Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO Northern Forum International Association Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra
INFORMATION MATERIALS
International Youth Ecological Forum “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet”
Khanty-Mansiysk 2010 УДК 502/504 ББК 20.1 С60
С60
Clean Water – Life for Our Planet: Information materials of the International Youth Ecological Forum. – Khanty-Mansiysk: Vincera, 2010. – 41 ISBN 978-5-9901820-8-0
Acknowledgements
The organizing Committee thanks the local youth environmental movement “Third Planet from Earth” (Pokachi), Arts Center for Talented Children of the North, open-air museum “Torum Maa”, Man and Nature Museum, Ugra State University, Ugra Research Institute for Information Technologies, Creative Association “Culture”, OJSC Regional Exhibition Center “Yugorskie Kontrakty” for the high level of organization of the Forum activities.
© PREPARED FOR RELEASE BY: G.A. Tkachenko, L.V. Kruglova, Ye.V. Vyazov, Yu.N. Zakharova © Department of Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra, 2010
ISBN 978-5-9901820-8-0 © Design. Vincera ltd, 2010
Contents
I. Materials of the Youth Ecological Forum “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet” 1
1. Information on the Youth Forum 5
2. Welcome addresses: • Grigory Ordzhonokodze, Executive Secretary, Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO 8 • Ulrike Storost, UNESCO Associated Schools International Coordination Unit 9 • Priscilla Wohl, Executive Director, International Association “Northern Forum” 11
3. Agenda of the International Youth Ecological Forum “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet” 12
4. Forum Diary 15
5. Outcomes of the Forum 21
6. Resolution 24
II. Winning projects of the 2009 regional ecological contest “Save Ugra’s Blooming World!” 27
4 I. Materials of the Youth Ecological Forum “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet”
Information
The Youth Ecological Forum “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet” was held within the framework of the VIII International Ecological Action “To Save and to Preserve” and UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development bringing together the participants of three events of international, Russia-wide and regional levels: • VI International Youth Ecological Forum organized by the Northern Forum International Association, • III International Conference of UNESCO Associated Schools “Ob-Irtysh river basin: Youth studying and preserving the natural and cultural heritage in the regions of the world’s great rivers”, • VI Regional Youth Ecological Forum “Save Ugra’s Blooming World”
Time: 27 May – 2 June 2010 Place: Khanty-Mansiysk, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, Russia
Organizers: Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO International Association “Northern Forum” Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra.
Goal: Combine the youth’s efforts to preserve water resources for sustainable development.
Objectives: - study interregional and international youth ecological organizations and associations’ experience in environmental protection; - involvement of the youth in environmental protection activities to draw authorities’ attention to ecological problems.
Participants:
Northern Forum: 5 delegations – Yamal, Sakha, Hokkaido, Gangwon-do, Alaska UNESCO Associated Schools: 14 delegations – Ukraine; Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland, France; Russia: Moscow, Ufa, Izhevsk, Novorossiysk, Samara Ugra: 12 delegations from 11 municipalities – Megion, Nefteyugansk District, Surgut District, Lyantor, Langepas, Sovietsky District, Surgut, Nizhnevartovsk, Pokachi, Khanty-Mansiysk, Nizhnevartovsk District
5 including:
Priscilla Wohl, Northern Forum Executive Director (Alaska,US) Ulrike Storost, UNESCO Associated Schools International Coordination Unit (France); Evgenia Dakhina, Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO (Moscow) Zhanna Balonishnikova, Academic Secretary of the State Hydrology Institute, Expert of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme (Saint Petersburg) Svetlana Schigreva, Deputy Director, Altai State Biosphere Reserve, Expert of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme (Gorno-Altaisk) The agenda of the Forum included 22 activities, such as: • exhibition presentations by participants; • plenary meeting; • contest of socially important environmental projects; • thematic interactive meetings; • simulation games; • round table discussions; • entertainment programs and tours; • creative presentations of regions and countries; • ecological actions “TO Save and to Preserve” (participation in the Opening Ceremony),
Clean Water – Life for Our Planet”. The International Youth Ecological Forum “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet” was organized and held with the use of approaches of education for sustainable development. The Organizers applied: • interactive methods aimed at teenagers’ identity formation, giving them an opportunity for independent thinking and for shaping their own view of the world, their view of the processes going on in the environment; • methods of emotion and sense perception, focusing a child’s attention on their own and their interlocutors’ emotions during an activity and helping to fix the psychological component of the problem in a child’s mind; • teamwork methods, leadership approaches that bolster children’s self-esteem, help them self-actualize in a group, provide an opportunity for collective thinking and decision making, foster responsible attitude to one’s own actions; • methods of work in small and big groups allowing to involve as many participants as possible into the process of realizing the problems and ways to address them, to redistribute the roles, to steer the process of education onto a track of interpersonal relations among teenagers; • methods of express-projects that allowed to mobilize teenager’s intellectual, physical and creative energy for addressing the designated challenges. In all of the Forum’s activities an attempt was made to combine ecology with economy and social sector for a deeper insight into the ongoing processes, to determine the role of every individual in the global processes occurring on the planet.
Venues: Conference Rooms of the Government and Duma of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, Arts Center for Talented Children of the North, Department for Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources, House of Peoples’ Friendship, Concert and Theater Center “Ugra-Classic”, Central Square of Khanty-Mansiysk , Losev Park, Open-Air Museum “Torum Maa”, Man and Nature Museum, Archeo-Park, recreation center “Dobrino”, Congress and Exhibition Center “Ugra-Expo”.
6 Delegates and guests of the Forum took part in TV shows:
- “7 to 9” (program activities manager, delegates from Japan and Surgut District); - “Epicenter” (member of the Expert Board of the Contest of Socially Important Environmental Projects, Saint Petersburg)
Media about the Forum:
- press conference on the outcomes of the Forum (heads of Northern Forum and Ugra youth environmental organizations’ delegations) -newspaper “Novosti Yugry” (news of Ugra) -magazine “YOU ность Югры” (youth of Ugra) The Press Center of the Forum that included volunteering students from the Ugra State University’s Journalism Department and specialists from the Youth Policy Committee of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra operated during the whole time of the Forum. The Press Center made 3 issues of the newspaper called “Forum Diary” that were circulated among the Forum participants.
7 Welcome addresses
Welcome address of the Governor of Khanty- Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra by N.V.Komarova to the participants of the International Youth Ecological Forum «Clean Water - Life for our planet»
Dear participants and organizers of the International Action To Save and to Preserve, dear citizens of Ugra and guests of our Okrug, The three week ecological marathon To Save and to Preserve starts today. It takes place for the eighth time now, so I do presume that for the majority of Ugra citizens this is no longer an annual action but a way of life, a compass of values in their relations with the nature. The functional experience of the event is the evidence of how we genetically acquire the capability of thinking and living in harmony with the environment. Ugra’s forest, water bodies, land, and air are our common wealth and everyone’s concern at the same time. The Northern nature is reach in resources and fragile links which haven’t been largely apprehended as yet. Those that are called the breath of life. It can be supported and preserved, although we cannot teach the nature breath again. This is the idea and the key message for all participants of the Action. Listen carefully to the names of the events – Ugra is My Clean Home; Cedar Garden; Live, O Source; Ecological Echo; Plant Your Tree; The Red Book through the Eyes of Children; The Taiga Ugra – these are but a few examples of the projects and contests that will start in the Okrug in the next few weeks. I am sure that everyone can find a place for him- or herself in this flow of efforts towards the preservation of Ugra’s nature. Young people’s forum Clean Water – Living Planet starts in Ugra today. The aspiration to help preserve the wealth of water has brought young people from all over the world to this forum. I am sure that your work during the days of forum and the daily care of the environment will make a significant contribution to the establishment of the new nature-friendly ecological culture. Unfortunately there still remains many a point of ecological distress within the Okrug. First of all we will have to change the approach itself – to look at what lies beneath our feet and contaminates the environment, and see a valuable resource which can be put to work for the economy. We will support modern solutions and projects like these in every way. I wish you success and all the best!
8 Welcome addresses
Address by Mr. Grigory Ordzhonikidze, Executive Secretary, Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, to the participants of the International Conference of UNESCO Associated Schools «Ob-Irtysh River Basin: the Youth Studying and Preserving the Natural and Cultural Heritage in the Regions of the World’s Great Rivers»
Khanty-Mansiysk, 27 May - 2 June 2010
Dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, teachers and students, international guests, dear friends! On behalf of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO i would like to cordially greet the participants of the International Conference of the UNESCO Associated Schools “Ob- Irtysh River Basin: the Youth Studying and Preserving the Natural and Cultural Heritage in the Regions of the World’s Great Rivers”. It is the third time the hospitable town of Khanty-Mansiysk is welcoming students and experts from various regions of our country, from around the world, united by a great common cause – to preserve the home place’s natural wealth. Not surprisingly, the interest towards this event is growing year by year, broadening the geography of participation. In this context, I am truly happy to welcome delegates from Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Japan, China, and Korea. I would like to especially thank Ms. Ulrike Storost from the UNESCO Secretariat’s ASPnet Sector, and Ms. Priscilla Wohl, Northern Forum Executive Director, for taking part in the Conference. This event is being held in the framework of “To Save and to Preserve”, a large-scale environmental action aimed at highlighting the need to address environmental protection challenges, to ensure ecological safety and achieve an equilibrium between environment preservation and sustainable development, to study the international organizations’ experience in addressing environmental problems. An important aspect of UNESCO ASPnet’s forums held in Khanty-Mansiysk is students’ close cooperation with invited experts and scientists. This year, the Conference is attended by Zhanna Balonishnikova, Academic Secretary of the State Hydrology Institute, Expert of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme , and Svetlana Schigreva, Deputy Director, Altai State Biosphere Reserve, Expert of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme (Gorno-Altaisk). This is an excellent platform for the demonstration of research results and exchange of experience in addressing various environmental problems at both regional and international levels. I sincerely wish this Conference to inspire students and teachers of UNESCO Associated Schools to new research and new initiatives that would pave the way for promising joint international projects. 9 Address by Ms. Ulrike Storost, UNESCO Associated Schools International Coordination Unit, on the occasion of the Opening Ceremony of the III International Conference of the UNESCO Associated Schools «Ob-Irtysh River Basin: the Youth Studying and Preserving the Natural and Cultural Heritage in the Regions of the World’s Great Rivers» on 28 May in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russian Federation
Firstly, the spotlight should be on you and not on me – as you, the students and teachers, are the main actors of this Conference.
