http://ecoinfo.bas-net.by/ecology-belarus/ecology_news_in_Belarus.html

№ 8 (35), August, 2016

MINSK, BELARUS

THIS ISSUE:

Minsk, Paris discuss opportunities

for cooperation in business, ecolo-

gy ...................................................... 1

Belarus to take remaining batch of

obsolete pesticides to France for

disposal ............................................ 1

Belarus plans to dispose of mercury

-based pesticides soon ................. 2

Ozone layer draws attention ....... 2

Bear’s corner in reserve ................ 3

Tourists from 28 countries visit Be-

lovezhskaya Pushcha visa free .... 4

Visa-free travels to three more na-

ture reserves in Belarus under con-

sideration ......................................... 4

Good deeds unite caring people

........................................................... 4

Belarus to host birding champion-

ship Birdrace 2016 .......................... 5

Voices are heard within the rushes

........................................................... 5

Strong motivation to change city

life for kitchen gardenl .................. 5

Mobile carrier launches Belarus'

largest solar power plant .............. 6

Eco-friendly transport plan ........... 6

IAEA mission to assess regulatory

infrastructure in Belarus on 2-14

October ........................................... 6

Moving to the fifth level ................ 7

Belarusian Energy and Ecology

Forum to take place in Minsk on 11

-14 October .................................... 7

Minsk, Paris discuss opportunities

for cooperation

in business, ecology Belarusian Ambassador to

France Pavel Latushko met

with Aurelien Lechevallier, Diplomatic Adviser to the

Mayor of Paris, to discuss op-

portunities for mutually bene-

ficial cooperation between

Minsk and Paris on 24 August,

BelTA learned from the Bela-

rusian Embassy in France.

Support for small and medium-sized business, waste treatment,

water purification, and combating

air pollution are promising areas

of cooperation between the two

cities, Aurelien Lechevallier said.

Pavel Latushko informed the

Paris Mayor adviser about the

forthcoming presentation of Bela-rus at the Paris Chamber of Com-

merce and Industry and the region

Ile de France. He also briefed the

official on the Embassy's activities

aimed at promoting Belarusian

culture and increasing its exposure

to the residents of Paris, including

the first Belarusian Music Seasons arranged in cooperation with the

French-Belarusian Association Life

in Music.

The Belarusian diplomat thanked

the representative of the Paris

Mayor's Office for the assistance in

the preparation of a series of con-

certs of young musicians, students of the gymnasium-college of the

Belarusian State Academy of Mu-

sic, in the French capital in Octo-

ber 2016. He also said that the

500th anniversary of the Belarus-

ian book printing will be celebrat-

ed in 2017 under the UNESCO

auspices. In this regard, the Bela-rusian Embassy is planning a

number of activities in the French

capital.

BELTA, 25.08.2016

SUPPLEMENT

TO THE DIGEST“GREEN BELARUS”

ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER

"ECO-INFO"

CENTRAL SCIENTIFIC LIBRARY NAS BELARUS

Belarus to take remaining batch of obsolete pesticides

to France for disposal The last 26 tonnes of pesticides

from the storage site in the

village of Mizgiri, Grodno Ob-last will be taken to France for

disposal by 20 August, BelTA

learned from the press service

of the Ministry of Natural Re-

sources and Environmental

Protection.

―The remaining 26 tonnes from the storage site in the village of Mizgiri will be taken to France for disposal

by 20 August. Thus, thanks to the

grant given to Belarus by the Euro-

pean Union and FAO, Belarus will

clean out another site of hazardous

wastes,‖ the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental

Protection said.

In March 2014, the Ministry of

Natural Resources and Environ-

mental Protection launched a pro-

ject of international technical as-

sistance ―Improving capacities to eliminate and prevent recurrence

of obsolete pesticides as a model

for tackling unused hazardous

chemicals in the former Soviet

Union.‖ The project is financed by the European Union and the World

Food and Agriculture Organization

of the United Nations (FAO). The

grant allocated to Belarus for this

project was more than €560,000.

―The main objective of the project was to eliminate one of the most

troubled storage sites of obsolete

pesticides in Belarus – the tempo-

rary storage site located in the

village of Mizgiri, Slonim District, Grodno Oblast, which contained

over 310 tonnes of hazardous

waste. This site stored the obso-

lete pesticides extracted as a re-

sult of the elimination of the Slo-

nim pesticides landfill,‖ the press service informed.

The storage site was located less than 600 meters away from the

nearest settlement, the village of

Mizgiri, and the pesticides kept

there had complex chemical com-

position, including mercury. All this

made the site potentially danger-

ous to human health and the envi-ronment, especially in the case of

an emergency.

