Sergei Smirenski’s Interim Report to the Board of Directors on the Current Situation at Muraviovka Park

Fall 2006

The Staff

The Staff of the Park in 2006 includes the president, the director, the assistant director for management, the chief financial officer, the head of the agriculture program, a teacher of the extracurricular program, a part-time teacher, two carpenters, a mechanic, and an intern (from July through October).

In April, the board named Marina Kolodina Director of the Park. Also in April, V.V. Starykh was hired as mechanic and in May the Park hired Alexandr V. Lyukyanov as head of the Ag program. However, he has been on sick leave and in the hospital most of the time since June because of disk hernia and surgery. In July Kirill E. Kolodin, a graduate of Blagoveshensk Teachers’University, was hired for the teaching position. In August, Svetlana M. Andreeva was appointed the Deputy Director for Management. The Park hired severaL of farm workers from Muraviovka, but had to let go of most of them (for failing to follow Park rules concerning discipline.

Given the staff problems, many of the programs have been carried out with the wide- ranging volunteer efforts of local and American FOMP groups.

The Study, Protection, Restoration, and Population Monitoring of Rare and Endangered Species

Monitoring of Endangered Birds: Due to the fires of October 2005, a large part of the wetland area was burned and cranes could not use it for nesting in 2006. Some spots where cranes had nested for years and which still contained last year’s plant growth were not used by cranes for lack of surface water in the spring.

During the spring migrations two flocks of Siberian Cranes (26 birds) stopped in the park for two days and up to 400 White-Naped cranes, 500 Hooded and 14 Red-Crowned cranes stayed at the park for 1.5 months.

Two pairs of Red-Crowned, 4 pairs of White-Naped and ten pairs of Oriental White Storks made their nests in the Park. One stork nest was destroyed by a wind storm in May, but the rest of the storks successfully raised their young.

During the summer, flocks of up to 30 White-Naped and Hooded Cranes and some small groups of Red-Crowned cranes visited the Park. The fall concentrations began to gather in the second half of August and reached its height with 650 Hooded and 400 White-Naped cranes at the end of September.

A colony of Euriala plant ended up in bad condition due to unfavorable weather conditions and the depredation of muskrats.

Restoration of Species and Ecosystems

Under a joint Swan Goose restoration project carried out by Muraviovka Park , the Ripley Wildfowl Sanctuary, and the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAN) Genetics Institute in Moscow , genomes of wild and captive birds have been studied at the Genetics Institute. No principal differences were found between the birds of the lower Amur Basin and Eastern Mongolia . Therefore, it should be possible to raise genetically pure individuals brought to the Park from the Zoos to restore a wild population of Swan Goose in the Amur Region.

The Park is completing construction of a pen for year-round care of a family of Red- Crowned cranes.

A 60 acre lure crop of corn was planted for the feeding of cranes and other birds. In September, almost 500 kilograms of corn and wheat was spread for the birds in a field near the headquarters building.

The work of studying the soils of the Park as the first stage of steppe restoration continued this summer. Research in the Amur River lowland was carried out in March and in May. Currently, 70 soil samples from the Park, including some from the ancient lake bottom, are being analyzed at the Dokuchaev’s Soil Institute Russian Academy of Science in Moscow for chemical composition, spores and pollen. The test results will be published and will lead to recommendations as to the type of vegetation that should be planted for the restoration of the original steppe. The soils of the Park have been recommended by Russian Academy of Science for inclusion in Russia ’s first “Red Data Book of Soils of Russia.” In addition, analyses were made as to the PH and nitrogen and other nutrients levels of the arable land at the Park.

Over a thousand seedlings of 12 types of trees and bushes were planted with the help of volunteers over the summer, but despite much watering, over 90% of the seedlings died due to extended drought conditions.

Fire Prevention Activities

The Park was unable to create the fire breaks planned for this summer because both old tractors that we borrowed from the agriculture program kept breaking down. We were, however, able to obtain pumps for the fire-suppressant backpack units and water tanks. We set up two water tanks (one with a pump) and two stands with fire fighting equipment. A film entitled “The Engulfing Fire,” commissioned by the Park, was shown on regional television several times during the peak period of fire danger in the region. Poaching Incidents

Twice during the month of May intensive shooting (over 40 minutes long) broke out in the geese and cranes roosting area at Lake Kamyshovoye . The Park informed the Regional Wildlife Protection Agency of these incidents right away, the perpetrators were arrested on the spot, and a criminal report has been filed. In May two poachers were thrown out of the Park for net-fishing in the summer camp area. As proof, the Park sent the Wildlife Protection Agency four bags of fish, fishing nets and a rubber boat.

In the first half of September, shooting broke out on the shores of Lake Gusikha . Though we were assisted by the local police, we were unable to catch the hunters. In October, during the crane migration near Muraviovka village, a man got out of his car, took a few shots and then drove into the village.