Coming from the UNESCO Associated Schools International Coordination in Paris, I would like to thank most heartedly the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysky Autonomous Region of the Russian Federation, the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO and the National Committee of UNESCO Associated Schools for convening this important International Conference for ASPnet teachers and students.
I am most grateful to be able to assist in this very special Meeting. The scenery of the Ob and Irtysh River provides a wonderful setting for this Conference which is directly linked to the overall Conference title “Youth studies and preserves Natural and Cultural Heritage in the Regions of the World’s Great Rivers”.
I should like to focus my remarks on three points:
Firstly, why is the study and preservation of natural and cultural heritage important? Heritage preservation is not only a question of preserving places of significance, of collective ownership and identity. Among many other dimensions (poverty reduction, sustainable development and other objectives firmly inscribed in the work of the UN and UNESCO), the protection of heritage is, for example, closely linked to the conservation of biodiversity. Today, 201 natural and mixed World Heritage sites in 81 countries protect the equivalent of half the size of Europe. I recall this relation between World Heritage and Biodiversity as I have seen many of the students’ works presented during this Conference linked to the study and preservation of biodiversity, and as the United Nations have declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB), under the slogan “Biodiversity is life!”. Biodiversity is also closely linked to our life, and no matter how far away we may seem from the 'natural' environment in our daily actions, we are closely connected with ecosystems and their processes through what we eat, how we use our materials, water and much more.
Secondly, why should young people become involved in heritage preservation? This idea came as a response to Article 27 of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention). Even though already agreed upon in 1972, there was little or no education in support of World Heritage in the first two decades of the Convention. World Heritage Education was then launched at the grassroots level in the nineties. UNESCO Associated Schools played a major role in setting up the first pilot project in collaboration 10 with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Since then, the initiative has continuously developed as one of UNESCO's most successful programmes for young people, the UNESCO Young People's World Heritage Education Programme, comprising many different activities such as youth forums, training seminars for teachers and educators, development of resource materials etc.
Young people learn about World Heritage sites, about the history and traditions of their own and other cultures, about ecology and the importance of protecting biodiversity. In particular, they find out how they can play an active role in heritage conservation and make themselves heard.
Thirdly, how can ASPnet significantly contribute in this context? The example of World Heritage Education shows that the UNESCO Associated Schools were ready and prepared to pick up and work on an important issue once it was set on the agenda.
In its 57 years of existence, ASPnet has become a network of currently more than 8.500 educational institutions in 180 countries. This makes ASPnet a unique laboratory for quality education worldwide. It works in two ways: ASPnet schools are translating UNESCO’s ideals into practice, which enables UNESCO to reach out to millions of teachers and children. And ASPnet schools on the ground are also developing innovative educational materials and methods in UNESCO’s areas of work which are of relevance to local contexts. Good practices can be shared throughout the network with other schools, tested in different settings and then taken to scale.
A unique feature of ASPnet is its global outreach. The challenges of the 21st century – be it climate change, sustainable development or intercultural dialogue – can only be tackled in close international cooperation. This is also the particular importance of this meeting: to bring young people from different countries together and enable a real dialogue, based on the common interest of the Great Rivers of the World.
I know that the ASPnet schools in the Russian Federation are already very active in similar flagship projects based on waterways or seas, such as the Baltic Sea Project or the Great Volga River Route (GVRR) project.
This is also the moment to say “spassiba” to the authorities of the Russian Federation, the members of the Russian National Commission and in particular the ASPnet National and Regional Coordinators for their continuous and extraordinary support in favour of ASPnet. I also warmly thank the ASPnet principals, teachers, students, parents and members of your communities for your remarkable activities aimed at an education that equips young people with the necessary knowledge, values, attitudes and behaviours for tomorrow’s world. Together with committed schools like ASPnet I am confident that we can make a sustainable impact on future generations.
I wish you all an inspiring Conference.
11 Welcoming remarks by Ms. Priscilla Wohl, Executive Director, International Association “Northern Forum” at the Opening Ceremony of the International Youth Ecological Forum
Welcome to all the youth from around the globe!! I am delighted to be here today and participate in the opening of the Northern Forum sponsored Youth EcoForum. This event brings together youth from around the circumpolar north to learn about each others culture, the unique aspects of our regions and to learn about our common environmental challenges. This year we are very pleased to welcome the participants from the UNESCO Associated Schools. I anticipate that the youth represented here, from the north and other areas of the globe, will have a wonderful and productive week.
It is important to remember that working together, from all parts of the globe, we can learn from each other, we can appreciate our differences and our similarities, and we can come together as one people to protect our planet. I hope that each participant takes the time to get to know each other, exchange email addresses and make friends. Only when working together can we truly achieve our common goals of environmental conservation and world peace.
My thanks to the Khanty-Mansiysk region for hosting this wonderful event, and a special thanks to Governor Komarova for her support of this youth environment event and her commitment to environmental conservation. I wish you all the best and hope you have a wonderful week.
12 AGENDA International Youth Ecological Forum “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet”
27 May Forum delegates arrival (meeting and accommodation of participants and guests) 13:00 –14:00 Heads of delegations meeting Arts Center
16:00 – 15:00 Lunch Arts Center 15:00 – 18:00 Exhibition preparation Arts Center 18:00 – 19:00 Dinner Arts Center 20:00 – 22:00 Tour Departure from Arts Center
28 May - Opening
07:30 – 08:30 Breakfast Arts Center 09:00 – 12:00 Game in the open air «Going the Museum of Nature and Man Mammoths’ Path» Archeological Park 12:15 – 13:00 Lunch Arts Center 13:00-13:30 Prepare for march, enter the square Central square in front of the Government Building 14:00 – 15:00 Participation in the Opening ceremony B. Losev Park of the International Ecological Action
16:00 – 18.30 Forum opening ceremony: Arts Center Presentations of exhibitions, (Large Hall) opening, folklore ethno-choreographic performance «Tale of Ugra Land»
19:00 – 20:00 Dinner Arts Center 20:15 – 22:00 Interactive thematic game based on Arts Center approaches of ecological education for sustainable development «The World in a Drop of Water» 22:15 Heads of delegations meeting Arts Center
29 May – Plenary session (Presentation of socially important projects devoted to Forum’s themes)
08:00 - 09:00 Breakfast Arts Center 09:30 – 12:30 Forum opening, plenary session: Conference room of the presentation of Northern Forum Government building, 4th floor delegates and UNESCO ASPnet delegates’ projects 12:45 -13:45 Lunch Arts Center 13 14:00 – 17:00 Projects developed by regional Conference room of the environmental associations members Government building, 4th floor 18.00 - 19.00 Dinner Arts Center 19.30 - 23.00 Entertaining centre, film Entertainment centre «Langal» 19:30 - 20:30 Tour to Folk Arts and Crafts Center Arts Center
30 May – Laboratories
08:30 - 09:30 Breakfast Arts Center 10:00 – 14:15 Tour (an overview of the research Ugra Research Institute of IT conducted at the universities of the Ugra State University region) Water Treatment Plant
- Ugra Research Institute of IT (water monitoring system) - Ugra State University (organization of Geology, Oil and Gas Department students’ activity at the laboratories) - Water Treatment Plant (tour)
14:30 - 15:30 Lunch Arts Center 16:00 - 18:30 Simulation game “Water Patrol” Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources (participants) Department Round table “Taiga Dialogue” (delegation leaders) 19:30–20:15 Dinner Arts Center 20:30-21:30 Heads of delegations meeting Arts Center
31 May – creative and simulation games
09:00 – 09: 45 Breakfast Arts Center 10: 00 – 12:00 Interactive game «The Future is in Our The House of Peoples’ Friendship Hands» (Conference Hall) 12:00 - 14: 00 Preparation for the Action “Clean The House of Peoples’ Friendship Water - Life for Our Planet” (Conference Hall) 14:30 - 15:00 Press-conference (organizers, guests, Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources heads of the delegations) Department (room 321) 14:15 - 17:00 Open-air museum “Torum Maa”: “Torum Maa” open-air museum tour, lunch (indigenous cuisine), game “Ecological Rush” 17:30 - 18:30 Rehearsals for the evening program The House of Peoples’ Friendship (Conference Hall) 17:30 - 18:30 Participation in the “Epicenter” TV Ugra TV Company show (members of the Expert Board of the Environmental Projects and Programs Contest) 19:00 - 19:45 Dinner Arts Center 14 19:00 - 20:00 Preparation for the evening creative The House of Peoples’ Friendship program (rehearsals) (Conference Hall) 20:00 - 22:00 Creative program “Around the World” House of Peoples’ Friendship (Conference Hall) 22:15 Delegation leaders meeting Arts Center
1 June – Summing up the results of the Forum
7:15-7:30 Participation of delegates and the Ugra TV company organizers in the “7 to 9” TV show 08:30 – 9.30 Breakfast 10:00 – 12:00 Round table discussion, heads of Regional Duma building, delegations (information on activity of Conference Room, 6th floor Okrug’s public associations, Northern Forum international association, UNESCO Associated Schools) 10:00 – 11:45 Surprise from volunteers Arts Center 12:00 – 12:30 Concert (organ) Concert and Theater Center “Ugra-Classic” 12:45-13:30 Lunch Arts Center 14:00-16:00 Participation in the activities dedicated Central Square in front of Regional to the Children Protection Day, action Government building “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet’ 16:00 Departure for recreation center “Dobrino” 17:00 –17:40 Entertainment program “Initiation into Recreation center “Dobrino” Siberians” 18:00-19:00 Dinner in the open air Recreation center “Dobrino”
19:00 Departure from “Dobrino” Recreation center “Dobrino”
20:00-22:00 Closing Ceremony and disco Exhibition Center
