests is built through exhibits, events, and a comfortable reception space.

The process in our country was very slow, and it wasn't until the 2000s that the first visitor centers began to be established. This began to accelerate after 2011, when the first targeted government funds were allocated for the development of tourism infrastructure. It was then that visitor centers began to be created with a purposeful approach, taking into account the concept of a visitor center as a space for communication with tourists and local residents.

– Who creates visitor centers in Russia?

National parks and nature reserves are creating visitor centers in partnership with expert organizations. One of these is our Ecocenter "Zapovedniki," which, since the early 2000s, has primarily designed visitor centers outside of Russia. We initially designed exhibitions in friendly Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Then, when the design of one of the visitor centers in the Kurgaldzhinsky Nature Reserve in Kazakhstan attracted considerable interest from international specialists, we were invited to North Macedonia to create two visitor centers in that country's national park. Thus, we gained experience working with national parks and nature reserves abroad. And since 2012, we have begun designing visitor centers in Russia as well.

– Are visitor centers in protected areas all roughly the same? By what criteria should one evaluate such a facility: size, features?

"Of course, they're not the same. And you can't say that a 400-square-meter visitor center is good and a 100-square-meter one is bad. What's important is how well it integrates into the overall concept of the area, how much and what kind of information it provides to visitors, and how vividly it lingers in their memory. We have extensive experience designing and creating such facilities. But we could talk for hours about what the Smolenskoye Poozerye visitor center will contain, and our team—the professionals working on the project—and, of course, the Smolenskoye Poozerye management team—will be the best ones to tell you."

Read on to learn how the dream of "Smolenskoye Poozerie" came true, what interpretation is, and how it takes protected tourism infrastructure to the next level—and much more!

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.

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