NEWS: NOVEMBER 2008
We are asking KIND PEOPLE, SPONSORS, COMPANIES and ORGANIZATIONS for financial DONATION of our public activities on protection and conservation of the Belarusian part of the Bialowieza Forest (Belovezhskaya Pushcha). Even small-sized contributions are very welcomed because of the dramatic situation. We are also asking TRANSLATORS and other experts for help and bilateral cooperation to protect and conserve the Bialowieza Forest. We will also be VERY GRATEFUL for your technical and other assistance. Thank you in advance.
With your offers, please address to our email 
pushcha-XXI@tut.by. Your questions and other related information are also welcomed.
November 14, 2008
Website "BELTA"
Belovezhskaya Pushcha area included in UNESCO World Heritage List may cover 80,000 ha
The territory of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park included in the UNESCO World Heritage List may be expanded 16 times to cover 80,000 hectares. This information was announced at the international scientific and practical conference “Belovezhskaya Pushcha: from forest area to national park” dedicated to the preservation of protected areas, BelTA has learnt.
According to Director General of the national park Nikolai Bambiza, only a small part of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha – 5,000 hectares - is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It should not be forgotten that the Belovezhskaya Pushcha which area exceeds 160,000 hectares on the territory of Belarus is a unique European forest area.
In 2008, UNESCO experts visited the national park to carry out the assessment of its forests.
Olga Kobiak, the city of Brest
According to Director General of the national park Nikolai Bambiza, only a small part of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha – 5,000 hectares - is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It should not be forgotten that the Belovezhskaya Pushcha which area exceeds 160,000 hectares on the territory of Belarus is a unique European forest area.
In 2008, UNESCO experts visited the national park to carry out the assessment of its forests.
Olga Kobiak, the city of Brest
November 12, 2008
Website "TUT.BY"
Belarus will advertise Belovezhskaya Pushcha on Euronews
"Visit the oldest protected forest of Europe" - the TV Euronews will shoot an advertising trailer with such the slogan for Belarus, Deputy Minister of Sport and Tourism Cheslav Shulga has said in interview for one of the Belarusian TV-channels.
According to the official, the advertising trailer will be devoted to the beautiful nature of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Its purpose is to create a positive image of Belarus and to attract foreign tourists in the country.
It is expected the trailer will start to be broadcasting on Euronews since February of the next year.
Alexander KUTITSKIY, "WE"
"Visit the oldest protected forest of Europe" - the TV Euronews will shoot an advertising trailer with such the slogan for Belarus, Deputy Minister of Sport and Tourism Cheslav Shulga has said in interview for one of the Belarusian TV-channels.
According to the official, the advertising trailer will be devoted to the beautiful nature of Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Its purpose is to create a positive image of Belarus and to attract foreign tourists in the country.
It is expected the trailer will start to be broadcasting on Euronews since February of the next year.
Alexander KUTITSKIY, "WE"
November 12, 2008
BP-21 Website News Service
Photo-Kaleidoscope: Photos of the Bialowieza Forest (Poland)
If clicking this link (http://flickr.com/photos/marcin_gda2/sets/72157603292527950/) you can open 40 photos of wild and cultural landscapes of the Bialowieza Forest, its Polish part.
November 10, 2008
Website "Belarusian TV and Radio Company"
An international conference on specially protected natural areas to be in Belovezhskaya Pushcha
Archaeologist, historians and biologists from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine will take part in this conference. The purpose of the conference is to make clear about the level of knowledge on history of Belovezhskaya Pushcha and to find topical issues of the current state of the Reserve. Participants of the conference will also discuss issues on preservation of archaeological monuments in the area of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.
Archaeologist, historians and biologists from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine will take part in this conference. The purpose of the conference is to make clear about the level of knowledge on history of Belovezhskaya Pushcha and to find topical issues of the current state of the Reserve. Participants of the conference will also discuss issues on preservation of archaeological monuments in the area of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.
November 09, 2008
Website "TUT.BY"
Belovezhskaya Pushcha to get Br60 bln in infrastructure investment by its 600th anniversary
Belovezhskaya Pushcha will see 60 billion Belarusian rubles (currently around $28 million) invested in its infrastructure by the time the Belovezhskaya Pushcha marks its 600th anniversary in September 2009.
Three of the six new tourist routes that have appeared on the map of Belarus this year are dedicated to 600 years since first nature protection in Belovezhskaya Pushcha.
The Pushcha brand
Belarus’ Ministry of Sports and Tourism, in cooperation with their Polish counterparts and the World Tourism Organization, is in the process of preparing a large-scale program to draw tourists to Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The slogan of the program will be "Come to Europe’s Oldest Protected Forest."