22:00 Departure to Arts Center
2 June – Departure of delegations from Khanty-Mansiysk
15 Forum Diary
Day 1 28 May 2010 Open-air game “Going the Mammoths’ Path” One of the first educational activities of the Forum was the “Going the Mammoths’ Path” game, developed by the team of the Man and Nature Museum. The game allowed the participants of the Forum, both adults and children, to learn about the exhibits of the Man and Nature Museum, the life of ancient people and spend several hours as members of a prehistoric tribe, learn how to hunt, to make clothes, earthenware, tools. The game started in the Man and Nature Museum and continued in the Archeo-Park, one of Khanty-Mansiysk’s most beautiful and unique places. Opening Ceremony Delegates and guests of the Forum took part in the Opening Ceremony of the International Ecological Action “To Save and to Preserve”, that took place in the B.Losev Park. They joined the Honorary Guests and employees of the town’s enterprises and organizations in greeting a spectacular march of students dressed as plants and animals in the Red Book carrying banners calling for the preservation of the blooming world of Ugra. This year’s Action has a slogan “Biodiversity of Wildlife Is Our Planet’s Priceless Gift” in keeping with the UN’s announcement of the year 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. Governor Natalia Komarova made an address calling on everyone to make every effort to save as many places as possible with undamaged environment, both in Ugra and all over the world. Ulrike Storost, UNESCO Secretariat (France), and Priscilla Wohl, Northern Forum Executive Director, confirmed the great social importance of the Action that has been held in Ugra for the 8th time now, applauded the Government’s efforts and the willingness of the population, including youth, to address environmental challenges together and to find ways for the sustainable development of the region. After the Opening Ceremony, the Forum participants, together with representatives of the Ugra Government and honorary guests, planted young trees. The Opening Ceremony of the “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet” Forum took place the same day at the Concert Hall of the Arts Center for Talented Children of the North. Before the Opening Ceremony, the participants presented their exhibitions showcasing their activities in the field of their home regions and countries’ biodiversity and cultural heritage preservation, achievements of the research and practical work done by their ecological organizations, associations, school forest management units. The time allocated for the exhibition presentations proved to be not enough – each delegation wanted to tell and show a lot, and the jury were listening with understanding and interest, asking questions… the most difficult task was to choose, out of the whole variety of lively and informative exhibitions, 5 best ones. The Forum Opening Ceremony started with greeting addresses to the delegates from Priscilla Wohl, Ulrike Storost, Alexander Berezin, Regional Coordinator, UNESCO ASPnet Siberia- Altai Region, and Sergey Pikunov, Director of the Department for Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra. The participants were also greeted by Maria Voldina, a unique person, loved by all the people living in Ugra for the tales she has written and her contribution to the cause of indigenous culture preservation. She told the young participants that she considers all of them to be people of light, and offered and offered a performance based on a piece by Vladimir Voldin “Tak Molupsi – Tale of Ugra Land” highly appreciated in the 16 Finno-Ugric world. The delegates, who became viewers, watched with sincere interest, and even delight the performance that introduced them to the way of life and traditions of the Khanty people, the joys and troubles of this northern people. Despite the cold weather all participants appreciated the beautiful places of Khanty- Mansiysk they saw during a tour of the town. Interactive game “World in a Drop of Water” was organized in order to prove the need for everyone’s participation in the preservation of water resources. At the beginning of the game, each delegate was offered as much water (paper drops) as they wanted. For normal life activity each person needed 2 drops, therefore it was suggested that the delegates swap drops with one another. Firstly, it helped the Forum participants to get to know each other better, to start a dialogue, a cooperation. Secondly, it showed clearly how a human being is prone to hoarding, because the majority of the participants had more than 10 drops by the end of the game. It was found in the course of discussion that such irrational water use is sure to lead to a catastrophe, a conclusion was made that everyone must take urgent measures. In the game they were split into teams and developed their own mechanisms for the preservation and sound use of water resources, which they presented in a creative form. The delegates showed their skills in a variety of styles and genres – rap, chastushka (traditional Russian folk poem), Japanese theater, opera, ballet with libretto, live TV report. The big auditorium of the Arts Center for Talented Children of the North was full of humor, quick wits, talent, smiles and laughter till deep into the night.
Day 2 29 May 2010 Plenary meeting (presentation of reports and projects) The plenary meeting included regional presentations, presentations of research projects by Northern Forum international association and UNESCO ASPnet, and socially important environmental projects of Ugra. Presidium: 1. Priscilla Wohl, Executive Director, Northern Forum international association, Alaska, USA 2. Ulrike Storost, UNESCO ASPnet International Coordination Unit, Paris, France 3. Evgenia Dakhina, Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO (Moscow) 4. Galina Tkachenko, Deputy Director, Department for Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra 5. Zhanna Balonishnikova, Academic Secretary of the State Hydrology Institute, Expert of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme (Saint Petersburg) 6. Svetlana Schigreva, Deputy Director, Altai State Biosphere Reserve, Expert of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme (Gorno- Altaisk) Altogether, 18 reports were made by the Northern Forum and UNESCO ASPnet, and 10 contest projects of Ugra 17 The Conference Hall of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra Government became, according to the participants of the Forum, an excellent platform for the demonstration of their research and practical activities, for experience exchange in addressing urgent environmental problems. The first part of the meeting included reports presented by the Northern Forum and UNESCO ASPnet. In the second half-day the floor was given to youth environmental organizations and associations of Ugra to demonstrate their work presented in the framework the regional contest of socially important projects. Priscilla Wohl was impressed with the maturity, thorough approach to problems, ahigh quality of the projects presented. Ulrike Storost said she was greatly impressed by the confidence the young participant showed as they presented their reports. Even the youngest of them did a great job. School and university students are active, independent, sincerely enthusiastic. Svetlana Schigreva, Deputy Director of the Altai State Biosphere Reserve, said she was happy about the children and the leadership of the region, about the conditions created here, including the opportunities to use laboratories for high-quality research. The experience that has been accumulated in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra is unique, at least at the national level – she noted. Evgenia Dakhina, Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO read the address to the delegates from Grigory Ordzhonokodze, Executive Secretary, Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, and noted that the regional authorities have a very serious approach to environmental problems. The regional leadership has a clear vision of the future while implementing such large-scale projects that are costly today but will bring about great benefits tomorrow, including economic and financial ones. According to the participants, the fruitful discussions that took place during perhaps the busiest day of the Forum, inspired both the participants themselves and their leaders to new search and new initiatives that may pave way for promising joint international projects. After good work it’s good to have a good rest. The evening program included a 3D film at the Langal entertainment center. Delegates from other countries visited the Folk Arts and Crafts Center. Day 3 30 May 2010 The third day of the Forum started with a tour of Ugra State University, Ugra Research Institute of IT, and the Water Treatment Plant of Khanty- Mansiysk The delegates visited educational, research and environmental institutions of Khanty-Mansiysk where they were introduced to the research done by undergraduate and postgraduate students, projects under implementation, saw the laboratories. At the Ugra Research Institute of IT the participants had a chance to see cutting-edge scientific achievements and research findings in the field of climate change and water monitoring in Ugra. 18 Simulation game “Water Patrol” The goal of the game was to demonstrate the need for local, regional and global ecological monitoring of water resources. The game was conducted in the form of a “brainstorm”. The teams were offered the most notorious and largest-scale man caused and natural catastrophes related to water resources, including the Chernobyl accident, tsunami in the South-East Asia, Gulf of Mexico oil spill, volcano eruption near the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier and many others. The participants had to determine the key consequences of these catastrophes. The type of each consequence was determined – social, ecological, or economic. The teams had to determine the necessary prevention and response measures to be taken by the authorities, and develop recommendations based on the results. The slogans created during the game clearly reflected the attitude of today’s youth, showed that the young generation is not indifferent to what is happening in the society and in the world as a whole, which was a pleasant surprise for the heads of delegations (the young participants worked all by themselves and the heads of delegations could only see the results of the game). While the participants were addressing their global problems and trying to think at the level of governments, heads of delegations convened for a “Taiga Dialogue” meeting to discuss the need for modernization of environmental education system in the context of education for sustainable development approaches. In the course of heated debate on the efficiency of ecological outreach activities and the relevance of achievements to the goals set, the colleagues had an opportunity to demonstrate their work, share experience, evaluate their activity from the perspective of innovations, determine achievable goals for their activities. The form of dialogue that was chosen – provocation – helped turn the discussion into reasoning over one’s own activity. Not every teacher agreed to the opinions of others, which is just normal, since everyone is a personality and has their own view of methods and ways to work. However, everyone present shared the view on the need for dramatic changes to the established traditions of environmental education.