Since the establishment of the Regional Wildlife Protection Agency, rangers regularly visit the Park, which has noticeably decreased the number of protected area violations.

Other Developments

Scientists from the Botanical Garden of the Far-eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Science have begun work on creating a herbarium of local vascular plants.

Researchers from the local Pedagogical University have made a collection of typical insects at the Park and have begun studying the mixed colony of Hymenoptera (bees and wasps).

A researcher from the Moscow University Ornithology Laboratory has been studying habitats of the Indian Warbler.

Scientific Seminars and Workshops

This summer two seminars took place at the Park. The first was a joint Russian-Korean seminar on migratory bird conservation. The second was a meeting of the International Working Group on the Red-Crowned Crane. These workshops have been attended by participants from Moscow State University, the Far-eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Science, Khinganski Nature Reserve, Bastak Reserve (Jewish Autonomous Region), Crane Breeding Center of Okskiy Nature Reserve, the Regional Wildlife Protection Agency, the Department of Natural Resources, Fire department of Tambovka District, the Government of the Tambovsky District, FOMP, the International Crane Foundation, members of the Eurasian Crane Group, and the Korean Federation for the Conservation of Nature.

As a result of these meetings, the Park reached an agreement to cooperate with Korean ecological organizations on a study of migratory birds, development of an international program for the restoration of the Red-Crowned Crane, and the decision to organize a special meeting of researchers and representatives of the Russian, Chinese and Korean ministries in charge of natural resources, to discuss the establishment of an action plan for the Red-Crowned Crane.

Education Program

Living conditions at the Park Education Center were improved. The cabin that burned down in the October 2005 fire was rebuilt (this new cabin being much better then the burned one) and insulation was added to two other cabins.

The summer education program once again was a huge success. We held the 13th Russian American camp session on environmental education (EE), the 5th English Language- Ecology session, the 2nd Russian-Korean EE session, and the 5th EE seminar on teaching EE in conversational English. In all over 180 students, teachers and professors from the Amur and Primorsky Regions, the United States and South Korea took part. The Amur Region Administration for Education provided some financial support for the sessions.

A student art competition helped kick off the new Swan Goose project in the Amur Region. The Park received over 500 submissions to the contest including art work of all sorts and essays on Swans and Geese. The best pieces were exhibited at Muraviovka Park and at the regional children’s library and will be presented at an international symposium on the problems of nature conservation in the Korean DMZ. They will also be included in a booklet on the Swan Goose. The contest winners won scholarships to the summer program and other prizes. All participants received certificates and special Swan Goose stickers.

A book on cranes and marshes for elementary and middle school children was published and editing was completed on a curriculum for summer camp teachers of middle school students.

Curriculum for summer camp educators was completed and will be sent to print shortly.

The Park also provided internship opportunities. Five students from the Department of Geography and five from the Department of English Language at Blagoveshchensk Teacher’s University; a Tourism Department student from the Amur State University ; and four students from the local cooking school all completed their summer practice at the Park. Over 15 teachers from Amur Region schools received training at the teaching seminars.

Postgraduate students from the Vertebrate Zoology Department of Moscow State University have studied possibilities of individual “no-touch” identification of birds by their vocalizations in natural setting. They recorded unison calls of White-naped and Red-crowned Cranes.

G.V. Nosachenko conducted research on the structure and dynamics of the roosting gatherings of cranes during the fall migration. She presented the results of her work at an international meeting at Far Eastern State University and they were accepted for publication in the collection of papers of the Far Eastern University and a Japanese research magazine.

Marina Kolodina, the new Interim Director of the Park, visited EE centers in the US and participated in the meeting of the International Board of the Park Directors in Wisconsin in late October.

Sustainable Land Use

There has been a noticeable increase in interest in Muraviovka Park in the Amur Region since our 2005 symposium on “The Principles and Practices of Eco-Tourism.” Both tour companies and universities and colleges offering courses in eco-tourism have established contact with us. The Park had over 1,000 visitors during the summer of 2006, the majority of them students from local schools. The visitors were offered lectures on wild birds and excursions on the new environmental trail. Blagoveshchensk School No. 12 offered nature classes to students from practically all grades, from elementary to graduating seniors. Over 300 people attended the annual “Crane Fest.” The local travel company “Intourist” won the Amur Region award for the best weekend offering for its tour of Muraviovka Park . Throughout the summer the Park offered for sale the popular ceramics of S. P. Gutsan, which featured figures of cranes. In addition, it renovated the garage at the Park Headquarters so it now can be used for the Park’s tour bus.

Although the number of visitors to the Park grew so markedly, they did not cause problems for the wild animals or the natural setting. The visitors took part in organized excursions guided by Park staff and stuck to the trails and designated areas of the Park. The endangered birds were not frightened by human beings and flew close to the Park buildings and sometimes even over the visitors’ heads. In those cases where visitors ventured out alone or with a Wildlife Refuge ranger (the Muraviovka Wildlife Refuge or Zakaznik territory overlaps in part with Muraviovka Park territory and the refuge rangers are notorious for bringing hunters into the protected area), not informing the Park staff of their intentions, they returned disappointed that the birds flew away long before they could reach them.