"Undoubtedly, national parks are a brand understandable to both the citizen of this country and a foreign citizen," Galina Zaburyanova said, explaining how the idea for the program came into existence.
Galina Zaburyanova is a supervisor of the Tourism Development at Alexander Lukashenko’s Presidential Property Management Department, the organization in charge of the largest relatively undisturbed primeval woodland in Europe.
The dipper into the forest...
Belovezhskaya Pushcha has more than a thousand giant trees, with some of the oaks in the reserve older than 500 years. One can see 350 year pines and spruces that are 250 years old.
"Why don’t we use a weekend to show them once again how nature reserves live, how one should treat flora and fauna? Or watch animals from a tower, take pictures," Cheslav Shulga, Deputy Minister of Sports and Tourism, said as he encouraged tourists to visit the forest.
Belovezhskaya Pushcha is unmatched in Europe in the number of plant and animal species. UNESCO included it on its World Heritage List in 1992, and in 1997, the nature reserve was awarded a Diploma by the Council of Europe.
Planning of four eco-tourist routes across the forest is currently under way. What Belovezhskaya Pushcha has to offer is not to be seen in any other national park or nature reserve in Europe, stated Galina Zaburyanova.
"From the rare birds, animals, the air, even the cooking. That said, the project is not just limited to new tours or eco-tourist routes. This is the construction of a new nature museum. These are new roads, places for recreation."
More than 20 recreation facilities will have been built or renovated in Belovezhskaya Pushcha by 2009. A new hotel boasting a 25 meter long swimming pool and luxurious rooms opened its doors in the National Park just the other day. Galina Zaburyanova said she was convinced Belovezhskaya Pushcha’s global popularity will grow to a point where rooms are reserved a year in advance by as early as 2010.
"In any case, near-border tourism here is ever growing and ecotourism is in demand," Cheslav Shulga agreed.
How to turn dreams into money-making reality
However, it is not the eco-tours they have been betting on at Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Here they have been making money on children’s belief in the existence of Grandfather Frost, the eastern Slavic counterpart to Santa Claus. The Grandfather Frost’s estate appeared in the forest Reserve five years ago. Year after year, the National Tourism Agency of Belarus has said interest in that tourist attraction is growing.
For instance, in 2007 the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park welcomed 190 000 tourists. The influx of tourists peaked starting on December 20 as schoolchildren were taken to the forest to see Grandfather Frost and Snow Maiden.
"Seven thousand tourists were arriving every day," said Galina Zaburyanova. "I believe no other place in the country is this popular. The figure will only increase this year," she predicted.
You bet it will! The Tour-business 2008 trade show which has just closed its doors in Minsk saw Aleksandr Romanovsky, deputy head of the Presidential Property Management Department, call on travel agencies to work harder on drawing tourists to Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Meanwhile, on the eve of the 600th anniversary of Europe’s oldest nature reserve, Belarusian environmentalists have voiced concerns that the renovation and construction operations might damage the National Park’s ecosystem. After all, the protected area has a critical load.
Marina Mazurkevich, Radio "Deutsche Welle"
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Translated by Alexander Sukhoverkhov
Three of the six new tourist routes that have appeared on the map of Belarus this year are dedicated to 600 years since first nature protection in Belovezhskaya Pushcha.
The Pushcha brand
Belarus’ Ministry of Sports and Tourism, in cooperation with their Polish counterparts and the World Tourism Organization, is in the process of preparing a large-scale program to draw tourists to Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The slogan of the program will be "Come to Europe’s Oldest Protected Forest."
"Undoubtedly, national parks are a brand understandable to both the citizen of this country and a foreign citizen," Galina Zaburyanova said, explaining how the idea for the program came into existence.
Galina Zaburyanova is a supervisor of the Tourism Development at Alexander Lukashenko’s Presidential Property Management Department, the organization in charge of the largest relatively undisturbed primeval woodland in Europe.
The dipper into the forest...
Belovezhskaya Pushcha has more than a thousand giant trees, with some of the oaks in the reserve older than 500 years. One can see 350 year pines and spruces that are 250 years old.
"Why don’t we use a weekend to show them once again how nature reserves live, how one should treat flora and fauna? Or watch animals from a tower, take pictures," Cheslav Shulga, Deputy Minister of Sports and Tourism, said as he encouraged tourists to visit the forest.
Belovezhskaya Pushcha is unmatched in Europe in the number of plant and animal species. UNESCO included it on its World Heritage List in 1992, and in 1997, the nature reserve was awarded a Diploma by the Council of Europe.
Planning of four eco-tourist routes across the forest is currently under way. What Belovezhskaya Pushcha has to offer is not to be seen in any other national park or nature reserve in Europe, stated Galina Zaburyanova.
"From the rare birds, animals, the air, even the cooking. That said, the project is not just limited to new tours or eco-tourist routes. This is the construction of a new nature museum. These are new roads, places for recreation."
