On June 30 a student environmental group called "Tiger" organized by the Amur Tiger Center, drove into the territory of the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere State Reserve in Primorsky Krai.
A group of 25 young specialists from Far Eastern Federal University and Primorskaya State Academy of Agriculture will be equipping the "North Cape" ecological path for two months.
Starting on July 1 future biologists, ecologists, foresters, game wardens and veterinarians will be engaged in the modernization of the "North Cape" excursion trails, which is going to become the hallmark of the reserve. The length of the trail is 5 kilometers. The participants will flatten the surface, make floorings and build small bridges on it.
On the first day the squad made a camp. A summer kitchen and a duty schedule were also created. For two months the reserve will be not just the working place for the group, but also the house that needs to be kept clean and tidy. The reserve staff gave a lecture on safety and verified the presence of mandatory vaccinations.
Brigade-leaders under the leadership of the commander will help the group to equip the ecological track construction. The order, products and organizational issues are worked out by the administrator. In addition, one of the students is appointed as a repairman to monitor the condition of the tools.
"Excellent conditions are created for the student team, - says head of the Primorsky regional branch of the “Russian student's groups” Roman Gritchenko. – Each of them have received a "Gorka" costume which will protect them against mosquitoes, as well as comfortable boots, cots and sleeping bags. Three meals a day are organized on the territory of “Blagodatnoe” and in the evening there is a possibility to use a steam bath".
The "North Cape" trail has existed since 2007 and needs to be upgraded. The first step is to re-establish bridges over the Sukhoi creek, which were washed away during the floods last year. Deputy Director of Environmental Education of the Sikhote-Alin Reserve Olga Arifulina believes that a well-equipped trail will attract additional number of tourists, while the impact on the environment will be small.
The consultant for the construction of the trail is Robert Birkbi (USA), a specialist in the field of nature protection, traveler, writer and photographer. He gave some advice on how to properly equip the slopes, designated areas for laying wooden decking and gravel dumping. Anna Gritsuk, a six years experienced professional in the construction of ecological paths from the inter-regional organization the Great Baikal Trail came to control the construction process.
Recall that during the years of existence the main task of the Sikhote-Alin Reserve was to preserve the rarest cat on the planet – the Amur tiger. Despite the fact that due to the efforts of Russian experts the Amur tiger population is increasing, the tiger is still listed in the Red Book of Russia. The Sikhote-Alin Reserve is the place with most fully preserved natural habitats of the striped predator. The work of the student group in the reserve will draw attention to the general problem of the conservation of wildlife and unique cats in particular as well as it will contribute to the development of ecotourism in the region.