The FAO held an international

tender. The French company

TREDI was selected as a contractor

for the removal of obsolete pesti-

cides. From March to July 2016 the

company removed 258 tonnes of obsolete pesticides and destroyed

them in a specialized treatment

facility in France. ―Another 26 tonnes of wastes with a high con-

tent of mercury, the destruction of

which is currently impossible in

Europe, were removed and placed

at a secure storage site in Novo-grudok District, Grodno Oblast. At

last, the remaining 26 tonnes will

be taken to France by 20 August,‖ the press service informed.

BELTA, 8.08.2016

Green Belarus Green Belarus

News & EventsNews & Events in Belarusin Belarus

httpsmikhail.krivyy.comwp-contentuploads201406MG_5784.jpg

P. 2 NEWS & EVENTS IN BELARUS №

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Belarus plans to dispose of mercury-based pesticides soon Some €200,000 will be allocated to remove

mercury-based pesticides from Belarus

soon, Belarus' Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Andrei Kov-

khuto told reporters, BelTA has learned.

―The problem with pesticides in Belarus is man-ageable. It is not pressing. With regards to the

future plans, I can say that first we will remove

mercury-based pesticides. Approximately

€200,000 will be allocated for these purposes

shortly,‖ the minister said. The project will be implemented with the help of the UN Food and

Agriculture Organization (FAO). First, Belarus will

remove 26 tonnes of pesticides with high mercury

content from Novogrudok District which were

formerly stored near the village of Mizgiri, Slonim

District.

―The volume of mercury-based pesticides in Bela-

rus exceeds 26 tonnes,‖ said Andrei Shakhemi-rov, the head of the state ecological examination

department of the Ministry of Natural Resources

and Environmental Protection. ―But we cannot say the exact numbers because the pesticides are not

identified in our country. The repackaging process was conducted since the early 1990es, and back

then they could put several types of waste into

one container. As we continue repacking such waste, we will take samples and identify mercury-

containing pesticides. They will be gradually re-

moved from the country,‖ he said.

The Minister of Natural Resources and Environ-

mental Protection mentioned the joint project of

international technical assistance ―Improving capacities to eliminate and prevent recurrence of obsolete pesticides as a model for tackling unused

hazardous chemicals in the former Soviet Union‖. Launched in 2014, it is nearing completion. The

project is financed by the European Union and the

UN Food and Agriculture Organization. The grant

allocated to Belarus for this project was more than €560,000.

The project was aimed at eliminating one of the

most troubled storage sites of obsolete pesticides

in Belarus – the temporary storage site located in

the village of Mizgiri, Slonim District, Grodno

Oblast, which contained over 310 tonnes of haz-

ardous waste extracted as a result of the elimina-

tion of the Slonim pesticides landfill. The storage site was located less than 600 meters away from

the nearest settlement, the village of Mizgiri, and

the pesticides kept there had complex chemical

composition, including mercury. All this made the site potentially dangerous to human health and

the environment, especially in the case of an

emergency.

The FAO held an international tender. The French

company TREDI was selected as a contractor for

the removal of obsolete pesticides. From March to

July 2016 the company removed 258 tonnes of obsolete pesticides and destroyed them in a spe-

cialized treatment facility in France. Another 26

tonnes of mercury-containing waste, the destruc-

tion of which is currently impossible in Europe,

were removed and placed at a secure storage site

in Novogrudok District, Grodno Oblast. At last, the remaining 26 tonnes will be taken to France

by 20 August.

Today there are approximately 10,000 tonnes of

pesticides in Belarus. The country has already

eliminated three underground storage sites of

obsolete pesticides.

BELTA, 11.08.2016

OZONE LAYER DRAWS ATTENTION Alexander Krasovsky, a candidate of physical and technical sciences

and senior researcher at the National Scientific and Research Centre for Ozone Sphere Monitoring, within the Belarusian State University, is con-vinced that extreme weather is directly related to the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere. In constant motion, yes-terday‘s ‗hole‘ can become a ‗thick pillow‘, affecting the lower tropo-sphere, where warm and cold air masses are formed, and where cy-clones and anticyclones are born, caus-ing abnormal weather: a hurricane in Minsk, breaking trees like matches; a storm in Rostov crashing a plane; or a flood in Poland.

The international community has already recognised that the ozone layer of the stratosphere is a vital climatic factor worldwide, absorbing solar emis-sions, and protecting life on Earth. The thinning of this layer, and the appear-ance of ozone holes, is an issue requir-ing consolidated effort.

Belarus has acceded to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer but, rather than paying an annual fee in foreign currency, we are doing our part by conducting scientific investigation into the ozone layer: a mission performed by the BSU Centre. Research is being conduct-ed not only in Belarus but in Antarctica, during seasonal Belarusian expe-ditions. Much information and knowledge has already been gathered.