More than 20 recreation facilities will have been built or renovated in Belovezhskaya Pushcha by 2009. A new hotel boasting a 25 meter long swimming pool and luxurious rooms opened its doors in the National Park just the other day. Galina Zaburyanova said she was convinced Belovezhskaya Pushcha’s global popularity will grow to a point where rooms are reserved a year in advance by as early as 2010.
"In any case, near-border tourism here is ever growing and ecotourism is in demand," Cheslav Shulga agreed.
How to turn dreams into money-making reality
However, it is not the eco-tours they have been betting on at Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Here they have been making money on children’s belief in the existence of Grandfather Frost, the eastern Slavic counterpart to Santa Claus. The Grandfather Frost’s estate appeared in the forest Reserve five years ago. Year after year, the National Tourism Agency of Belarus has said interest in that tourist attraction is growing.
For instance, in 2007 the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park welcomed 190 000 tourists. The influx of tourists peaked starting on December 20 as schoolchildren were taken to the forest to see Grandfather Frost and Snow Maiden.
"Seven thousand tourists were arriving every day," said Galina Zaburyanova. "I believe no other place in the country is this popular. The figure will only increase this year," she predicted.
You bet it will! The Tour-business 2008 trade show which has just closed its doors in Minsk saw Aleksandr Romanovsky, deputy head of the Presidential Property Management Department, call on travel agencies to work harder on drawing tourists to Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Meanwhile, on the eve of the 600th anniversary of Europe’s oldest nature reserve, Belarusian environmentalists have voiced concerns that the renovation and construction operations might damage the National Park’s ecosystem. After all, the protected area has a critical load.
Marina Mazurkevich, Radio "Deutsche Welle"
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Translated by Alexander Sukhoverkhov
November 09, 2008
Website "ZJIS.RU"
New tourist facilities to construct in Belovezhskaya Pushcha
More than twenty tourist facilities will be either constructed or renovated in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park by 2009, the BelaPAN News Agency lerned.
New facilities planned for construction in the National Park include a Nature Museum, a hotel, recreation sites, and roads. Besides, promises were made to renovate houses and to repair electricity supply networks in inhabited localities of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, including in Kamenyuki village. All these grand projects will be implemented - let’s hope that the promises will be fulfilled - in accordance with the celebration plan developed in connection with the 600th anniversary since protection regime for Belovezhskaya Pushcha was introduced.
Many local residents got anxious about effects the construction and renovation may produce on the Park’s ecology. Galina Zaburianova, Deputy Head of the Protected Natural Areas and Nature Management Department of the Property Management Department of the President of the Republic of Belarus, said "As the work goes on, specialists determine facilities in need of renovation and add them to the plan. All renovation activities carried out in Belovezhskaya Pushcha do not harm the Park’s ecology".
Belovezhskaya Pushcha has been already noticeably renovated: the estate of Belarusian Grandfather Frost has been expanded, a new hotel has been opened, and the road to the National Park has got reflective marking. Besides, four new ecological routes are under development in the Park which will include observation of the Park’s rare animals and birds, its unique nature and the Belarusian cuisine.
By the way, in 2007 Belovezhskaya Pushcha welcomed around 190 thousand visitors. A great number of tourists, around 7 thousand per day, came to the National Park during Christmas time to visit the estate of Grandfather Frost. Most likely, that by 2010 those wishing to visit Belovezhskaya Pushcha will have to make one-year advance hotel reservation which is common practice in Europe.
The above statistics indicates tourism development. It would be also great, if the beauty of our region would bring real money that would be spent not only on the park’s infrastructure, but also on the welfare of the region residents.
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Translated by Olga Khlebous
More than twenty tourist facilities will be either constructed or renovated in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park by 2009, the BelaPAN News Agency lerned.
New facilities planned for construction in the National Park include a Nature Museum, a hotel, recreation sites, and roads. Besides, promises were made to renovate houses and to repair electricity supply networks in inhabited localities of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, including in Kamenyuki village. All these grand projects will be implemented - let’s hope that the promises will be fulfilled - in accordance with the celebration plan developed in connection with the 600th anniversary since protection regime for Belovezhskaya Pushcha was introduced.
Many local residents got anxious about effects the construction and renovation may produce on the Park’s ecology. Galina Zaburianova, Deputy Head of the Protected Natural Areas and Nature Management Department of the Property Management Department of the President of the Republic of Belarus, said "As the work goes on, specialists determine facilities in need of renovation and add them to the plan. All renovation activities carried out in Belovezhskaya Pushcha do not harm the Park’s ecology".
