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| P. O. Box 547 630090, Novosibirsk, Russia Теl/fax: +7 (383) 363-00-59 +7 (383) 328-30-26 Email: center@sibecocenter.ru |
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The Steppe ProgrammeThe Siberian Environmental Center is one of the few nature conservation organizations of the former Soviet Union that include the protection of the steppe ecosystem in their priorities and have a special program for its conservation.
1. All the remaining parts of the steppe ecosystem deserve to be protected 2. The main direction in the conservation of the steppe is the protection of the steppe ecosystem and individual species on the agricultural land (the steppe is often used as pasture or for hay making) 3. The conservation of the steppe must be based on co-operation with those who own, lease, manage and work on the land 4. In most cases the long-term protection of the steppe is not possible without the maintenance of moderate grazing and/or periodical fires; the biggest threats to the steppe are ploughing, soil works, and planting of forests in areas that in their natural state are without forest cover. The Steppe Program includes some already finished projects. These projects aimed to map out and conserve the biggest and most valuable parts of the steppe ecosystem in the Altai-Sayan ecoregion, in the South-West and South-East Altai and East Kazakhstan. These projects concentrated on the study and protection of the vulnerable and threatened species of mammals and birds; the Pallas’ cat (manul) and the Tawny Eagle, the Saker Falcon and other birds of prey. In addition to this, the only periodical publication in the former Soviet Union that concentrates on the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of the steppe, The Steppe Bulletin (only in Russian), is published within the framework of the Program. Program coordinator – Ilya Smelansky
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16.06.2009
Re-establishment of forest protection service
Greenpeace Russia has started to collect signatures for a letter addressed to the Russian president, which demands re-establishment of state forest protection that would be a federal service, organizationally and financially independent from other state organs that deal with forest resource use, and would involve adequate number of staff (no less than 20 thousand inspectors). Such number of federal inspectors would mean operational groups of three people for each forest management unit in the regions of the country that are inhabited and accessible to transportation.
More... 01.06.2009
Tragedy in Altai: One more kill from the illegal hunt of argali
During an investigative expedition to the Sailyugem mountain range by Geblerov Ecological Society, the remains of one more killed argali (mountain sheep) was found, adding to the sad result of the illegal hunting trip that took place in the Altai on January 9 and ended with the helicopter crashing down and killing 7 people, including some high-ranking federal and local officials. During investigations on the south-west side of the mountain Chernaya on 28 May, the members of the Geblerov Society found the remains of a nine-year-old male mountain sheep (argali).
More... 08.05.2009
Finally some reaction!
After a three-month long confrontation between the civil society and the administration due to the investigation of illegal hunting of the Red-listed Altai argali by high-standing officials, the environmentalists’ case has finally seen a small victory.
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In its July issue, the National Geographic Russia wrote about the wild steppe cat, the manul. ‘Domestic cat or predatory beast? It is becoming increasingly difficult for the manul, only externally resembling the domestic cat, to avoid contact with people. In the summer last year, the blogs and forums in the Russian Internet got filled with pictures of this robust fluffy-looking wild cat, with round ears, yellow eyes and less-than-friendly expression on its slightly flat face. The pictures were often accompanied by funny inscriptions. In this way, the wide audience got to know the rare steppe cat, manul (Otocolobus manul).’ The readers of National Geographic also found out what 
During June 1-21, some areas of East Kazakhstan and Almatin Regions of the Kazakhstan Republic were inspected in order to collect data about the Pallas' Cat and about certain birds of prey.
In the beginning of April, Sibecocenter and Geblerov Ecological Society (Barnaul) organized an interactive event for the schools of Kosh-Agachsk region (Republic of Altai), to inform children about the rare animal species inhabiting the area. School children in Kosh-Agach, Beltir and Telengit-Sortogoya were given lessons about the rare and endangered animals of the region and about the special need for their protection. Educational films about Altai argali (mountain sheep) and manul (steppe-inhabiting wild cat) were shown to the children.
Overarching theme of the newest issue are the new threats to steppe biome and the new possibilities to save it. First part of the issue is dedicated to the current project funded by European Union. Another part relates good news from Kazakhstan; about the impressive development of the network of special protected natural territories in the country and about the inclusion of the first steppe territory in the list of World Natural Heritage sites. The issue also includes information about conservation strategies for Russian steppes and for grasslands of the temperate region, articles about protected steppe territories and their creation, news about the conservation of some threatened steppe species, and materials about the European steppe ‘mustangs’ (the feral horses in Russia and Ukraine), among other things.