―We believe that having a thick ozone layer is no better than having little,‖ says Alexander Krasovsky. ―Recent hazardous weather in Minsk and other cities occurred despite there being quite a lot of ozone above us. We numerically simulated the infamous weather situation in Rostov, and found a large amount of ozone and tropopause (the transition layer between the troposphere and stratosphere); this literally ‗crushed‘ the lower layers of air.‖

He continues, ―A low, unsteady jet stream appeared that hit a ‗Boeing‘. We used to think that all weather was ‗cooked‘ in the surface layer, while the stratosphere, with its ozone, was rela-tively stable. All weather models rested on the tropopause, and everything above was not taken into account. However, satellite monitoring and advanced computing technologies have changed our way of seeing things. At the Climate Assembly in New Zealand, in January 2014, it was clearly stated that the upper atmosphere cannot be ig-nored. The atmosphere is solid and, if there are changes, they occur through the entire depth. We‘re now developing a mechanism to look at how the ozone affects regional weather conditions.‖

Experts believe that binding of weather condi-tions to the ‗ozone picture‘ is about timing. Ozone concentration in the surface layer, in the upper atmosphere, as well as ground-level UV radiation, is daily measured at the National Scientific and Research Centre for Ozone Sphere Monitoring at the BSU, using devices created there. For example, a unique instrument for measuring surface ozone, TrIO, provides benchmark data. The hydro-meteoservice, which also monitors this parameter, periodically checks its data against that provided by TrIO. Accuracy is important, since this sub-stance is among the six most dangerous to health. The fully authormated

multifunctional PION-UF spectroradiometer, placed on the roof, is a com-plex geophysical instrument used in Antarctica. The latest photometer

PION-F is established nearby, measur-ing the level of ultraviolet radiation and general ozone concentration. It‘s completely autonomous and solar powered, transmitting data via Wi-Fi and mobile.

―Several years ago, we established a similar device at Naroch, and it showed us much of interest, including data proving that UV levels there are different from those in Minsk. Due to a more transparent atmosphere and water surface levels of sun exposure being higher, you‘re more likely to tan there. Biologists have discovered that, if the amount of ultraviolet radiation increases, biological processes change in natural waters. Having asked us to help them with research, we‘ve devel-oped a device for measuring levels of ultraviolet rays in water. Data was collected from a number of lakes in Naroch and we found a significant amount of biologically active ultravio-

let, at a depth of 15 metres.

PION-F is already installed in Gomel, and similar devices will soon appear across all regional centres, sending information to the BSU Centre. Like other countries, it can then pass this on to the World Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Data Centre. Maps reflecting the current situation in the ozone layer, over both hemispheres, are being created.

The Deputy Director of the Centre, candidate of physical and mathe-matical sciences, Alexander Svetashov, shows us his monitor: light areas are ozone holes, which migrate constantly. On June 25th, there was a ‗tongue‘ that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea, over Belarus. On

another day, it moved eastwards. The thinner the layer, the more UV penetrates, causing not only sunburn but cataracts, lens opacity and melano-mas. Meanwhile, dark areas of dense ozone can ‗crush‘ the tropopause and cause extreme weath-er. The picture is ever changing.

The Centre is investigating these processes and can predict how the situation will develop, includ-ing calculation of the UV index. Such data should-n‘t be ignored. Long ago, WHO recognised that ultraviolet radiation can contribute to various diseases, especially now, when holidays in distant hot countries have become so popular. The UV index, which gives some indication of danger, denotes that a level of 0 to 2 requires no protec-tion. A level of 6-7 requires protective clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen, while 8-10 is danger-ous, so that staying indoors is advised. Vietnam, so popular recently among tourists, showed an extreme index of 12 in July, while Greece was given a level of 10, and Spain of 9. Taking into account the ability of ultraviolet radiation to weaken the immune system, we should think

twice about vacation destinations. High indices are sometimes registered in Belarus; at the end of June, the level was 8, while July had levels of between 3 and 7. You can monitor the situation at www.ozone.bsu.by.

The Minsk Times, 24.08.2016

P. 3 NEWS & EVENTS IN BELARUS №

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http://novostienergetiki.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/solnechnaya-elektrostanciya-v-Yakutii.jpg

Bear’s corner in reserve MT reporter looks for bears in the fantastic

wild forest

“Oh, don’t turn around!” smiles the Director of Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, Andrey

Prokoshin. Bears are, perhaps, more afraid of

us than we are of them. About twenty are

known to live in the wild in Belarus, but

about 35 reside in the reserve, where they’re comfortable.

―Look at this ant hill near the road!‖ notes An-drey, showing me that a bear has been ravaging

it. ―The creature was caught in the act during daylight, showing its confidence. Our driver,

Sergey Krasnov, was

passing by, and saw the bear near this ant hill.

Sergey rushed home,

took his child and his

camera and, when he

returned, the bear was

still eating, enjoying its

meal. They managed to take many pictures.‖

I look at the half-ruined

ant hill and feel aston-

ished at the bear‘s cour-age: he was sitting exact-

ly below a road sign indi-

cating Kraitsy village, next to the lovely wooden forestry office building.

Quite audacious!