The participants spent the evening in informal socializing.
19 Day 4 31 May 2010
The building of the Peoples’ Friendship House was the venue for the interactive game “Future is in Our Hands”. The goal of the game was to determine the role played by children, teens and youth in the protection of water resources. The delegates split into teams – households – consumers of water. For the first “day” they were offered 300 liters per person, in the following “days” they were encouraged to save water and get “game money” for that. The participants had to work hard to find mechanisms for saving water, since each saving practice had to be proved to a game assistant. Then calculations were made to determine the “economical households” and a conclusion drawn that the preservation of water resources requires everyone’s participation, even in our own families. Game “Ecological Rush” took place in the open-air museum “Torum Maa”. The participants were introduced to this amazing nook of nature, Ugra indigenous peoples’ traditions and way of life. They learnt a lot of interesting information on the life of the aboriginal population, played indigenous games, tasted the indigenous cuisine: muksun soup, pies, reindeer meat cooked on fire, cranberries, cowberries and herbal tea. The teams had to pass through thematic stations: “Leadership”, “Sports”, “Overflow”, “Game-boom”, “Gourmand”. The participants had to go through a rope web blindfolded, pass a fording point all together, shoe leadership skills, show their talents in sports and creative work. At every station there was a surprise for them prepared by the team of volunteers and game assistants. The open-air museum “Torum Maa” became a real home – cozy and full of joy – for boys and girls, and for the heads of delegations. After all these hardships were over the participants enjoyed the Khanty cuisine. Creative program “Around the World” was organized in the Conference Hall of the Peoples’ Friendship House. For the young participants, it was perhaps the most memorable part of the agenda! They prepared the program themselves. Humorous stories, presentations of their home regions, songs, dances, fairytales, riddles, national costumes and music instruments, theatrical performances – all made a whole creative festival for friends. Both children and adult participants showed their talents on the stage. The delegates sincerely supported each other with applause, sang along, and danced. The evening gave the participants a lot of impressions and the teenagers were still discussing what they had seen and heard, congratulating each other, long after the program was over. 20 Day 5 1 June 2010
The day was full of surprises. While the adults were holding a meeting in the Conference Hall of the Duma of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, the volunteers, who served as team facilitators, prepared, as always, their own program for the young participants. During the round-table discussion the heads of delegations learned about the activities of the Northern Forum international association, UNESCO ASPnet, Youth Public Chamber of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, the history of Ugra’s green movement, the activities of Interregional Ecological Expeditions, shared their impressions from the Forum and told about their projects, got answers to their questions. A big holiday was organized on the Central Square on the occasion of Children Protection Day for the Forum participants and children living in the town. The delegates were invited to the Concert and Theater Center “Ugra-Classic” for an organ concert, in the Square they saw the show program of the holiday opening ceremony and a circus performance. The Forum participants were not just viewers – they decided to draw the attention of the public to the water preservation problem by organizing a flash-mob action “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet”. The day before they developed ecological mini-actions in the form of flash-mob (a very popular technology among youth), which caused an outburst of creative energy among the young participants. Each team was given a water protection problem they had to address and get across to the public through an outreach mini-action. 1 June 2010, there were 14 teams working in the Central Square of Khanty-Mansiysk. Using makeshift materials – office supplies, clothes, ribbons, plastic bags and bottles, and, of course, water – the Forum participants addressed the public with an appeal to preserve marshes, save water in their houses, prevent the pollution of rivers and lakes with household waste and oil spills. The action closed with a mass “dance of volunteers” (only it was danced by all the delegates attracting a lot of viewers). After that, 140 balloons were flown into the air while everyone thought of a dream hoping it would come true! But that was not the end of the day full of surprises and festive mood. The buses took the participants to the Dobrino recreation center where they enjoyed pheasant soup, kebabs and boiled potatoes. The participants’ attention was caught and held by a huge mosquito made of wood. Both this mosquito and the real ones, almost the size of the wooden monument, are one more characteristic feature of this northern region. Fortunately enough, there were no mosquitoes at that time, and nothing could overshadow the festive mood of the participants who were getting ready to pass through the tests of the “Initiations into Siberians”. All of them got the diplomas certifying that they have successfully passed all the tests. Afterwards, the participants colored threads and best wishes, forever cementing the friendship that emerged during the Forum. The last item on the Forum agenda was the most longed-for – awards for the participation in the Forum’s activities – but it was also the saddest one because it preceded the parting with the people you have come to think of as your real friends. And it didn’t really matter that sometimes the conversation would consist of gestures, and a mixture of English, Japanese and Polish – everything was clear to everyone! The participants became a big family of like-minded people! The closing ceremony took place at the Exhibition Center “Ugra Expo”. Creative groups from Khanty-Mansiysk once again presented the indigenous peoples’ traditions and culture, 21 showed their skills in modern and folk dances and songs. The Forum Honorary Guests awarded the participants with prizes in the nominations “Best Exhibition”, Best Socially Important Project”, “Best Delegation Leader”, “Most Active Forum Participant”, “Best Delegation”, and special certificates for best reports and creative programs. The finishing touch was a disco. The young participants submitted their version of the Resolution to adults who are responsible for everything and have to take the decisions. The participants greeted with a storm of applause the appearance on the stage of game assistants and Forum activities manager (Evgeny Vyazov, Elena Bazarbaeva, Eldus Salihkulov, Irina Krasnova from Pokachi) and the volunteers (Ugra State University students) with their already famous dance of volunteers that moved from the stage into the auditorium engulfing all of the participants.
Forum outcomes
The closing ceremony summed up the results of the Forum and awarded the delegates with certificates and plaques.
Nomination “Best Environmental Project”
selected 5 best projects within the Regional Contest of Socially Important Environmental Projects: (certificates were handed to the winners by Zhanna Balonishnikova – Academic Secretary of the State Hydrology Institute, Expert of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme, Saint Petersburg)
• Langepas, School No.1 (Yulia Khismatullina, “Assessment of Water Quality in the Kayukovskaya Creek”); • Megion, School No.6, School Forest Protection Unit “Cedar” (Stanislav Chobanu, “Impact of Oil Producing Companies Operating in the Nizhnevartovsk Municipal District on the Ecological Condition of the Vatinsky Yegan River”); • Pokachi, environmental society “Third Planet from the Sun” (Dinara Sabitova, “Sound Management of Potable Water for the Sustainable Development of the Town of Pokachi”); • Saygatina village, Surgut Municipal District, Saygatina General Education School, Environment Preservation Union (Anna Polushkina, “My Dear Small River”); • Khanty-Mansiysk, nature park “Samarovo Chugas” (Yulia Lobanova, “Spings of the Samarovo Chugas nature park”).
“Best Exhibition” Nomination
selected 5 best exhibitions and presentations on the activities of environmental organizations/ institutions: (certificates were handed to the winners by Evgenia Dakhina, Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO (Moscow) • Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, Nefteyugansk Municipal District, Poykovsky, School No.4, youth environmental organization “Rainbow” • Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, Surgut Municipal District, Saygatina, Saygatina General Education School, Environment Preservation Union • Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, Sovietsky Municipal 22 District, center “Sozvezdie” (constellation) • Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, Pokachi, city youth environmental society “Third Planet from the Sun” • Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, Vysoky settlement, town of Megion, School No.6, School Forest Preservation Unit “Cedar”
“Best Head of Delegation” chose 5 most active heads of delegations: (certificates were handed to the winners by Elena Berendeeva, Deputy Chair, External Relations Committee of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra)
• Erina Mukai, Japan • Gulnara Botyanovskaya, Sovietsky Municipal District • Vladimir Golovner, School No.1259, Moscow • Larisa Yakovleva, grammar school “Perspektiva”, Samara • Lilia Ulokova, Children’s Creative Center, Nizhnevartovsk, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra
“Best Delegation” Nomination determined 5 most active delegations
(certificates were handed to the winners by Sergey Pikunov, Director of the Department for Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra)
• Poland • Japan • Moscow, “Shkola President” • Sovietsky Municipal District, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, educational institution “Constellation” • Vysoky settlement, town of Megion, School No.6, School Forest Preservation Unit “Cedar”
“Most Active Participant” Nomination 5 winners
(certificates were handed to the winners by Svetlana Schigreva, Deputy Director, Altai State Biosphere Reserve, Expert of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme (Gorno-Altaisk)
• Chihiro Yamauchi, Hokkaido, Japan • Maxim Malov, school “Shkola President”, Moscow • Amal Aleroev, School No.3, Gubkinsky, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District • Duda Marcin, Poland • Daria Zhilina, School No.1, Ecological Unit “Eco”, Langepas, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra
The Forum Organizers established 5 Special Prizes
(certificates and presents were handed to the winners by Ulrike Storost, UNESCO ASPnet International Coordination Unit) 23 Best projects: delegates representing the Northern Forum:
1. Japan, Hokkaido (Chihiro Yamauchi, Taiki Yoshino, region presentation), 2. Russia, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, Labytnanghi (Lika Dzhincharadze, “Water quality assessment using the method of autography on photographic paper”).