One of the best results of the increased number of organized visitors to the Park was the decrease in the number of protected regime violations in the area of the main headquarters. Poachers, especially the well-connected ones, used to operating covertly, obviously felt uncomfortable surrounded by nature lovers. However, it’s clear that a new trail and an observation platform, which the Regional Wildlife Protection Agency and the neighboring zakaznik are planning to build very close to the nesting and roosting areas of the cranes, would upset the birds and must be excluded from future plans.

Due to the fact that the Ag program had only one regular full-time staff member this summer, that the farm equipment was in bad shape and the weather was unfavorable for agriculture, the farm output was very limited. More than 70 hectares of arable land were planted with tall grass to be used as hay fields and more than 140 hectares were allowed to lie fallow. We purchased an MTZ-82 tractor and a number of pieces of farm equipment.

Land o’ Lakes supported a 10-day visit to the Park by Norbert Zinck, an Illinois farmer, to make recommendations concerning farm operations. They also supported Barb Thompson’s 2.5 months stay at the Park in summer 2006.

We did not have enough money to buy logs to be made into lumber. The two carpenters concentrated instead on completing the wood shop, mounting the equipment, producing lumber to rebuild the summer cabin in the camp that had been burned down, building the crane pen and repairing the headquarters apartments.

Local, Regional and International Cooperation

Support to the Park from local and regional governments, businesses, banks, schools colleges and universities grew noticeably during 2006. More than 300 people from Blagoveshchensk, Seryshevsky, Ivanovsky, Tambovsky, Konstantinovsky and Arkharinsky districts took part in tree-planting, post-fire cleanup, preparation of the camp cabins and headquarters buildings for the summer season, building of bird pens and carrying out the childrens’ “Swans & Geese” contest. Park staff offered lectures and excursions for all the volunteers at the Park, although there were not enough staff to provide outreach programs for local schools (school classes and excursions). The park hosted over 60 orphans from Konstantinovka orphanage for 10 days.

Muraviovka Park organized a Russian Folk Song Festival called “The Crane Dawns,” to mark the opening of the summer camp session. At the festival, the “Istoki” (“Source Spring”) Choir performed for the first time “Park Muraviovski,” a song written by park volunteer and supporter Svetlana Obidion. The song was very well-received at the Park and also in Moscow and in translation, in the United States . Svetlana wrote a second beautiful song entitled “The Crane Dawns” and sang it for the International Red-Crowned Crane meeting.

A number of Russian folk groups performed at the Park this summer, coming from Tambovsky, Konstantinovsky, Ivanovsky and Seryshevsky districts of the Amur Region. Two professional singers, Elena Belyaeyva, the director of the group “Resurrection” and her husband, the philharmonic soloist Albert Khan, as well as local bard A. Boboshko and others came to perform at the Park several times in 2006. People came from all over the region to enjoy their singing. In addition, the Park became the one of the sites for the regional movie forum, “The Amur Autumn,” which attracted about 40 actors and movie makers and about 400 visitors.

In memory of the renowned Korean scientist and conservation activist, Dr. Kim Sooil, a special dedication ceremony was organized for the opening of the rebuilt Kim Sooil camp cabin. The ceremony included the showing of a video film describing the restoration of the Oriental White Stork in Korea as well as Russian and Korean songs and dances. Muraviovka Park and the Changlindao Nature Reserve and State farm in China extended their agreement on cooperation to hold EE camp sessions at the Park and in China . A preliminary agreement has been reached with the Korean Federation for Environmental Education to conduct joint summer schools at the Park and send EE teachers from the Amur Region to participate in summer EE schools in Korea . A number of cooperative projects were completed involving the Park and the Amur Institute for Geology and Land Planning, the Amur Medical Academy , the Amur Hydro-meteorological and Environmental Monitoring Center , and the Lisakovsky Museum in Kazakhstan .

The Park continued its cooperative efforts with ICF, the Ripley Waterfowl Sanctuary, the Woodland Park Zoo, the Crane Working Group of Eurasia , and the Russian Union for Bird Protection. The Amur chapter of FOMP met in April and October to hear reports on activities of the Park and its Friends and adopt plans of activities for 2006-2007.

Articles and stories about the Park ran in the ICF newsletter, in newspapers in Germany , the Amur Region and Tambovsky District, in national magazine “Science and Life” and on central and regional radio and television. Work was begun on a promotional video film about the Park.

Park staff won awards from the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and the Bruno Schubert Foundation in Germany .

Two meetings of the International Board of Directors were held, to monitor the Park programs, enhance fundraising, approve reports and plans for 2007, etc.