Published on: 2026-11-06
Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation – Preserved Embassy Foundation –
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An event organized for the first time by the “Zapovednoe Posolstvo” foundation in Moscow for the 110th anniversary of the zap of the food system, can become a traditional platform for developing common solutions
Yesterday, November 5, the 10th Anniversary International Gathering of Friends of Protected Islands concluded in Moscow — a nationwide movement of volunteer assistants for protected areas, uniting 500 clubs and over a million people across 60 regions of the country. As part of the extensive program of the Gathering, a business forum titled “Man. Nature. Time.” was held. The forum, organized for the first time by the “Protected Embassy” foundation in Moscow, was unprecedented in its composition of participants: 25 business companies, 93 representatives of 53 protected natural areas from Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Abkhazia, 20 non-profit organizations, scientific and educational institutions. In total, the forum gathered over 200 participants, who were joined by 300 delegates of the Gathering from all over the country and nearby abroad. Previously, the forum was held regionally within the Friends of Protected Islands Gatherings; in the capital, it reached a federal level for the first time. The forum was supported by the MISIS University of Science and Technology, on whose premises the event was conducted.
Among the participants were the non-profit organization “Energy Development” of the State Corporation Rosatom, companies “Norilsk Nickel”, JTI Russia, MTS, SIBUR, JSC “Russian Railways”, “Polyus”, “Severstal”, “Gazprom Neft”, management company “Ural Steel”, Kept, as well as public and non-profit organizations: the Presidential Nature Fund, the National Council for Corporate Volunteering, the National ESG Alliance, the Eco-center “Reserves”, the Charitable Educational Foundation “Reserve Embassy”, the Association of Reserve Workers, almost a hundred representatives of state nature reserves, national and nature parks, and several regional specially protected natural areas from various parts of the country and abroad. At the forum, they discussed how to combine biodiversity conservation with the economic development of regions, what digital solutions can enhance the efficiency of environmental protection activities, and the contribution of business and volunteer initiatives to solving environmental protection tasks.
The plenary session “The Protected Areas System Towards the 110th Anniversary” was dedicated to the prospects for the development of the protected areas system. It included participation by Innokenty Dementyev, Deputy Chairman of the Board — Managing Director of the Presidential Nature Foundation; Olga Krever, Deputy Director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Roszapovedcenter” of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia; Andrey Sharonov, General Director of the National ESG Alliance; Natalya Chukhraeva, Deputy Head of the Department of Environmental Management and Protection of Moscow. The session moderator — Natalya Danilina, President of the Charitable Educational Foundation “Protected Embassy” and Director of the Eco-center “Reserves” — emphasized: “The Russian network of specially protected natural areas is a large and complex system in which each component must strengthen the others. Only in this way can it develop sustainably. We want the upcoming 110th anniversary of the Russian protected areas system to become not just a jubilee date but a point of unification — for everyone professionally protecting nature and for those who assist them: businesses, non-profit organizations, scientific and educational institutions, volunteers.”Only by acting together can we build a system of specially protected natural areas that will withstand any challenges.”
At the session “New Technologies for Nature Conservation,” representatives of specially protected natural areas (SPNA), technology companies, and non-profit organizations shared their experiences in implementing digital tools and discussed three key questions: which technologies are most promising for SPNAs, how to integrate new solutions into the existing infrastructure, and what benefits digitalization brings to conservation activities. Modern technological and digital solutions for nature protection were presented — including “MTS GeoEffect,” the digital product “Green Button,” and Big Data technologies. Participants agreed that the key task today is to lower the entry barrier for territories, train staff, and unite disparate solutions into a common ecosystem. A particular emphasis was placed on digital tools needing to work equally well for both federal and regional SPNAs, bridging the gap between levels of management. Participants highlighted the need to continue pilot projects and expand the geographical scope of service implementation.
The section “Socio-economic development of regions. The importance of cross-sector interaction” was attended by employees of protected areas, representatives of local communities and rural businesses, as well as companies JTI Russia, SIBUR (program “Formula of Good Deeds”), Gazprom Neft, and Kavkaz.RF. The section focused on practices of cross-sector interaction for sustainable socio-economic development of the regions — taking into account long-term prospects for the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature and strengthening the role of protected areas. A separate topic was companies’ grant programs aimed at developing the territories where they operate. The companies recognized a noticeable trend: whereas earlier investments in regions of their presence mainly went to cultural, sports, and socio-cultural projects, now ecological projects are coming to the forefront. People truly care about the natural environment — both the safety of nature when encountering humans and the safety of humans when encountering nature.
At the session “Personal Contribution. Charity and Volunteering in Protected Natural Areas (PNA)”, the best practices of companies and NGOs were summarized and specific tools for systematic work in the field of volunteering were presented. Special attention was paid to joint planning for the 110th anniversary of the reserve system and the launch of new partnership projects. Participants agreed that volunteers provide PNAs with a significant educational resource: any investment of personal effort creates a closer emotional connection with the place you help, after which the person becomes a supporter and advocate for the territory.
The section “Biodiversity Conservation and the Role of Protected Areas under Climate Change” summed up the results of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), held at the end of October in Yerevan, and facilitated the exchange of best practices for cooperation between businesses and protected areas. Experience was shared by ANO “Energy of Development” of the State Corporation Rosatom, JTI Russia, Norilsk Nickel, SIBUR, Polyus, and Kept, the Protected Embassy Foundation, as well as employees of reserves and national parks — from the Black Sea to Dauria. The section was moderated by Svetlana Sheinfeld, Director of the Operational Risks and Sustainable Development Group at Kept, and Yulia Vereshchak, Director of International Projects at the Protected Embassy Foundation.
“The main idea of the forum is to connect two worlds that often interact but rarely intersect. For years, businesses on industry platforms have been discussing projects on biodiversity conservation, ESG agendas, and marketing initiatives related to protected areas, but most often this happens without the participation of employees of protected territories. This time, both sides met at the same table: they heard each other’s perspectives, discussed the nuances of work, and what should be taken into account to make cooperation effective. The feedback we received from participants is that the forum is important and necessary, as all parties are interested in cross-sector interaction,” concluded Kseniya Gasparyan, Development Director of the ‘Protected Embassy’ Foundation.
FOR REFERENCE:
The 10th International Gathering of Friends of Protected Islands is organized by the All-Russian public movement “Friends of Protected Islands,” which has been promoting the conservation of specially protected natural areas (SPNAs) since 2000 and today unites participants from more than 60 regions of the country. The Movement’s gatherings serve as an expert platform for exchanging best practices, developing conservation projects, and advancing environmental education among youth.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS AND PARTNERS:
The 10th Gathering of Friends of the Protected Islands is organized by the Movement “Friends of the Protected Islands” together with the Charitable Educational Foundation “Protected Embassy” and the Autonomous Non-Profit Organization of Additional Professional Education “Ecological Educational Center “Reserves” with the support of the Presidential Nature Fund and the Presidential Grants Fund. Partners include the Russian Reserve Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, the Department of Natural Resources Use and Environmental Protection of the City of Moscow. The general partner of the Gathering is the Autonomous Non-Profit Organization “Energy of Development.” The Gathering of Friends of the Protected Islands extends thanks to the hospitable venues of the Palace of Pioneers on Sparrow Hills, National University of Science and Technology MISIS, the International Wildlife Festival “Golden Turtle,” the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, and the State Darwin Museum. The informational partner is the Social Information Agency.
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