UNESCO ASPnet delegates:
1. Russia, Novorossiysk, school “Lichnost” (personality) (Tigran avetisyan, Sergey Sinkov, “Impact of water pollution on the phytobentos in the Novorossiysk Bay”); 2. Poland (Duda Marcin, presentation of the School’s environmental activities).
Special Prize “Most Creative Delegation” based on the results of the “Around the World” program
1. Program presented by the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District
The Department for Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety of Ugra awarded certificates for the most interesting creative performances of the “Around the World” program (certificates were handed to the winners by Larisa Kruglova, Head of Division for Environmental Education and Fostering Ecological Culture, Department for Environmental Protection and Ecological Safety of Ugra)
• Sovietsky Municipal District, educational institution “Sozvezdie” (constellation) • Langepas, School No.1, Environmental Unit “Eco” • Pokachi, ecological society “Third Planet from the Sun” • Bashkortostan (3 delegations) • Moscow (3 delegations) • Japan
Certificates and presents were awarded to program activities managers (E. Vyazov, I. Salikhulov, E. Bazarbaeva, I. Krasnova) and the team of volunteers.
A Press Center worked during all the days of the Forum, manned by volunteers from the Journalism Department of the Ugra State University and Youth Policy Committee of the Khanty- Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra. The Press Center made 3 issues of bulletin “Forum Diary” that were disseminated among the participants.
24 The participants of the Forum adopted a Resolution:
Resolution International Youth Ecological Forum “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet”
Russian Federation Khanty-Mansiysk 27 May – 2 June 2010
The International Youth Ecological Forum «Clean Water – Life for Our Planet” was held 27 May to 2 June 2010 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia within the framework of the International Ecological Action “To Save and to Preserve” and the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.
Organizers: 1. Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO; 2. Northern Forum international association; 3. Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra; 4. Local youth environmental movement “Third Planet from the Sun” (town of Pokachi).
The Forum brought together delegates from three events of international, national and regional level: - VI International Youth Ecological Forum organized by the Northern Forum international association, - III International Conference of UNESCO Associated Schools “Ob-Irtysh River Basin: the Youth Studying and Preserving Natural and Cultural Heritage in the Regions of the World’s Great Rivers”, - VI Regional Ecological Forum “Save Ugra’s Blooming World”, including: 1. representatives of UNESCO Associated Schools from Czech Republic, Switzerland, Poland, and Russia: Moscow, Samara, Novorossiysk, Bashkortostan, Udmurtia; 2. representatives from Northern Forum international association member regions, including Hokkaido (Japan), Gangwon-do (South Korea), Sakha (Russia), Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (Russia); 3. Representatives of youth ecological associations from a number of places around the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, including Megion, Langepas, Nizhnevartovsk, Pokachi, Surgut, Khanty-Mansiysk, Sovietsky, Surgut District, Nizhnevartovsk District, Nefteyugansk District.
The Forum brought together 142 participants including: • Priscilla Wohl, Executive Director of the Northern Forum international association (USA); • Ulrike Storost, UNESCO Associated Schools International Coordination Unit (France); • Evgenia Dakhina, Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO ( Moscow); • Zhanna Balonishnikova, Academic Secretary of the State Hydrology Institute, Expert of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme (Saint Petersburg); • Svetlana Schigreva, Deputy Director, Altai State Biosphere Reserve, Expert of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme (Gorno-Altaisk).
The agenda of the Forum included 22 activities, such as: • exhibition presentations by participants; • plenary meeting; • contest of socially important environmental projects; • thematic interactive meetings; • simulation games; 25 • round table discussions; • entertainment programs and tours; • creative presentations of regions and countries; • ecological actions “TO Save and to Preserve”, “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet”.
The delegates met in Khanty-Mansiysk to discuss the problems of water resources protection and sound management, to exchange ideas and creative, scientific, conservational plans, to make new friends.
Taking into account the relevance of water resources preservation, based on the outcomes of the Forum, the delegates have arrived to the following conclusions: 1. The realization of one’s own responsibility for the preservation of the native place’s natural and cultural heritage is rooted in early childhood. From our early chldhood are we being taught to take care of nature. At school and public associations, many of the subjects on the curriculum, our teachers’ wise guidance and the skills they pass on to us help us percieve the complexity, the beauty and at the same time vulnerability of environment. Research projects help us get a better idea of our home regions’ natural and cultural wealth, focus on problems and look for ways to solve them by using our own efforts. 2. Water is a critical element of life, it is needed by plants, animals, people. It has no bounds and should be protected by all nations and individuals equally. Water research should go on constantly, globally and comprehensively. Bodies of water are being affected both by industrial enterprises and households. 3. Children’s and youth ecological associations, educational institutions take an active part in studying and preserving water resources. Their activities are aimed at raising public awareness, shaping research and conservational activity skills in the young generation. 4. Children, teenagers and youth have both the willingness and ability to undertake the responsibility for the implementation of conservational and educational ecological projects. 5. The approaches used in education for sustainable development help gain knowledge, skills and values necessary for being active and well informed citizens contributing to a better future, a better world, using these qualities in practice. They are easier to understand, more accessible and interesting. 6. Such events help learn about the experience of educational institutions and public associations from various nations, provide an opportunity for exchange of opinions among project participants and experts, teenagers and adults, teachers and scientists. That is where the unique character and relevance of this event lies. Such interaction is becoming especially important in the conditions of youth community computerization substituting human communication by virtual one.
In view of the above, the delegates propose that: governments: • continue implementing national policies for the preservation of nations’ and regions’ water resources; • introduce state-of-the-art technologies for the protection of water against contaminations and its treatment; • create conditions for all segments of the population to participate in the preservation of water resources and protection of the environment; • conduct permanent monitoring of bodies of water and water quality; • create protected water areas; • create and implement efficient waste treatment system convenient for the population; • strengthen the educational component in the protection of the environment and sustainable development of countries and regions; • create conditions for international and interregional exchange of water preservation and water saving technologies; • step up control over development in forest and marsh areas; • create nature reserves in areas of outstanding landscape beauty, valuable biological and ecosystem resources • develop international laws for the protection of environment; 26 • support NGOs engaged in environmental protection. businesses: • recycle water in their production processes; • continue introducing new technologies for water protection and environment conservation at their industrial facilities; • use state-of-the-art filters for waste water treatment; • establish environmental protection units at their facilities; • introduce alternative energy sources; • introduce waste conversion systems; • conduct ongoing training of environment protection personnel.
populations: • save water in their households; • take part in cleaning bodies of water aimed at raising water quality; • deliver waste for processing and disposal; • use energy efficient techniques at home; • promote environment protection.
The most important role in environmental protection is played by the formation of ecological culture in the population. The delegates propose: • to hold youth forums that will contribute to the understanding of the existing problems, experience exchange, development of friendly ties; • create regional and international centers of ecological education for sustainable development; • provide assistance to the implementation of youth socially relevant projects at a local level to enhance the efficiency of environment protection.
The delegates express their appreciation to the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, organizers and experts for holding the large-scale “To Save and to Preserve” ecological action and the International Youth Ecological Forum “Clean Water – Life for Our Planet” and encourage leaders and citizens of other nations to join Russia’s youth ecological movement in the next forums.