―They are so relaxed,‖ notes the Head of the Tourism Department, Alexey Rimsha, joining our

conversation. ―The reserve is their home. Recent-ly, a bear came to the village, and broke into a

beehive right there; it wanted to take another into the woods but something deterred it and he

left it on the road. Camera traps in the forest

caught a huge bear taking a dead elk out of the

water; it spent the week feeding on it.‖

Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve staff speak of the

bears almost as pets. I‘m curious to know who rules the reserve: staff or bears.

―The bears, of course,‖ smiles Mr. Prokoshin, without hesitation. ―This is a sanctuary: a pro-tected area. There‘s no other place like this in the country. Our mission is to observe and protect,

without interfering in inner forest affairs. As an

exception, we‘ll show you a real bear corner, and you‘ll see that humans had better keep away. Entry is usually strictly forbidden.‖

I‘m intrigued. On either side of me is wilderness. We‘re moving along a narrow forest path, ap-proaching a checkpoint. In front of a wooden

bridge, over a forest river, there‘s a traffic control barrier with a big padlock. I‘m told that only a few employees at the reserve have keys. Among them are researchers who conduct their studies

here without disturbing forest inhabitants. The

reserve, where nature evolves according to its

special laws, poses many surprises to scientists.

For instance, entomologists have discovered

several new beetle species, unknown before. One

has been named after researcher Alexander Lukashuk, who discovered it. Not so long ago,

Polish specialists (researchers from various coun-

tries often come to the reserve) also discovered

several species, new both for the reserve and for

Belarus.

―The forest is fantastic, holding so many myster-ies,‖ asserts the Director of the reserve. ―It‘s hard to believe, but more than twenty wild orchid

species grow here, including the very rare Lady‘s Slipper. Recently, yet another orchid was found,

unique for Belarus: Ophrys insectifera, the fly

orchid. It‘s incredibly beautiful, resembling a butterfly. There are also predator plants, such as sundew, trapping flies and mosquitos. Tourists

can see all this walking along the eco-path. We

have an array of guided tours, but non-

supervised visiting of the forest isn‘t allowed. It‘s even forbidden to stop along the part of the mo-

torway linking Minsk and Vitebsk that runs

through the reserve (for about 20km).‖

This is, of course, very interesting, but where are

the bears that tourists from various corners of

the world yearn to see, just waiting for a signal

from Berezinsky Reserve to head for a ‗bear trip‘?

―We‘re the only place in the country that has organised bear watching in the wild,‖ my guides tell me. ―Specialists say that such tours are only arranged in a handful of places worldwide. Last

year, we tested a special observation platform,

from which we guarantee seeing a bear. This

year, we‘ve received about twenty requests from tourists and professional

photographers. Regret-

tably, we can‘t expand the ‗audience‘, as this isn‘t a zoo, and animals shouldn‘t be disturbed too often. How do we

attract bears to arrive at

the right place at the

right time? It‘s a secret, but a whole number of

factors are important.

Many have tried, but

only we have succeed-

ed.‖

―Here‘s the watch tower over the windfall. A storm broke many trees, leaving some lying on the ground, and others

broken in the middle. Some are torn from the

ground by the root. The forest is starting to re-

cover, but birches and aspens are growing in-

stead of coniferous trees. These wilds are impass-

able even for elks, but it‘s a perfect location for bear dens. The raspberries they like so much abound here,‖ my guides reveal.

We ride further, and I find that the deep forest

ends. We enter Postrezhye. Once, long ago, a

village stood here. It was devastated twice. Dur-

ing the war, the Nazis burnt it down, together

with sixty inhabitants. Later, it was rebuilt but, in

1979, the area was awarded the status of a bio-sphere reserve, and economic activities were

banned at the heart of it. Postrezhye dwellers had

to move away. Now, only apple orchards remain,

wild, ghost-like outlines

of former estates.

An unusual log house towers above: a bear-

watching platform.

Regrettably, there‘s no sense watching for

them at noon. They

come to feed from the

field planted especially for them at dawn and

dusk. However, I can

view the surroundings

from a height.

―A she-bear with three

cubs is our main star,‖ says Alexey. ―Tasty apples grow here and, last autumn, I saw, with my own eyes, a cub climbing the apple tree and banging

it, to get the apples to fall onto the ground, like a

naughty boy. He threw fruit down to where his

mother and two more cubs were standing. They

picked it up and gobbled the apples down. Later,

after ‗dessert‘, they came to feed on the crops. All were standing on two paws, watching the territory. It was an adrenaline rush to observe.‖

I wish I could see it myself.

―All right, let‘s walk along the bear path, at least you‘ll see the prints,‖ Mr. Prokoshin replies, see-ing my thirsty look.

I eagerly agree but, after a few minutes, I feel

too weary. The horse-flies here, in this realm of primeval nature, are huge, buzzing into my hair

in large clouds. If I stop, enormous red ants

creep into my open-toed shoes.

Alexey tells me, ―Our forest flies are aggressive. Let‘s ride towards the edge of the reserve, and we‘ll show you Umka.‖

Umka is a domesticated four-year-old she-bear.

