Strengthening the Network of Training Centers for Protected Area Managers of Northern Eurasia

By Elena Nikolaeva, Environmental Education Centre “Zapovedniks”, nikol.elena@gmail.com

This article presents the results of GEF/UNEP project “Strengthening the Network of Training Centers for Protected Area Managers of Northern Eurasia” that was implemented by Environmental Education Centre “Zapovedniks’ and its partners in 2005-2008.

The project was aimed at improving biodiversity conservation and livelihoods through a better management of Protected Areas  (PA) in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. The total project budget was 2.4 million USD, including 1 million USD from GEF. Among the main participating parties there were federal protected areas of the 4 countries as well as key PA Agencies (the Ministries of Natural Resources of Russia and Belarus, the State Committee for Forestry and Hunting in Kazakhstan, State PA Service of Ukraine Ministry of Environmental Protection).  

The main objectives of the project were identified as follows: 1) to improve the skills of PA managers and staff in four project countries in critical aspects of PA management; 2) to secure stronger political and other stakeholder’s support for PA in the region. 

Within those objectives numerous activities have taken place, especially different training courses and public awareness campaigns for PA managers. Actually about 200 Protected Areas were somehow involved in the project, and about 2500 people were trained. As a consequence, PA staff has started to apply new skills and use innovative approaches in PA planning and management. But trainings were focused not only at PA specialists: politicians, businesses and local communities also participated in the programs and were involved in pilot projects. All that resulted in increased political support for PA in the project region. However, it was one of the most challenging tasks here as the majority of people in Northern Eurasia have very little understanding about the values of protected areas.

The project was initiated by Environmental Education Centre “Zapovedniks” – an NGO that has been working for 14 years to raise public awareness and support for PA in Russia. It is the only Russian organization that provides trainings for representatives of protected areas.  Since 2007 Centre “Zapovedniks” is a member of the Network of European Environmental Training Centers of Excellence - association of acknowledged professional organizations that train PA staff.

Indeed the most practical result of GEF/UNEP project is the creation of 4 sustainable training institutions in each project country which continue to operate on a regular basis, have professional teams of trainers, possess methodical and resource materials available for the trainees and, what is very important, developed a unique technique to engage participants in the training process. All educational seminars, round tables and study visits organized by the Training Centers include interactive methods such as professional games and role plays to create effective educational environment and motivate trainees to intensive work. People not only gain knowledge and skills, but also change their perceptions and attitudes somehow.

For example, Elena Elistratova from Shorsky national park in Russian Siberia told her colleagues after the training that she“ completely changed her attitudes towards environmental education and understood that it is a science which is necessary to conceive during the whole life”. Galina Zamyatina, the Deputy Director of  Ranger Service in Astrakhansky Zapovednik in the South of Russia wrote the following: “As one of my participants said, if he had taken part in such training courses before, he would have perceived his destiny to be a ranger in another way; he assumes that he completely overlooked his point of view considering his work”.

Special attention at all seminars is given to the process of exchanging experience between the participants. Usually people that take part in training come from various regions of Russia and CIS, and it is always useful and interesting to learn how their colleagues manage their areas. Each participant gets a chance to organize his own lesson — «Creative workshop». Every time a seminar ends up with the development of an individual pilot project by participants for its further implementation at their PA.

The Training Centers in 4 project countries function as a joint network: exchange their experience, disseminate publications, monitor and evaluate their results. The last meeting of Training Centers coordinators took place in Kanevsky biosphere reserve in Ukraine in December 2009. Now, after eighteen months from the end of the project, it is possible to say that all four Centers have become sustainable: despite of the fact that direct funding from GEF is no longer available, the Centers have gained recognition and get requests to conduct trainings from federal and regional PA, State PA Agencies and different conservations projects (like UNDP, WWF, etc). For instance, Russian Training Center organized 8 seminars and 5 study tours since the end of GEF project and is now involved in 3 other conservation projects. Among the future plans is creation of regional Training Centers in various regions of the country.