« CHARITABLE GRANTS»

THIRD GRANT ROUND, DECEMBER 2000:
ECO-REGION SMALL GRANT PROGRAM

The third Advisory Board meeting of the Eco-region Small Grant Program took place on December 22, 2000, in Vladivostok. The program is a joint initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) aimed at biodiversity conservation in the Russian Far East Eco-region. The Grant Board summarized the results of the third grant round and approved financing for 28 proposals (total: $243,806).

Amur Region

Conservation of Nesting Grounds of Rare Birds of the Nora and Selemdja Rivers Basin, Nora State Nature Reserve

Expected Results:

• Research of nesting grounds of rare (listed in the Red data book) bird species;
• Summary report on the status of rare birds;
• Zoning of territory under consideration and inventory of protected areas;
• Documents to support the Nora State Nature Reserve’s inclusion on the Ramsar list;
• Monitoring station involving local school clubs and volunteers.

Protected Areas under the Snow Leopard Brigade’s Protection, Amur Branch of the Socio-Ecological Union

Expected Results:

• Joint raids on the Khingan and Nora state nature reserves to stop poaching and other violations;
• Patrolling of roe deer’s migration routes through the Nora State Nature Reserve;
• Survey of the Selemdzhin district to find a site for a new forest refuge;
• Increased professional skills of at least 40 students through their participation in raids and patrolling activities.

Orlov Federal Wildlife Refuge Begins its Activity, Hunting Department for the Amur Region

Expected Results:

• Infrastructure of the refuge developed through construction of a central base and three guard posts.

Creation of a Model Eco-net at the Khingan State Nature Reserve, Khingan State Nature Reserve

Expected Results:

• Inventory of nature landmarks in Arkharisk district;
• Documents permitting transfer of forests of the State Forest Fund to Khingan State Nature Reserve;
• A network of protected areas of different statuses in the Arkharin and Burein districts.

Inventory of Specially Protected Areas in the Amur Region, Environmental Committee for the Amur Region

Expected Results:

• Inventory of protected areas of the Amur Region as well as maps, tables, and charts;
• Specialists to maintain and update the inventory data.

Northern Ecosystems Should Be Protected, Amur Branch of Socio-Ecological Union

Expected Results:

• Campaigns in the mass media aimed at promoting the conservation of northern ecosystems and the traditional lifestyle of indigenous peoples;
• Field research and a scientific basis for the creation of a new wildlife refuge in Tyndin district.

Khabarovsk Krai

Far Eastern Turtle: To Be or not to Be? Amur Ecological Fund

Expected results:

• Examination of the turtles’ habitats in the lower reaches of the Amur river;
• Assessment of anthropogenic impact on the turtles’ habitats and the state of the turtle population;
• Strategy for Far Eastern Turtle Conservation Measures;
• Documents to support this species’ inclusion in CITES appendix.

The Far Eastern Market of Wildlife Medicines, Krechet (NGO)

Expected results:

• Information on trade in legal wildlife products used in medicine;
• Recommendations to help optimize activities aimed at stopping poaching and protecting fauna species used for medicines;
• Inclusion of above recommendations in nature protection rules and regulations adopted in the Far Eastern Eco-region;
• Information brochure.

We’re Ready for the Creation of an Eco-net, Burein State Nature Reserve

Expected Results:

• A network of protected areas of different statuses based at the Burein State Nature Reserve.

Ecological Security as a Basis for the Development of Eco-tours, Khabarovsk Wildlife Fund (NGO)

Expected Results:

• Eco-tours at the Khekhtsir wildlife refuge;
• Zoning of the refuge's territory;
• Recommendations of eco-tour routes.

Primorye Krai

Development of Uniform Information Reference System called Foreign Trade in Marine Biological Resources of the Russian Far East, and its Introduction at Far Eastern Marine Customs, Vladivostok Branch of the Russian Customs Academy

Expected Results:

• Uniform information reference system as a tool for proper declaration of and control over legal and illegal export of marine resources, including CITES species;
• Customs officials trained to use this system;
• 50 copies of diskettes distributed among customs posts of the Far Eastern Customs Department.

Field Research and Conservation of Rare and Endangered Birds of Wetlands in the Southern Sikhote-Alin Mountain Range, Lazov State Nature Reserve

Expected Results:

• Census and data on current state of rare bird populations inhabiting Lazov, Chuguev and Olginsky districts;
• Database on birds’ distribution, numbers, nests and nesting grounds, and accumulation sites;
• Inventory of nests and nesting grounds;
• Documents needed to establish two nature landmarks submitted to local environmental committees for their consideration.

Assistance to Natural Forest Regeneration in the Russian Far East, Institute of Forestry at the State Agricultural Academy

Expected Results:

• New technology aimed at minimizing costs and time of reforestation in forest-free areas;
• Improvement of strain composition in low-value stands.

