DANCEE project

CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE RUSSIA. INTEGRATING PROTECTED AREAS IN A REGIONAL CONTEXT.
NIZHNE-SVIRSKY MODEL COMPONENT

WWF Denmark,
WWF Moscow PO
Baltic Fund for Nature

Project was financed by the DANCEE - Danish Co-operation for Environment in Eastern Europe (DEPA division)
Nizhnesvirsky component of the project was implemented by Baltic Fund for Nature
Project Co-ordinator for the Nizhne-Svirsky model component: Sergey Resvyi

Project objectives:

Social: Raising public awareness about nature conservation issues; 
Economic: Promotion of sustainable nature use via development of ecotourism;  
Administrative: Informational support of local decision-makеrs dealing with ecological tourism and PA managemen; improvement of PA network in Leningrad region. 

Main outcomes:
Establishment of the infrastructure for ecotourism and environmental education in Nizhne-Svirsky nature reserve (zapovednik)
Field stations for receiving visitors

Four buildings were renovated in Nizhne-Svirsky reserve, one of them was reconstructed as a hotel for visitors. Sanitary conditions were improved.
Four new houses for visitors and nature reserve staff were built in field stations Gumbaritsy and Lahta.

Equipment of ecotrails

Four ecotrails were developed in Nizhne-svirsky reserv. These routes occupy nearly 0,5% of the reserve area.
Each route was supplied with informational boards and places for the rest.
Three bird watching towers were built.
Footbridges and observation sites were built on bogs.
Bridges on roads were repaired.

Establishment of Regional Center of Environmental Education in Zaostrovye village

Regional Environmental Education Center in Zaostrovye (2 km from Nizhne-Svirsky reserve) was established due to joint efforts of Baltic Fund for Nature of SPNS, St. Petersburg State University and Nizhne-Svirsky reserve.
Summer field practices for students from St. Petersburg Sate University as well as seminars and excursions for schoolchildren and their teachers from St. Petersburg and Leningrad region are held in the RCEE.
- Futher development of RCEE is supporting by other WWF DK and WWF Sweden projects as well as European Union within the framework of its TACIS Programme.

Development of the inrastructure for tourism in Leningrad region

Within the framework of cooperation agreement between Nizhne-svirsky reserve and PLC "Orlan" infrastructure for conducting nature excursions was developed in the outskirts of Dubno village (South Ladoga region, Volkhovsky district of Leningrad region). 
Local family will receive visitors.
Two birdwatching towers were built and boats were bought. 

Pilot nature tours in Nizhne-svirsky reserve

10-15.05.01 test-tour was conducted in cooperation with Ecotravel Center (Moscow) for specialists of ecotourist companies from Great Britain, Denmark and Germany. Specially organised route included Nizhne-svirsky reserve, Dubno village and Oksky reserve (Ryazan' region).
19-26.06.01 the first commercial tour for ecotourists from Sweden was organised in Nizhne-Svirsky reserve.

Promotion of nature tourism

Ecological festival  "Olonia - the goose capital" was organised as a part of elaborated ecotourism PR-campaign. Within the framework of the festival information on nature protection activities, protected areas in Ladoga Lake region and ecotourism was distributed.
The festival was visited by participants of the test-tour. Festival activities attracted attention of mass media.
In April 2001 within the frameworkthe of seminar "Nature tourism and environmental awareness develoment on Protected Areas"  a course of training for nature interpreters was held.
In the course of the project active collaboration with Committee for the Affairs of the Youth, Sport and Tourism of Leningrad Region Government was put into practice. Materials for official documents  are presented to the Committee. Eleven Protected Areas were included in the official list of  tourist resources of Liningrad region.

Restoration of sites of cultural significance

The restoration of the chirch in Iljinsky churchyard in Vodlozersky National Park (Republic of Karelia) was supported.
Vodlozersky NP along with Nizhnesvirsky reserve was included in the developed nature tour in Leningrad region and Karelia.

Development of protected areas network in Leningrad region

The project of establishment a branch of Nizhne-svirsky reserve - "Ivinsky Razliv" - was prepared.

 
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