VTB and the Nature Defenders Fund will create a system to support protected areas
VTB will support the projects of the Nature Defenders Fund to preserve Russia’s biodiversity and restore populations of particularly rare animals, the bank’s press service reports.
The Bank will participate in measures to eliminate the consequences of environmental disasters, combat poaching and create a support system for specially protected natural areas. The partners plan to draw attention to eco-initiatives through grants and volunteering. The bank announced this during the XVI International Ecology Forum.
The projects that VTB will be involved in together with the fund will include assistance in eliminating the consequences of a fuel oil spill on the Black Sea coast, support for anti-poaching and educational initiatives in Kamchatka, and grants for environmental projects by young specialists in specially protected natural areas. VTB will act as the general partner of the foundation and provide financial and expert support to scientists, staff, volunteers and community activists involved in wildlife protection.
“VTB has been involved in biodiversity conservation projects and has been cooperating with Russia’s largest nature reserves for more than 10 years. The partnership with the foundation will allow combining the bank’s resources and the expertise of nature protection specialists in order to improve the professional support system for specially protected areas. Our joint goals are to introduce modern technologies, initiate scientific research, eliminate the consequences of environmental disasters, develop the volunteer movement and attract more young, active and promising specialists to the environmental field,” comments Natalia Kochneva, Senior Vice President of VTB.
“Russia has enormous natural resources. Almost half of the country’s area is covered with forests, but every year we lose millions of hectares in fires and deforestation. We have a rich flora and fauna, but 443 species of animals and birds are listed in the Red Book, and 17 are in particularly critical condition. The Nature Conservationists Foundation supports professionals whose life’s work is caring for nature and protecting its unique ecosystems. At the same time, the participation of large businesses in the conservation of biodiversity is especially valuable and can help build an even more developed and innovative system for preventing environmental problems,” said Petr Shpilenok, Director of the Nature Conservationists Foundation and Chairman of the Association of Conservation Workers.
Conservation and development of protected areas is one of the key areas of VTB’s environmental agenda. The Bank cooperates with the largest nature reserves of Primorye and Kamchatka. The bank’s partners are the Amur Tiger Autonomous Non-Profit Organization (since 2014) and the Kronotsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve (since 2020). In 2023, the partnership with the Land of the Leopard Federal State Budgetary Institution began. VTB holds the title of Guardian of the Leopard, and the family of wild Far Eastern leopards is under the care of the bank.
In addition, VTB participated in measures to eliminate the consequences of the fuel oil spill in the Kerch Strait. In 2025, the bank allocated 25 million rubles for this, and in partnership with the Nature Defenders Fund, it restores terrestrial and marine flora and fauna, cleans the seabed and coastline from fuel oil, provides professional veterinary care to birds and dolphins, and supports volunteers. More than 10,000 of the bank’s clients also participated in an additional fundraiser to help birds, VTB doubled the amount of their donations and as a result, the campaign managed to raise an additional 17 million rubles.
The Nature Defenders Foundation is an environmental organization created by conservation professionals that supports employees of nature reserves and national parks, community leaders and volunteers, scientists and veterinarians – people who have made it their life’s work to protect wildlife. The Nature Defenders Fund was established by the Association of Conservation Workers.
Photo by Igor Shpilenok