The Living Sea, Institute for Climatology

Expected Results:

• Qualitative and quantitative geological, biological and ecological description of Expedition Bay plus description of land-produced contamination;
• Detailed description of mud (used for medicinal purposes) and laboratory research (sanitary, bacteriological, microbiological, microelement analysis);
• Report sent to Environmental Committee for Primorye Krai;
• Medical mud put under governmental control.

Organization and Hosting of an International Conference called Biodiversity of Northeast Asia, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Expected Results:

• Identification of main problems of biodiversity conservation and nature protection in northeast Asia and adjacent territories;
• Solutions to these problems;
• Suggestions for involving China as a full-scale partner in biodiversity conservation activities.

Training Border Guards in How to Behave on Meeting a Tiger or Leopard, Primorye Krai Society for Nature Protection

Expected Results:

• Border guards trained in three districts of Primorye Krai;
• Distribution to border posts of methodological materials with recommendations from biologists;
• Biologists’ recommendations included in Young Border Guard course.

This is My Home, My Planet (Environmental Center)

Expected Results:

• Basic information on protected areas posted along the roads of Primorye Krai.

Territory- and Site-Oriented Evaluation of Biodiversity in the Far Eastern Eco-region, Pacific Institute of Geography of the Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences

Expected Results:

• Biodiversity evaluation of main biotic groups and territories;
• Suggestions to improve work on Eco-net and promote biodiversity research;
• Set of electronic maps showing natural resources, habitats and biodiversity sites in the southern Far East.

Training of Watch Dogs to Identify Illegally Harvested Biological Resources, State Environmental Committee for Primorye Krai

Expected Results:

• Two watchdogs trained to detect illegally harvested bio-resources;
• Cynologist added to Tiger inspection staff;
• Enclosure for two trained watchdogs.

Creation of Training Center for Studying the Basics of Environmental Protection and Nature Use, Institute for Sustainable Nature Use

Expected Results:

• Infrastructure for studying the basics of environmental protection and nature use by specialists;
• Summer tent camp for studying the basics of eco-tourism;
• Effective protection methods of the eastern Sikhote-Alin.

Creation of System to Monitor Violations of Environmental Protection Legislation, Pacific Institute of Geography of Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences

Expected Results:

• Monitoring system for violations of environmental protection legislation;
• Detailed current information on the environment provided to relevant government offices and users of natural resources.

Environment: Ring of Protected Territories of the Russian Far East, Eco-Patrol (Non-Commercial Partnership)

Expected Results:

• A series of 13 radio programs;
• Six rounds of the “Living Planet” radio competition dedicated to problems of rare flora and fauna.

Sakhalin Region

The Sacred Island, Kuril State Nature Reserve

Expected Results:

• Environmental visit center; methodological materials in three languages;
• Eco-routes through the reserve.

The Living Book, Sakhalin Environment Watch (NGO)

Expected Results:

• Systematization and processing of years of video-materials;
• Reinstatement of the regular Living Book environmental program on regional TV;
• Regular environmental radio program called Nature Radio.

Jewish Autonomous Region

Rest Zone, Society of Hunters and Fishermen of the Jewish Autonomous Region

Expected Results:

• Wildlife game refuge in the Jewish Autonomous Region;
• Patrolling of the territory (12 raids at least);
• Fifteen information posters;
• Elk census;
• Mapping of cranes’ and storks’ nesting grounds.

Active Distribution of Information on Forest Fires among Local Population, Bagulnik (NGO)

Expected Results:

• Press-center to distribute regular information on forest fires;
• TV and radio broadcasts on forest fire prevention;
• Sixteen parachute jumps in heavily populated areas to publicize fire-prevention agitation (using loudspeakers and leaflets);
• Five posters with fire prevention information put up in Birobidzhan (capital of the Jewish Autonomous Region), plus four other posters on the main roads out of the city.

Irkutsk Region

Curriculum on Biodiversity Conservation, Irkutsk School of Wildlife Biologists (public foundation)

Expected Results:

• Curriculum on biodiversity conservation adopted at federal level.

Moscow

Optimization of the System of Protected Areas in Far Eastern Leopard Habitats, Central Research Expedition of Hunt Management

Expected Results:

• Suggestions on how to optimize system of protected areas in Far Eastern leopard habitats adopted at federal and local levels.

The tables below show the results of the third grant round:

1. Submitted and Financed Proposals in Various Regions
(Totals for the third round: 109 proposals received, 28 proposals financed)

For further information on this program, please contact Small Grant Program Coordinator Yuliya Fomenko,
Phone: (4232) 40-66-51, 40-66-52, 40-66-53;
E-mail: yfomenko@rfe.wwfrus.ru

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