Recent News

Altaisky Zapovednik...

 

“Vremia novostej (Time News), August 2, 2006 reported that eleven tourist camps were constructed along the Teletskoye Lake shore within Altaisky Zapovednik in the 1990s, prior to Trigubovich’s assumption of his directorship in 2003.  Teletskoye is a 1000-foot-deep gem situated high in the boreal-forested mountains, and its mild micro-climate and intense beauty makes it attractive to tourists and real estate developers. After asking for their removal, Trigubovich challenged the legality of these properties in court.  In 2006 the first three cases were decided in Altaisky’s favor, declaring the incursion illegal and requiring the eviction of the owners and demolition of the structures.

 

The situation became increasingly hostile. Trigubovich was repeatedly threatened. A deputy director of the reserve was assaulted in his home. Two motor launches belonging to Altaisky were blown up, and the zapovednik office building was set on fire. The director of one of the tourist resorts situated within Altaisky Zapovednik pressed charges of criminal assault against Trigubovich.  The Ulagan court, however, on three separate occasions, returned the case to the prosecutor’s office for lack of substance.  Eventually the case was dismissed.

 

In 2006, the current governor of the Altai Republic, Alexsánder Berdnikov, intent on making federally protected wilderness available to private enterprise, appealed to the Russian Minister of Natural Resources and proposed a change in the status of Altaisky from a strictly protected zapovednik to a national nature park.  Reclassification would enable the Altai Republic governor to exercise full authority over all the territory that now lies within the zapovednik, with the degree of protection – which in this case would be much less - to be determined by the governor.

 

Altaisky was thoroughly inspected by a team from the Ministry of Natural Resources in Moscow, and the Deputy Minister declared that Altaisky would definitely remain protected as a zapovednik.

 

The problems and pressures faced by Altaisky clearly represent the challenges of maintaining zapovedniks in the new Russian economy.  We hope that Altaisky’s stand serves as a model – and an inspiration - for the entire zapovednik system.

 In the field...

 

The first phase of the expedition patrolled the most important sites for the Argut nucleus of the Sailugemsky snow leopard population to create an inventory of the major species and to police the area for poachers.  Deer and sheep populations, prey species for snow leopards, were found to be sharply reduced. Fresh traces of snow leopard were found, and suggested that there were two snow leopards present, a male and a female.

 

The second phase of the expedition estimated the snow leopard population in the Altaian mountainside of the Shapshal mountain ridge, which research in the 1990s showed to be primary snow leopard territory.  Again the team recorded an extremely low density of large mammals, despite the excellent grass coverage.  No evidence was found to indicate that there were any snow leopards in the area. It is significant that signs of human incursion were numerous.

 

The expedition confirmed that the Sailugemsky area is critical snow leopard territory and that migration corridors have been disrupted by illegal hunting and trapping.  It illustrated the effectiveness of regular research and monitoring, as well as the necessity of increasing and expanding monitoring of the species and territory to protect the Russian snow leopard in its remaining breeding habitat.

WANGO Environmental Award...

 

The Awards Committee was “particularly impressed with the unprecedented activities of the Foundation to protect the nature reserves of the Altai Republic and promote a more balanced and sustainable ecological approach.” WANGO calls the work of the Altai Foundation “truly inspiring and critical.”

 

Among past recipients of WANGO awards are the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress (2002) and Roots of Peace (2005).  For 2003, WANGO recognized the Green Belt Movement of Dr. Wangari Maathai with the Environment Award, the year before she received the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

WANGO is the world’s largest international association for non-governmental organizations. With members in over 140 countries, and close to 70,000 members and subscribers, the Association encompasses the vast spectrum of the NGO world, ranging from small nonprofits focused on their local communities to major international organizations with global agendas.