Belovezhskaya Pushcha has been already noticeably renovated: the estate of Belarusian Grandfather Frost has been expanded, a new hotel has been opened, and the road to the National Park has got reflective marking. Besides, four new ecological routes are under development in the Park which will include observation of the Park’s rare animals and birds, its unique nature and the Belarusian cuisine.
By the way, in 2007 Belovezhskaya Pushcha welcomed around 190 thousand visitors. A great number of tourists, around 7 thousand per day, came to the National Park during Christmas time to visit the estate of Grandfather Frost. Most likely, that by 2010 those wishing to visit Belovezhskaya Pushcha will have to make one-year advance hotel reservation which is common practice in Europe.
The above statistics indicates tourism development. It would be also great, if the beauty of our region would bring real money that would be spent not only on the park’s infrastructure, but also on the welfare of the region residents.
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Translated by Olga Khlebous
November 06, 2008
Website "21.BY"
Issues on nature protection
Belovezhskaya Pushcha is valuable for all people.
What is a national park first of all – a unique reserved forest, scientific laboratory or resource to harvest timber together with hunting lands? Is it possible to make artificial restoration of those things which were already changed in Belovezhskaya Pushcha due to economic activities? In November all wishing people can inform scientists about their opinion and vision of the future of this reserve.
In other words, the developers of the long-term management plan for the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" offer to all irrespective of age, education and residence to inform and share remarks and proposals that to help "draw" a picture of the future for the National Park "Public discussions is the All-European practice to accept documents of such the level", research officer of the Nature Protection Department of the Scientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences on Bio-Resources Svyatoslav Volosiuk, one of the developers, specifies. "It would be strange if the destiny of the National Park was managed by a small group of the people. This is because interests of the local population are touched here, and of the whole country...
Written by Marina PANASIUK
Photo by Alexandr RUZHECHKA
Newspaper "Belarus Today"
What is a national park first of all – a unique reserved forest, scientific laboratory or resource to harvest timber together with hunting lands? Is it possible to make artificial restoration of those things which were already changed in Belovezhskaya Pushcha due to economic activities? In November all wishing people can inform scientists about their opinion and vision of the future of this reserve.
In other words, the developers of the long-term management plan for the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" offer to all irrespective of age, education and residence to inform and share remarks and proposals that to help "draw" a picture of the future for the National Park "Public discussions is the All-European practice to accept documents of such the level", research officer of the Nature Protection Department of the Scientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences on Bio-Resources Svyatoslav Volosiuk, one of the developers, specifies. "It would be strange if the destiny of the National Park was managed by a small group of the people. This is because interests of the local population are touched here, and of the whole country...
Written by Marina PANASIUK
Photo by Alexandr RUZHECHKA
Newspaper "Belarus Today"
November 05, 2008
"Sovetskaya Byelorussia" (The Soviet Byelorussia) newspaper, No 209
All to holes!
Scientists will inventory badgers.
Rare animals vanish in our forests. About 70 to 80 badgers live now in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. It is a few. They were three times as much half a century back! Why do badgers decrease in the number?
"Poachers are partly guilty", head of the Laboratory of Mammals of the Scientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences Petr Kozlo says. "Badgers were an object for hunting, let's say, in the barbarous ways by destruction their holes. Although these animals are not of trade importance, badger fat is very worth in the national medicine as it has curative properties".
What are more reasons of vanishing of the animals? Probably, badgers like other predators have disease of rabies.
"As a rule, racoon dogs winter in badger holes. They are the carriers of this disease", senior staff scientist of the scientific department of the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" Alexei Bunevich tells. "We, therefore, scatter slices of meat with a vaccine near their holes every spring. Badgers often become victims of wolves".
Experts say that this rare species listed in a Red Data Book of Belarus is still very poorly investigated. In the coming years scientists will monitor the density of the badger population in our country.
Oksana SIDOROVICH
Scientists will inventory badgers.
Rare animals vanish in our forests. About 70 to 80 badgers live now in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. It is a few. They were three times as much half a century back! Why do badgers decrease in the number?
"Poachers are partly guilty", head of the Laboratory of Mammals of the Scientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences Petr Kozlo says. "Badgers were an object for hunting, let's say, in the barbarous ways by destruction their holes. Although these animals are not of trade importance, badger fat is very worth in the national medicine as it has curative properties".
What are more reasons of vanishing of the animals? Probably, badgers like other predators have disease of rabies.
"As a rule, racoon dogs winter in badger holes. They are the carriers of this disease", senior staff scientist of the scientific department of the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" Alexei Bunevich tells. "We, therefore, scatter slices of meat with a vaccine near their holes every spring. Badgers often become victims of wolves".
Experts say that this rare species listed in a Red Data Book of Belarus is still very poorly investigated. In the coming years scientists will monitor the density of the badger population in our country.
Oksana SIDOROVICH