27 Winning projects of the 2009 regional ecological contest “Save Ugra’s Blooming World!”
Ecological project developed by Yulia Khismatullina, student of Form 8a, School No.1, Langepas, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, Research Supervisor: M.M. Yalayeva
ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY IN THE KAYUKOVSKAYA CREEK
INTRODUCTION Water is the best known and most mysterious liquid on the Earth. Its value for nature and human life is immense. Academician V.I. Vernadsky said: “… it has a special position in the history of our planet. There’s no natural body that could compare to it in influence on the course of key and most grandiose geological processes. There’s no such matter on the planet – be it mineral, rock, living thing, that wouldn’t have it inside. The whole earthly substance is permeated and engulfed by water”. But water resources are not infinite, the humanity is using them thoughtlessly, polluting the environment. The planet's major reserves of freshwater are located in snow and ice bodies and underground waters, about 35 million cubic kilometers, 2.5% of the entire hydrosphere. The immediately accessible freshwater (rivers and lakes) account for just 0.007% of all the water on Earth, or 0.26% of the planet’s freshwater. According to the WHO, about 2 billion people currently have difficulties related to potable water supplies, which amounts to a third of the entire world’s population. Today’s problems related to water protection and the preservation of freshwater purity result form a deficiency of freshwater caused by the world population growth and huge industrial and agricultural costs. For 4 years now I have been a member of the Eco environmental unit organized at the school camp. In our classes we studied the environmental situation in the park area of the town of Langepas, assessed water samples taken from the Kayukovskaya Creek. In addition to studying special literature and materials, setting experiments, we took tours, visited the local history museum and our town’s water intake facility. Our families started paying more attention to water taps, we got new topics for conversation, which is of great importance for us teenagers. We learned a lot of interesting, important and useful information about the water resources of the area we live in. And of course, a number of questions arose: What is the water we consume today like? What is the quality of water we swim in? Is it changing? What can we do to improve the state of bodies of water? Goal: to assess water quality in the Kayukovskaya Creek in order to forecast the development of ecological problems faced by the town of Langepas with regard to the condition of water resources. Objectives: 1. Study the methodologies of water quality assessment, develop a water body monitoring model. 2. Assess water quality in the Kayukovskaya Creek, detect changes in the areas under study over the past two years. 3. Forecast the dynamics of the phenomena under study, determine local problems related to water condition. 4. Involve local authorities and young population into this work. 5. Analyze water treatment methods based on the use of nanotechnologies
28 Ecological project developed by Stanislav Chobanu, student of Form 10a, School No.6 town of Megion, Research Supervisor: N.G. Stefankiv
IMPACT OF OIL PRODUCING COMPANIES OPERATING IN THE NIZHNEVARTOVSK MUNICIPAL DISTRICT ON THE ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF THE VATINSKY YEGAN RIVER
INTRODUCTION
Water is an extremely valuable resource. It plays a critically important role in metabolic processes that serve as the basis of life. Water is immensely important for industry and agriculture, everyday needs of people, animals and plants. For many species it serves as habitat. Big and small rivers, lakes and swamp catchment are similar to a blood-vascular system that determines the stability of landscapes. Chemical, mineral, heat and organic contamination, the disruption of drainage by road embankments and other retaining structures, increasing irretrievable water consumption and other anthropogenic stresses, have been causing the disruption of water ecosystems manifesting itself in the eutrophication of water bodies and sharp simplification of species composition. All that leads to a decrease of life supporting function and self-purification of water bodies, lower water quality, reduction of water biological resources, deterioration of human health. Huge losses are inflicted to fisheries. Oil contaminations are especially dangerous. Oil and its derivatives are strong toxic agents for water organisms. Complete oxidation of 1 liter of oil requires the amount of oxygen contained in 400 000 liters of water, given the normal summertime oxygen content in river water equal to 7 to 8 mg/l. In winter, there is still less oxygen under the ice, the content going down to 4 mg/l. Under such conditions, 1 liter of oil can contaminate at least 1 million liters of water. Oil remaining in water and settling down to the bottom poisons water ecosystems for a long time. Besides, it captures and concentrates other contaminants: heavy metals and pesticides. Almost all water bodies of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra are located in the areas of “old” oil fields and fall under the category of “moderately” to “extremely” to “critically” contaminated. They are all marked by acute oil pollution, high absolute and relative content of hydrocarbons, toxic sediments, weakened processes of hydrocarbon biodegeneration. Extreme levels of oil contamination can be observed in the waters and sediments of small rivers and lakes located in the areas of producing fields. The overall condition of the rivers flowing through the areas where oil and gas companies have operations can be clearly traced by the example of a typical taiga river flowing through the Nizhnevartovsk Municipal District, the Vatinsky Yegan, the Ob River’s right-hand tributary with a catchment area of 3190 sq.km. The river flows through the Lor-Yeganskoye, Samotlor, Mykhpayskoye, Vatinskoye, SeveroPokurskoye oil fields. The Vatinsky Yegan itself and its 34 tributaries are crossed by oilfield pipelines many times. Thousands of well clusters with sludge pits and land areas heavily polluted with oil. This results in intensive pollution of the river with oil and highly mineralized formation waters, and drilling mud chemicals. Often, especially in 1980-1990-s, during spring thaw and heavy rains the river would be covered with an blanket of oil spilled as a result of pipeline ruptures and flowing down from the numerous areas contaminated with oil and formation waters. The pollution of the river with oil and oilfield waters inevitably leads to its degradation. Since the problem of oil contamination of the river our city is located on is a very acute one – it is of interest for us to assess the ecological condition of the river. Earlier, in the framework of the activities conducted by the “Cedar” school forest preservation unit, we assessed water quality in the river in the stretch of the ecological path near Vysoky settlement. We conducted laboratory works to determine the content of oxygen in the water, temperature, turbidity, acidity and total dissolved solids. We came to a conclusion that the 29 river is exposed to a strong anthropogenic stress. But it was difficult to determine, using these data, who was making a greater contribution to the pollution of the river, the Municipal Unitary Enterprise “Teplovodokanal” (heat and water supplying facilities) or the oil producing companies. We didn’t succeed in determining the chemical composition of water. That is why we decided to conduct the research work “Impact of oil producing companies operating in the Nizhnevartovsk Municipal District on the ecological condition of the Vatinsky Yegan river” using the data of ecological monitoring conducted in the region. Problems of environmentally friendly nature management faced by oil and gas producing regions are addressed at both local level and the level of the Russian Federation Government. Today, Russia has framework laws that can lead oil and gas producers that fail to abide by them to a suspension of production activities: “On the Protection of Environment”, “On State Environmental Assessment”. Regulations for Ecological Monitoring have been developed and approved by a Government Decree in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, in order to ensure a unified information basis for the system. The document regulates the activities of natural resource users regarding ecological monitoring of oilfields. This helps form data banks for individual natural resource users, municipal districts (territorial level) and for the region as a whole. The monitoring system controls contamination levels of the environment. To ensure the compliance with legal acts regulating the operations regarding the protection of environment, almost all oil companies have established special services and departments for production control over the condition of the environment. The introduction of ecological monitoring gives reason to expect a significant reduction in oil contamination of water bodies. That is why, when starting our research, we put forward a hypothesis: if oil producers operating in the Nizhnevartovsk Municipal District complied with the laws governing environmental protection, the environmental condition of the Vatinsky Yegan river must have improved over the past several years… Goal: determine the dynamics of contaminations inflow from the territories of oil producers located in the basin of the river – from source to mouth. Objectives: 1. Study literature devoted to this problem; 2. Make a map of the Vatinsky Yegan river, a list of oil producers operating in its basin; 3. Locate the control point in the fields where ecological monitoring is carried out by the Nizhnevartovsk Center for Laboratory Analysis and Technical Measurements; 4. Make a formal request to the Nizhnevartovsk Branch of the Federal Institution “Center of Laboratory Analysis and Technical Metrology” in the Ural Federal District for the data of local ecological monitoring of the Vatinsky Yegan river; 5. Conduct laboratory research to determine the concentration of contaminants contained in surface waters and bottom sediments; 6. Carry out graphical processing of the data obtained, determine the dynamics of contaminations and their correlation with the maximum allowable concentrations; 7. Draw conclusions regarding oil companies’ impact on the ecological condition of the Vatinsky Yegan river and the dynamics of background pollution levels.
30 Ecological project developed by Dinara Sabitova and Olga Baranova, youth ecological association “Third Planet from the Sun”, Research Supervisor: Evgeny Vyazov
SOUND MANAGEMENT OF POTABLE WATER FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN OF POKACHI
INTRODUCTION The deterioration of ecological situation in many regions and on the globe as a whole calls for more vigorous international effort, solidarity of the entire mankind in the protection of life on the planet. In 1983, the UN World Commission on Environment and Development in its report “Our Common Future” called for a “new era of environmentally safe economic development». The Commission noted that “Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” There is therefore need for a transition to sustainable forms of development requiring sound interrelations with the environment. Prospects are opened here by the Agenda 21 adopted at the UN Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 1992. Key items on the Agenda 21 are: • Combating poverty; • Changing consumption patterns; • Demographic dynamics and sustainability; • Protecting and promoting human health conditions; • Promoting sustainable human settlement development (urbanization); • Protection of the atmosphere; • Integrated approach to the planning and management of land resources; • Combating deforestation; • Combating desertification and drought; • Protection and rational use of oceans; • Environmentally sound management of toxic chemicals; • Safe and environmentally sound management of radioactive wastes; • Environmentally sound management of solid wastes and sewage-related issues; • Protection and rational use of freshwater; • Children and youth in sustainable development. It is quite logical for that the last item was included in the document since “children who live today are representatives of mankind’s future”. But how can we achieve sustainable development? Of course, it is impossible to consider all possible mechanisms in one research work but it is quite realistic to demonstrate one of them by showcasing the benefits of rational potable water use. Water was not a random choice for our research. It’s common knowledge that a human being can live without water just several days, absolutely all living things on the planet need it. We use water every day sometimes giving no thought to the fact that there’s not that much of it on the Earth. Goal: find out how efficiently the population of the town of Pokachi uses water Objectives: • Estimate the amounts of water consumed by the population; • Determine a human being’s key needs with regard to water; • Calculate a family’s freshwater costs; • Determine economic advantages of rational water use.
