200 likes | 439 Views
E NHANCING BIODIVERSITY AND ECOTOURISM IN RUSSIA. A joint project by. Project summary. The project responds to the identified need to develop and promote genuine ecotourism in Russia, which provides benefits to both the wildlife and local communities. This multi-
E N D
ENHANCING BIODIVERSITY AND ECOTOURISM IN RUSSIA A joint project by
Project summary The project responds to the identified need to develop and promote genuine ecotourism in Russia, which provides benefits to both the wildlife and local communities. This multi- stakeholder project spearheads sustainable ecotourism development by providing practical demonstration and assistance to selected protected areas in Russia.
The main objective of the project is to help protected areas in Russia in their biodiversity conservation efforts through: • Training on sustainable tourism development (STD) • Development of pilot ecotourism programmes • Active promotion at the international level
Project activities Invitation of protected areas to participate in the project and explanation of the project to them Preparation of an interactive training course Research, collection of data, local input Promotion of protected areas and the developed eco-tours and STD programmes on a website and in promotional booklets in 3 languages Coordinated preparation of eco-tours and STD рrogrammes Interactive training (seminar), exchange of experience Evaluation of the project experience, dissemination of the results to other PAs Initiating partnerships and networks between protected areas and ecotourism industry Testing of the eco-tours by Dersu Uzala and invited tour operators from abroad
Expected outcomes • A participatory framework for STD • New partnerships for STD created • Training course adjusted to local conditions • Pilot eco-tours and STD programmes • Multi-lingual promotion of biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecotourism (website, booklets).
Fieldfare International Ecological Development plc (FIED) • It is a UK-based public limited company specialising in promoting ecologically sustainable development; ethical investment and practice. • It has a successful ecotourism subsidiary Salix Ltd (the Lower Danube region, Ukraine). • It has wide-ranging international experience as an consulting organisation in STD.
The role of FIED • Supervision of the project • Participation in the training course development • Consulting of the eco-tours and programmes • The creation and management of a multi-lingual web- site promoting biodiversity conservation and eco-tours • Helping to establish international recognition for the participating protected areas as unique ecotourism destinations
Environmental Education Centre ‘Zapovedniks’ (EcoCentre) • It is a Moscow-based NGO focusing on environmental education, and raising of public awareness of protected areas in Russia. • It develops and provides training to protected areas managers and conservation specialists.
The role of the EcoCentre • Local facilitation of the project and liaising with the participating protected areas • Organisation of the interactive training course • Consulting of the programmes by providing assistance to the protected areas • Dissemination of the project and its results to other protected areas in Russia
Dersu Uzala • It is a Moscow-based organisation, which develops and runs tailor-made eco-tours, expeditions and trips to various protected areas in Russia. • It was originally established as an ecotourism development fund in the framework of environmental projects of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The role of Dersu Uzala • Market research in the protected areas • Participation in the training course development • Technical assistance in STD programmes • Organisation and testing of concrete pilot eco-tours (and STD programmes)
Planned participating protected areas National parks: Ugra, Shushensky Bor Zapovedniks (State nature reserves): Sayano-Shushensky, Central’no Sibirskiy, Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina, Stolby, Тungussky, Khakassky Nature parks: Ergaki
Planned timetable • Project start (January 2007) • Training course development (February – July) • Research and data analysis (March – August) • Training course for PAs (September) • Website creation and leaflets (November – February 2008) • Pilot eco-tours and partnerships (spring 2008) • End of the project (June 2008)
The roles of protected areas in the project • Provision of local knowledge and information about the protected area • Presentation of ecotourism • Participation in the training seminar • Co-operation with partners in the creation of local STD programmes
Benefits to protected areas of the project • STD programmes and eco-tours developed • New know-how and skills obtained • Exchange of experience and ideas with others • Information about each protected area in English and German on a website • Promotion of eco-tours on the Western markets • Support in further efforts in STD within the protected areas (+ fundraising)
Acknowledgments • This project is carried out under the Partners for Environmental Cooperation in Europe(PECE) initiative and is supported by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA, United Kingdom) by a financial grant of £44,500.
If you have any questions or comments, please, contact the project manager: Jozef Bednar Tel: +7 906 778 3079 E-mail: jozko.bednar@googlemail.com Website: www.pece.co.uk