She‘s such a beauty! She moves about her enclo-sure, eating oranges, throwing the peel towards

the gate. She doesn‘t pay attention to visitors. Having enjoyed her fruit, she switches to a more

substantial meal. At one end of the enclosure is a bowl of bread; a bowl filled with water is at the

opposite end. Umka picks a loaf of bread with her

claw and then takes it to the water bucket, where

she first soaks the bread, then eats it. If the loaf

dissolves, she collects the pieces out of the wa-

ter, using her paw as a scoop. After do so with

the first loaf, she repeats again with the next. Alexey knows that it‘s impossible to resist the beauty of the bear.

―Umka receives all the berries we confiscate from poachers, alongside other tasty foods. You should

see her holding a bunch of blueberry plants,

eating berry by berry, leaving none on the

stems.‖

It‘s clear to see the affection of staff at the re-serve, who‘ve raised the bear from infancy.

How did Umka come to be in a forest zoo, and

why isn‘t she in the wild? It‘s an interesting, yet sad, story. A cat-sized bear appeared near one of

the villages, near Lepel. It frightened people, who

thought that the bear mother would soon come for her cub. They called rescuers, but the little

bear was scared and returned to the forest. After

a couple of days, it came back, starving and

weak. Most likely, it had lost its mother. The bear

was taken to the district inspectorate for natural

resources, where it was kept in the head‘s room while authorities sought a place for it. The deci-sion was taken quite soon as, within half a day,

Umka began nibbling a table and a chair. Ecol-

ogists called the reserve and requested that it

take the hooligan bear. However, the cub was

still of an age when it should have been suckling

its mother‘s milk, so it fell ill. The whole staff was involved in caring for the animal, with people cooking decoctions and porridges, using a baby‘s bottle to feed the cub, and walking it on a leash.

―Umka recovered quite soon and, whenever

she saw trees, she

would climb them. The leash was of no use

when she had to be

taken off the tree, so

people did it with their

bare hands. The bear,

however, clearly un-

derstood that her new caretakers were not

her mother. She would

scratch and bite,‖ Andrey recollects. ―I decided to find new

hosts for her. At the

time, we were already keeping an old bear named Mashka, and a second animal was too

much for us. When staff members heard about

those plans, they all came to me asking not to

give Umka away. They had become attached to

the animal, so I had to give in and build a new

enclosure.‖

The reserve boasts hundreds of interesting sto-ries. You might think that it‘s dull to be in the forest but its secrets are only revealed to those

who are dedicated. More than 40,000 tourists

come to Berezinsky Reserve every year, and

many find a common language with nature. They

return, exchanging the comforts of a prestigious

sea resort for the tranquillity of Berezinsky Bio-sphere Reserve. Bears don‘t mind having nature-

loving guests.

BELTA, 31.08.2016

Visa-free travels to three more nature

reserves in Belarus under consideration The Natural Resources and Environmen-tal Protection Ministry suggests intro-ducing visa-free travels for tourists will-ing to visit another three transboundary nature reserves. Belarusian Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister Andrei Kovkhuto made the statement during the joint session of the boards of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry and the Sports and Tourism Ministry on 25

August, BelTA has learned. The session was focused on developing ecological tourism in Belarus.

The official said: ―Developing transboundary ecological tourism is im-portant as well. Such ecological routes in the national park Belovezhskaya Pushcha have been available for quite some time now. Tourists, who trav-el in the Belarusian part of this forest, can visit the Polish part, too, pro-vided they have Schengen visas. Apart from that, tourists can visit Be-lovezhskaya Pushcha without visas for up to 72 hours since 2015. Taking into account this positive experience, it would be a good idea to consider waiving visas for tourists, who intend to visit the transboundary nature

reserves Kotra – Chapkelyai, Richi – Silene and Braslav Lakes – Augsdaugava.‖

Andrei Kovkhuto also reminded about the creation of the new transboundary route Along the Secret Locations of the Lake District that will go through territories in Belarus and Russia. The route is supposed to include sev-eral national parks at once such as Braslav Lakes, Narochansky, Smolensk Lake District, Sebezhsky, and the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve. If all of them are included, the route

will be 500km long for tourists.

As of 1 July 2016 Belarus had 1,275 protected territories, including the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, four national parks (Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Braslav Lakes, Pripyatsky, and Narochan-sky), 98 reserved forests of national importance, 275 reserved forests of municipal importance, 329 natural landmarks of national importance, and 568 natural landmarks of municipal importance.

BELTA, 25.08.2016

Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park has already been visit-ed visa-free by tour-ists from 28 coun-tries, BelTA learnt from head of the tourist department of the national park Oksana Bogaleisha.