31 Ecological project developed by Yulia Lobanova (General Education School of the settlement of Saygatina, Surgut Municipal District), Research Supervisor: N.V. Bozhko
INTRODUCTION The Ob river is the key artery for the Surgut Municipal District, as well as for the entire Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra. Which is reflected in the way the territory of Ugra on both sides of the Ob river – the Ob Middle Reach. Thousands of big and small tributaries carry their waters into the Ob. The Ob Middle Reach has more than 20 thousand rivers and brooks with a total length of about 170 000 km. In the Surgut Municipal District, the biggest of them are the Ob’s right-bank tributaries – the Vakh, Tromyegan, Pim, Lyamin and the left tributary – the Bolshoy Yugan flowing into the Yuganskaya Ob river. In their character, these rivers are similar to the Ob. They are characterized by a steady flow, low banks, their course is not tortuous; the flood lands of the rivers are veined with creeks, full of lakes, including overgrown cut-off lakes. The Ob’s tributaries have mixed water supplies, but are mostly snow-fed. The dense river network shapes the climate, determines the types and composition of soils, species composition of flora and fauna, influences the ways of life, health, habits and traditions of the people who live on the river banks. Human activity causes great damage to the environment of the Ob Middle Reach. Deforestation, construction of raised structures have changed the hydrologic behavior, shut off the courses of small rivers. As a result, some areas were flooded with the water that thus accumulated, while others suffered from lack of water. The pollution of water and soils with oil and saline formation waters started in the 1960-s. Oil is especially dangerous when it is spilled into lakes and rivers. in addition to its own harmful impact on all water inhabitants oil also destroys the oxygen balance, vulnerable as it is. Our regions natural waters are oxygen-deficient. On top of that, when oil spreads over the water surface, prevents the atmospheric oxygen from dissolving in the water. Nowhere near all of the oil that is spilled into water will disintegrate that soon. A significant amount of oil (heavy hydrocarbons) settles down to the bottom and rests there for a long time resulting in death of bottom species that the fish feed on. Besides, oil disintegration requires dissolved oxygen too, which may result in a mass fish kill, even in summer. Also, contamination can come from sewage systems, agricultural and industrial facilities that discharge wastewaters into rivers. Because of pollution, many rivers in the Surgut Municipal District (Agan, Tromyegan) lost 2/3 of all their fish resources, while the Pim river saw its fish resources reduced 20-fold! The water in these rivers is no more potable, and even the fish that somehow survives in them is not safe to eat. The reasons behind this impoverishment of fish wealth includes illegal fishing especially during breeding season. In addition to Technogenic stresses, river and forest ecosystems are exposed to intense recreational impacts. Trampled understorey plants, reduction in the amounts of nontimber forest resources (mushrooms, berries, beautifully blooming plants), fires, household waste dumped in forests and water bodies – those are the results of people’s “recreation” on the banks of rivers and lakes. The most susceptible to anthropogenic stress are the ecosystems of small rivers. In the long run their death and loss will lead to irreversible environmental changes in the Ob basin. Project rational. The small river Bolshaya Kucheminskaya on whose left bank the village of Saygatina is located flows into one of the Ob’s arms. On the map of the Surgut Municipal District the river is marked by a dash line as an intermittent river that has no permanent stream and dries up in summer. However, long-term observations show that it doesn’t. In the low-water period, the stream shrinks to 3-5 meters in width but the river does nor go dry altogether. The Saygatinskoye field in the neighborhood of the village of Saygatina has been under development since 1985. “Pump jacks” pumping oil from wells are installed in various places at various distances from the river. There are pipelines above the river. In the process of extraction and transportation, some of the oil finds its way into the river. 32 A lot of construction waste (concrete slabs, pipes, parts of machinery, etc.) has been left along the banks and on the bottom of the river during pipeline laying, construction of power transmission lines, bridges and other operations related to the development of the oil and gas bearing area, obstructing the flow of water and making it difficult for the fish to pass. The river is also exposed to the wastewater from the subsidiary farm “Saygatina” (agricultural facility of the Condensate Stabilization Plant) and from the sewage system of the village of Saygatina. The population of the village fish in the river all the year round, sometimes using illegal fishing equipment (nets). A recreation center is located on the bank of the river. People who live in the village and holiday-makers from other places trample the forest floor, make fires on the banks of the river, pluck beautiful flowers, cut young trees and make notches on old ones, destroy anthills, scare animals and birds from their lairs and nests with loud music, leave a huge amount of glass and plastic bottles, aluminum cans and other trash that can take hundreds of years to degrade. In a preliminary study undertaken in the flood land of the river school students from Saygatina discovered a great diversity of taiga plants including rare endangered species listed in the Red Book of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra (butterfly orchid, two-leaved bead- ruby, swamp locoweed, atragene sibirica, Paeónia anomála, Usnea lichens, Evernia etc.), and plants whose habitat, according to scientific data, is way is a long distance southwards from where they were found. The forest on the banks of the river differs greatly from the forests in the surrounding areas (dry lichen-pine forests). The soil is more fertile here, in addition to common pine and Siberian pine there are spruces and birches. Some trees are 250 and more years old. There’s a lot of dog- rose, raspberries, arrow-wood, mountain ash. Previously, the place used to abound in cowberry, bilberry and blueberry. According to local residents, the Bolshaya Kucheminskaya used to have muksun, sterlet and other precious fish species, that are now extremely rare. All of the above shows that the Bolshaya Kucheminskaya river and its banks should be saved as a monument of nature by reducing the industrial and recreational impacts on the unique ecosystems. Goal of the project: preservation and environmental enhancement of the Bolshaya Kucheminskaya river in the Surgut Municipal District. Objectives: 1) Comprehensive ecological and geographic research of the B.Kucheminskaya river; 2) Draw the public attention to the problem of small rivers in the Surgut Municipal District; 3) Develop and implement a set of measures for the preservation and environmental sanitation of the river; 4) Publish a guidance manual on small river research.
33 Ecological project by Julia Lobanova, form 7a (School № 2, Khanty-Mansiysk, Research supervisors: A.N. Lobanov, N.A. Roschina)
Springs of the natural park “Samarovsky Chugas”
Water! Water, you have neither taste, nor color, nor scent. You cannot be defined. You are savoured, but you remain unknown. You are not a necessity of life: you are life.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
At all times springs have been respected in Russia. Living in areas of lakes and rivers, swamps and brooks people have created a broad range of the religious respect for water. Springs have been especially respected and believed to posses special powers. A tradition to clear and to take care of springs comes exactly from here. A spring or a well is a moderate water flow which comes from deep in the earth. Being a discharges of subsurface waters springs are unique natural reservoirs. They are of great importance for the surface water recharge, maintaining water balance and preservation of the surrounding ecological communities. Springs don’t freeze in winter as their temperature is above zero. Most of the Russian lakes and rivers are caused by such underground sources. They are charged by the deep aquifer beds which are almost secured from the surface pollution. Being a central component of the surrounding environments springs increase aesthetic characteristics and represent strategic objects of nature. When emergency arises springs may serve as the only source of potable water for population. The term “natural spring water” means the mineral composition of the water hasn’t been exposed to any physicochemical modification. We get the spring water in its state of nature. Besides it is alive, mobile. Spring water from the ecologically safe source virtually needs no purification as coming from the underground and passing through the fine sand and pebble it acquires regular structure and becomes almost perfectly pure. The implementation of the “Spring” project will allow to increase life expectancy of the Russian population which fits well into the State program “Clean water”. Provision of clean potable water for population is among top priorities of the social and economic development of the Russian Federation. Availability and quality of the clean water determines a nation’s health and life quality. Lack of clean water and sewer systems is a leading cause of the enteric infections spread and “water-dependant pathologies” risk. Unsatisfactory water quality may cause up to 20% of all diseases. Life expectancy in Russia is on the lower level of the indicator among the affluent countries. Provision of clean water for population will affect improvement of mortality and life expectancy. According to UN estimates 1.1 billion people don’t have sufficient access to clean potable water and 2.6 billion people don’t have access to water for hygienic needs. By 2020 the water consumption is expected to increase by 40% and by 2025 two persons of three will suffer a water shortage. In Russia access to water resources is of local character. Lack of water can be observed in the South and some areas of the Far East of Russia. The quality of water resources in Russia by contrast to the most of the countries is at high level. Nevertheless the quality of water in different territories of the Russian Federation significantly defers. The water is polluted with natural as well as man-made contaminants. Among the most dangerous contaminants are heavy metals and effluents. Every second citizen of Russia has to use 34 low quality water as potable. Citizens of the Russian Federation overspend time and means for the purpose of providing their families with clean water. Bottled water consumption significantly increased though it is dozens times as expensive as running water. Improvement of the running water quality to the level of West European countries will provide abstention from the mass usage of the bottled water as well as cost saving. Nowadays more than 18 000 000 thousand m3 of water is pumped in the network but about 30,5 million people or 22% of population have no access to central water supply. 12% of towns and 68% of rural settlements have no central water supply. Water losses amount 18.5% of the total water diversion. On the whole, the overhead of water amounts 25% of the total water diversion. 12.3% of the effluents don’t pass complete biological treatment Less than a half of the treated waters (46.4%) are brought up to the regulations. In 2007 the world invested 131.4 billion US dollars in the sector of water supply, discharge and treatment. About 53% of the amount falls on the emerging countries. As a comparison in 2007 total return of the water supply sector in Russia worked out 8 billion US dollars, with share of capital expenditures only 6% of operating expenses. As a result Russia has a headily wearing infrastructure which leads to water delivery interruptions as well as to water quality degradation. Today tariffs for water supply are approximately three times lower than in Western Europe. The growth of tariffs in Russia is conditioned by the growth of operating expenses and as a result the citizens of the country will get Western European tariffs for low-quality water supply. With relatively low tariffs in Russia the water consumption is bigger at least by half than in affluent countries. Among the reasons are high water losses, traditional treatment of water as a free resource, unbalanced delineation of powers between the state and private operators. De facto no one is responsible for the low quality services, which is very important especially when it comes to socially significant facilities: schools, hospitals and child care centers. Such facilities demand installation of additional water cleanup systems including water seepage. Ecological and technical demands should be set with respect to economical feasibility. Regional peculiarities, different water content, accessibility of underground and surface water are also very important. The problem of negative effect of the water supply systems is particularly pointed. The existing legislation doesn’t provide any incentive mechanisms for improvement of the waste water quality. The responsibility is very often laid on the managing companies which have no opportunities to change the situation. Solution of the problem demands first of all delineation of responsibilities of the local authorities and managing companies for violation of the environmental regulations. The goal of the project: Redevelopment of the springs of the natural park “Samarovsky chugas”». Project tasks: • Accumulation, arrangement and analysis of the information about the existing springs; • Preparation of recommendations for spring catchment installation; • Recommendations for surrounding area redevelopment; • Preparation of a model for spring installation; • Installation of the catchment.
