Young employees of the Far Eastern nature reserves became winners of the grant competition
Ten projects have become winners of Russia’s first grant program for specialists in specially protected natural areas under the age of 35, Kamchatka.Today reports.
These include the Kravtsov Waterfalls tourism infrastructure development project by Evgenia Somova from the Land of the Leopard Federal State Budgetary Institution and the Clean Coast of Bering project by Gleb Shevtsov from the Commander Islands National Park.
The organizer of the grant competition was the Foundation for Defenders of Nature. With the assistance of VTB, the foundation will provide not only financial, but also expert, informational and other assistance to the best initiatives of young employees of the nature reserve system.
Previously, there were no support programs in the country aimed exclusively at environmental projects of young professionals. Petr Shpilenok, Chairman of the Association of Conservation Workers and Director of the Foundation for Nature Defenders, said: “There are not many young people in conservation, and their share is decreasing every year. The Nature Conservationists Foundation supports those who are passionate about saving nature, and we know that it can be difficult for young people to realize their ideas. Therefore, the Foundation and the Association have taken upon themselves the task of helping to increase the number of young people in the field of nature protection. To help motivated, talented young professionals become true conservationists, including through this grant competition. And as soon as the first projects started coming to the competition, we realized that everything was not in vain. You read the applications and see the power, love, desire to preserve nature, inspiration. You can feel it in every application.”
The experts of the competition committee selected projects with a high environmental impact, implemented in protected areas or in their interests. The participants will be able to implement the projects that have received grants until November 20.
Photo: screenshot of the video of the national park “Commander Islands”.