Visa-free entry to Belovezhskaya Pushcha for foreigners was intro-duced in June 2015. Over the time more than 4,000 foreign tour-ists paid a visit to the national park via the border checkpoint Pererov-Bialowieza. Belovezh-

skaya Pushcha attracts tourists from Poland and Germany. Citizens of France, Lithuania, and Latvia also come there to see the beauty of the park. Among the park visitors are also representatives of exotic countries such as Indonesia, Morocco and the Philippines. Foreign tourists can stay on the territory of Belovezhskaya Pushcha for the period of up to three days. Prior request is needed to cross the border. Tourists may cross the border on foot or by bike. ―The majority opt for bicycle routes.

Foreigners choose a visiting program independently and pay for it via the Internet. They mainly order a set of services which include an excur-sion around the park, museums of nature and ethnography, open-air cages with animals and Father Frost's Residence,‖ Oksana Bogaleisha said. In January-July 2016 the national park was visited by more than 210,000 people.

BELTA, 12.08.2016

TOURISTS FROM 28 COUNTRIES VISIT BELOVEZHSKAYA PUSHCHA VISA FREE

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Minsk Times reporter visits shel-ter for homeless dogs and shares impressions

It’s 6pm. We pass yellow fields and woodland in the car. There are five of us: two guys and three girls. Vika, my guide, left work some half an hour ago and won’t be home until mid-night.

Volunteering is rarely easy, provoking the question as to why people do it. What satis-faction do they really gain? Those who volunteer at the Hope Dog‘s Home tend to post a great deal on social networks, to raise awareness of what they do and why.

Nastya tells me, ―When I first came here, I saw how happy the animals became to see peo-ple; I realised that they waited for us, not only because we feed them and walk them, but be-cause they want love. Every visit is a small feast. After that, I can‘t help but go regularly.‖

Anya adds, ―Perhaps, some wonder why we spend our free time on a shift at the shelter in-stead of going with friends to a café. It‘s lovely to relax and have fun but, sometimes, you want to do something which matters beyond yourself. Volunteering gives the opportunity to do so.‖

It‘s a 50km drive but doesn‘t take long at a speed of 100 km/h on the motorway. In half an hour, we reach our destination: an isolated farm-stead surrounded by a green, ribbed fence, from which we hear loud, excited barking. Vika opens the gate and enters first. I follow the girls. Behind the fence is a building and several enclosures of dogs, jumping, roaring and staring at the arrivals.

The girls are laughing and stroking the faces of those pressing their faces to the fence.

We enter the building, inside of which are various posters giving detailed instructions. Even the most inexperienced, like myself, can become useful helpers if they follow the guidelines. There‘s protec-tive footwear to put on and torches for the dark, as well as dozens of leashes hanging from hooks.

Two of the girls head for the kitchen, to prepare

medicines for sick ani-mals, clean cages, pre-pare foods and wash the dogs‘ dishes. We‘re going to be busy, and won‘t see each other again until towards the end of the shift. Meanwhile, Vika gives me a couple of leashes and I head to the cages.

Each dog reacts in its own way, some being delighted to see a new person yet to be licked, others cautious, some indifferent. Vika enters the enclosure with the leashes while I hold the door to prevent the dogs from escaping. Then, I take the leashes and go out to walk the dogs. It‘s the best way to get to know them. Bari is naugh-ty and stubborn, while Silva is full of energy, and Chernushka is dignified and unhurried. Each

needs an individual approach, so handling two dogs with absolutely opposite characters is quite a challenge.

Yet, I‘m not complaining. As we walk, I begin to understand what makes the volunteers return. Standing here, by a small pond, with a couple of adorable animals, I‘m thinking that kind deeds unite people. It‘s such a special feeling. Here, you‘re showing love for animals in a special way.

Later, we let the dogs run in the inner court-yard, to let off more steam before going to sleep. I chat with Vika and learn more about the shel-ter‘s inhabitants. There are so many sad and terrifying stories; some dogs were thrown out, some were beaten, and the masters of some attempted to get rid of their pets in radical ways. It‘s a hot summer evening, yet I‘m feeling chills all over my skin.

When it‘s dark, we sit at the table with a cup of tea. It‘s unusually quiet outside; no barking can be heard. All are resting, on warm dry bedding, after a generous portion of fresh air and food. We discuss the events of the day, dress to leave, and take our seats in the car.

Once the engine starts, a multi-voiced choir breaks the silence. ―They‘re asking us to stay,‖ our driver explains.

But we have to go, as most of us are busy tomorrow. However, we know that the animals

will be all right, because there are always people to look after them.

The Minsk Times, 24.08.2016

GOOD DEEDS UNITE CARING PEOPLE

P. 5 NEWS & EVENTS IN BELARUS №

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BELARUS TO HOST BIRDING

CHAMPIONSHIP BIRDRACE 2016 Belarus will play host to the

birdwatching championship Birdrace 2016 on 3 September, BelTA learned from the public association APB BirdLife Belarus.