35 Ecological project by Tigran Avtisjan and Sergey Sinkov School “Lichnost” Research supervisors: E.V. Hilkevich, D.V. Vekhov
Impact of the marine water pollution on the macrophyte algal biomass of Novorossiysk Bay
Introduction
Today more and more attention is paid by the researches of different spheres to the algae all over the world in the context of rational use and cultivation of the see macrophytes. Algae are being steadily used in various spheres of the fundamental biological sciences. Many researches develop programs of artificial reefs as habitat of macrophytes for the purpose of oxygen enrichment of water because free oxygen acidifies and destroys contaminants and hence promotes natural water purification. Being of various design and morphology some brown algae (Phaeophycota) may reach the size of a small tree. However, relative algae’s simplicity is deceitful as their cellular level may be highly complex. All that has drawn my attention to the algae’s adaptation to pollution, growth over the territory of the bay and changes due to the pollution level of the bay. The goal of the project is to find out what substances and in what manner affect macrophyte algal biomass of Cemaes Bay in the course of a year. The project tasks: Estimation of the algal biomass changes dynamics within the bay and bordering areas of the open sea in the course of a year. Identification of the macrophytes of the Cemaes Bay. Diagnosis of the main contaminants which affect growth and development of the algae.
36 Ecological project by Lika Gincharadze, school №5, Labytnangy Research supervisor: O.Y. Russkih
Autography method for water quality research
Introduction
“Nature does not approve of jests, she is always truthful, she is always serious and stern; she is always right; mistakes and failures are made by men”
Goethe
Self-cleaning process takes place in rivers and other water objects. However this process is slow. In our industrial age due to the waste explosion water objects prove unequal to such a heavy pollution. Water of polluted and unable of self-purifying lakes and rivers is oxygen-poor and favourable to the development of anaerobic processes. Bottom deposits represent extremely toxic regenerated substrate unfit for bottom species (worms, wrigglers, dayflies, caddisworms). That’s why ecological state of the water objects is a source of concern and disturbance and water quality is a topical issue for our northern river Hanmei and creek Vyl-Posl which are traditionally used as resting places for the citizens. Besides, MUE “Zhilkomhoz” operates sewage treatment facilities utilization structure of which involves discharge of wastes into the creek Vyl- Posl. Since quantification of aerobic and anaerobic organisms in substrates is technically complex it’s basically accomplished by special microbiological laboratories. However it is possible to estimate oxidation level of the bottom deposits by rather an available application method – autography on photo paper. I’ve suggested a hypothesis that due to the ecological state of the water objects the redox conditions of the bottom deposits shift. Considering the urgency of the issue the goal of the project is estimation of the ecological state of the near-shore waters of the river Hanmei and creek Vyl-Posl using the method of autography on photo paper. The object of the study is near-shore waters of the river Hanmei and creek Vyl-Posl (appendix 1, photo 1, 2, 3). The subject of the study is redox conditions of the bottom deposits. The following tasks have been completed: 1. Study of the literature concerne with the influence of the anthropogenous factors on the quality of aquatic habitat which affects life of the microorganisms living in the water; 2. become familiar with the method of the autography on photo paper by applying bottom deposits; 3. Estimate quality of the ecologically clean water of the near-shore area of the river Hanmei and creek Vyl-Posl; 4. Trace a connection between the ecological state of the water objects and redox conditions of the bottom deposits; 5. Draw conclusions and propose recommendations on the issue.
37 Ecological project by Chihiro Yamauchi, Taiki Yoshino Japan, Hokkaido Region presentation Hello everyone. We are from Hokkaido Japan. We would like to thank you for coming today. Since our time is limited, we would appreciate it if you could ask any questions you might have at the end of our presentation. Our report is about a particular river in Hokkaido; the Rikifune River, where a clean-up campaign has been carried out by local citizens.
Firstly, we will tell you about the Rekifune River Secondly, we will talk about the challenges which still face the river. And it’s Present Situation Thirdly, we will tell you how people have affected the river in the past. Finally, we will show you what we plan do for the river in the future.
Now, I am going to begin by giving you a description of the Rekifune River. The Rekifune River is located in Taiki town, Hokkaido Japan. Here is a map of Japan and northeast Asia. Rekifune River is in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. Its length is 64.7 km and its total river basin area is 558.5 square km.
Rekifune River has been chosen as the cleanest river in Japan six times. That was within 6 years during 1987 -2000. There are indigenous people in Hokkaido called the “Ainu” and they call this river “Pe- Rupuney” , which means “water increases” in their language. There are beautiful forests around this river and animals such as the Ezo deer and fox live there. There are many varieties of fish as well; like the yamame (a member of the salmon family) and the rainbow trout that live in the Rekifune River’s strong current. Moreover, birds such as the kingfisher gather around the river to catch the fish. Meadows surround the mouth of the river. The river provides the water supply for all of the cities in the surrounding area; it is used for agriculture, manufacturing, and fish farming. Moreover, since this river is a place where residents can relax, people in Taiki are proud of this river. Well, I have given you some introductory information so far. Now, let us look at the present situation of the Rekifune River. Since the year 2000, Rekifune River has not been chosen as a “Clean River of Japan” because the water quality of Rekifune River did not meet the necessary standards. Why could the river not meet the standards of a” Clean River of Japan”? It’s not clear, but there seem to be several reasons: the overcutting of the forests in the river basin, agricultural pollution, lifestyle changes, Global warming and River development. Now I’ll show you a breakdown of the water quality in 2007. Firstly, I am going to explain some technical terms. pH is short for “potential for hydrogen ion concentration,” and shows the acidity of the solution. BOD stands for “biochemical oxygen demand,” which is a chemical procedure for determining the uptake rate of dissolved oxygen by biological organisms in a body of water. SS stands for “suspended solids,” and shows how clear the sample 38 is. This is related closely to turbidity, and the higher the SS, the more polluted it is. DO stands for “dissolved oxygen.” In 2007, only one standard, the number of coliform bacteria, was not met. The number was far greater than the requirement, so it could not be designated as a “Clean River of Japan.” In 2008, groups from towns that are related to the Rekifune River got together and a Network Meeting was established in order to preserve the environment and the natural landscape including water quality, water quantity and waterside area according to the characteristics of the basin, and with the goal of being selected again as the clearest stream in Japan. In order for this plan to be effective, the basic policies are as follows: • Preserve all basins of the Rekifune River and its water environment. • The water environment will be managed through collaboration between the residents, groups and local governments. • Concrete practices related with water environmental management will be based on this plan. • Water environmental management through “Town Planning”. Therefore, the campaign for river protection through the friendly participation by the Associations and people in Taiki was the key to solve the problem. Here, we will show you what people have been doing. The town’s people have been investigating the water of the Rekifune River and cleaning up the River. They’ve planted more than 4,500 trees in 2 years and picked up rubbish along the river bank and the small tributaries. The Association of Protecting Rekifune River, The town, The Forest Union, and the Board of Education have been cooperating, and they have learned about making use of the “Kamui-Kotan Rekifune Forest”. They have given lectures in the local senior high school. People living in urban areas have come to stay in farming or fishing village areas, and they have been promoting exchanges by experiencing agricultural and natural lifestyles. These experiments are called green-tourism and eco-tourism. From the end of April to the beginning of May each year, the town’s people make the Rekifune River known to the public by putting 236 carp streamers over Taiki Bridge as a sightseeing event. This is called Rekifune Seiryu Festival. Thanks to clean up activities, the water quality improved amazingly. The number of coliform bacteria was reduced to only 3 percent of that in 2007. Fortunately, the river met the criteria to become a “Clean River of Japan” again. We learned about the Importance of citizens’ involvement from this movement. Moreover, if we want everyone to participate in one activity, Dissemination of information is really important as well. The people in Taiki will continue the activities of protecting Rekifune River. They will be cooperating with the governments, the fishing association, the agricultural comparative and the forestry association. They will also have meetings at regular intervals for ten years. The clearness of the river proves the pure heart of the people. Our natural environment; beautiful forests, rivers, seas, marshes, and lakes are precious assets not only for us humans, but also for the wild animals and the overall ecology of vast areas, not to mention the Earth as a whole. We are proud of this river and we feel that it is our duty to protect it. We hope that future generations are able to enjoy this natural landscape. This time, we only had time to give you insight into the state of one river, but there are so many precious things all over Hokkaido. As one of the participating groups of this meeting, we feel our responsibility. We should focus intently on reducing environmental pollution so that we can save this beautiful landscape for posterity. Thank you for listening. Does anybody have questions? 39 Ecological project by Duda Marcin, Poland
Рresentation of the School’s environmental activities
SLEPIOTKA RIVER Complete researches of: • flora • fauna, • water’s physical and chemical properties of Slepiotka river and it’s surroundings • Mouth of Odra River ( Second of the longest rivers in Poland) • Industrial area ( close to the fabrics and mine ) • Very polluted from it’s very beggining
Our goals • Collect reliable data • Transform scientific knowledge into digestible form • Realization of truth about state of local enviroment to society Work organization Groups: Scientific
Collecting samples
40 Flora and fauna examination Chemical and physical research „Event” section
Selection of informations
Organization of „Festival of Science” and contests and lectures Informatic
Presenting results
Our partners
• University of Silesia
• Main Institute of Geology 41 Clean Water – Life for Our Planet Information materials of the International Youth Ecological Forum
Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO Northern Forum International Association Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra
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