“We invite everyone inter-ested in birds to take part in the 13th open birdwatching champi-onship Birdrace 2016. The com-petition will be traditionally held on the first Saturday of Septem-ber. The task of each four-member team is to spot as many bird species as possible within 12 hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. We invite bird enthusiasts from around the world to participate in the tournament held once a year,” the organizers said.

They explained that September is a period of active bird migration over the territory of Belarus. ―Therefore, it is possible to see both our birds that have not left for the tropics yet and northern bird species transiting over Belarus. There is a

chance of spotting the dunlin, curlew sandpiper, little stint, ruddy turn-stone, red knot, bar-tailed godwit, sanderling, and other species,‖ rep-resentatives of APB BirdLife Belarus said.

Last year, the winner team spot-ted as many as 112 bird species. ―In 2014, the best result was 120 spe-cies, which is the current record for Belarus,‖ the specialists noted.

APB BirdLife Belarus is the big-gest non-governmental environmen-tal organization in Belarus and the national partner of the world's larg-est nature conservation partnership BirdLifeInternational. It has 3,500 members and associates, some 120 school clubs and 14 offices across Belarus. The public association aims to protect biodiversity and engage the public in nature conservation activities.

BELTA, 29.08.2016

http://novostienergetiki.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/solnechnaya-elektrostanciya-v-Yakutii.jpg

STRONG MOTIVATION TO CHANGE CITY LIFE FOR KITCHEN GARDEN About 24m people live in remote

Shanghai — the most densely popu-lated city in the world. Urbanisation is happening everywhere — in some places quicker than others — and our country is no exception.

Some cities are growing faster, and others slower, but urbanisation is an unstoppable force. The Nation-al Statistical Committee of the Re-public of Belarus notes that internal migration from villages to cities has been a long-term trend. Its Depart-ment of Demographic Statistics counted 7,325,000 urbanites and 2,156,000 villagers in 2015: 77 per-cent and 23 percent of the popula-tion respectively. In comparison with the previous year, the number of villagers fell by 37,500, while urban living gained 50,000 resi-dents.

Naturally, towns offer more facili-ties: schools, polyclinics and shopping centres. However, rapid urbanisation also generates problems, placing a strain on services. Natalia Porechina, with water-resources management at the Centre for Ecological Solutions, tells us, ―The larger the city, the greater volume of natural resources it consumes; 60 to 80 percent of all world energy is consumed by cities, which are centres for manufacturing as well as residence. This brings increased concentration of water and air pollution, affecting public health, so we need to pay attention to ecological environmental ef-fects.‖

She believes that those living in districts with high transport-industrial pressure and few buffer zones between industrial and housing areas are most ‗at risk‘. Ms. Porechina recom-mends considering proximity to industry and busy roads when buying an apartment, advising that suburbs tend to be cleaner than the centre of the city. Of course, commuting to your place of work is tiresome. The rhythm of life can be maddening, with busy traffic, crowds of faces, advertising and high noise levels.

To feel more ‗at one‘ with nature and pre-serve your health, it‘s good to travel out of the city each summer. Annually, there has been a trend for the purchase of rural ‗get-a-ways‘, although fewer this year. The National Cadas-tral Agency states that very few new houses purchases were made in the Minsk Region of late, with buyers tending to choose unfinished projects or those needing renovation (up by 37 percent). In May, demand for such properties exceeded that of newly constructed homes almost 20-fold. Experts believe that falling prices for building materials and services may be at the heart of the trend; also, people have realised that it‘s cheaper to work on an unfinished or shabby house than to buy something new.

The greatest number of purchases in May was in this segment. In the village of Valerianovo, near Borovlyany, a two-storey unfinished building with a footprint of 368sq.m recently sold for Br4.6 billion. Meanwhile, a 173.5sq.m new home, with land of 8,500 square metres, was purchased for Br3.5 billion in the village Gaishche, near Khatezhino. Experts believe that prices will gain more equilibrium when building material prices re-

turn to their former level.

While some people are keen to remain in cities, others are moving to rural homes, down-sizing and leaving the ‗rat race‘, reducing their pace of life. Photographer Alexey Piskun is one such, having moved to a village, from Minsk, at the age of 30. He tells us, ―Friends say that life begins in Minsk. For me, it began in the village.‖ Alexey‘s girlfriend, Yulia Bon-dar, was easy to persuade to fall in with the plan. They looked at various unsuit-able houses in several villages before spotting one in Losk, in the Volozhin District, which caught their eye. In fact, it was only when they made enquiries that they found its owners were amica-ble to the idea of selling, and it became theirs.

Yulia and Alexey have made their home comfortable and are planning an agro-estate. They assert that there‘s always lots to do, but are superstitious regard-ing giving too much away. There are

always employment opportunities in cities, but there‘s no need to be idle in the countryside. Alexey notes, ―We‘re fond of ethnography, so we want to give our estate Belarusian motifs and themes. We expect to have our first visitors in a month‘s time.‖

Yulia, having taught singing in Minsk, plans to offer lessons in her new rural home. As the village is just 85km from Minsk, she‘s sure that Minsk residents will readily take trips to Losk. The new ‗Volozhin Gostinets‘ cycle route is soon to run by, so cy-clists will, no doubt, stop to sleep, enjoy a meal, or repair their bicycle. Yulia and Alexey are looking forward to welcoming people.

Many others are following the same path as the young couple, seeking fresh air and a return to nature. Rural living isn‘t as basic as it once was of course. Vitebsk resident Raisa Knurova is renting a house in a pretty village for the sum-mer. She tells us, ―It takes me an additional hour to travel to work, but I can eat my own greens from the garden. My vegetables are always fresh and are organically grown. I‘m getting to know my neighbours and, unless I have a change of heart, plan to move here permanently.‖ House prices are modest. In the Vitebsk Re-gion‘s Detkovtsy village, in the Braslav District, a single-storey wooden house of 45 square metres, with a plot of 2,500 square metres, costs $7,000. It‘s hard work to grow your own vegetables, but very rewarding, as psychologist Anzhelika Stankevich underlines. She advises, ―Consider everything: if you make a decision in the heat of the moment, or from curiosity, you may quickly regret it. Townspeople used to

noise and attention may feel melancholy and lonely at first, so shouldn‘t choose the most remote villages. Rather, select one where relatives or friends live, for support. Decide in advance how you‘ll earn your living. Farming and creativity requiring solitude can be strong motivations for rural living.‖

The Minsk Times, 31.08.2016

VOICES ARE HEARD WITHIN THE RUSHES

Number of aquatic war-blers counted on Dikoe marsh-es, in Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Only males can be count-ed, since females do not sing, or make themselves otherwise visible. In all, 170 male aquat-ic warblers were counted, known to sing from May until August, while the females nurture their young.

National Park ornithologist Anton Kuzmitsky tells us that aquatic warblers were last count-ed on Dikoe marshes in the late 1990s, then in 2007, and in 2013. He comments, ―It‘s remarkable that all other birds sing in the morning and are silent in the evening, while the aquatic war-bler, on the contrary, sings in the evening. An hour before sunset, we sent a group of volunteers to count males. The group then verified the data. This summer, we achieved the most complete

record-keeping ever. We once recorded 1,500 males, but now have fewer than 200. It‘s impossi-ble to say that the number has fallen, as the population has been stable for the last ten years. Tru-ly, we‘ve improved our counting methods, giving us more exact figures.‖

Dikoe marshes cover more than 23,000 hectares; however, monitoring has shown that only around a thousand are suitable for aquatic warblers‘ nesting. This season, counting of the rare bird also took place on Servech marshes, in the Vitebsk Region, where specialists counted 57 singing males. In 2017, other territories of nesting aquatic war-blers will join the programme. Incredibly, about half of the world population of this bird lives on Belarusian marshes.

The Minsk Times, 24.08.2016

ECO-FRIENDLY TRANSPORT PLAN Vehicles on the road annually increasing in number, with over 4

million now keeping urban streets and highways busy, and leaving more than 90kg of harmful emissions per capita

Actually, in recent years, the number of harmful emissions from this

source of pollution is falling. According to Sergey Novoselov, who heads the

Labour Safety and Eco-logy Department of the Belarusian Research Insti-

tute of Transport Transtekhnika (BelNIIT), between 2010 and 2014, emissions fell by 6.5

percent (by 881,000 tonnes), despite the

number of vehicles having risen. This has

become possible, since engines are now more

eco-friendly, comments Mr. Novoselov, with

domestic enterprises manufacturing buses

operating to at least EURO-4 standards. ―The same refers to fuel. Domestic producers now

produce competitive goods which enjoy popu-

larity abroad. It‘s very important that they emit less sulphur and are easily finding a mar-

ket abroad too,‖ he said. Nevertheless, there is some way to go

before alternative fuels (such as na-tural gas and electricity) dominate.

This year, the Minsk bus fleet has received ten gas-fuelled buses, with

emissions (according to experts) half that of petrol vehicles. Which figures

do they refer to? For every thousand litres of liquid oil motor fuel, between

180kg and 300kg of carbonic oxide is released, alongside 20kg-40kg of hydrocarbons, and 25kg-45kg of nitrogen oxide.

Nevertheless, it may be still some time before we notice a difference in

air quality of ci-ties.

Electro-buses are still at pre-production stage, with some privately

owned models operational, alongside several arriving into the country via

an international technical assistance project — ‗Supporting the Transition to a Green Economy in the Republic of Belarus‘. Meanwhile, Belkommun-mash‘s two Е433 buses will appear in Minsk in late 2016, with eighteen

more by 2018.

Electro-transport is being hailed as the wave of the future, with Lithua-

nia having received 30 million Euros from the EU to develop its electric

fleet. Estonia, which has already completed such kind of programme, now

has a thousand electric cars and a hundred charging stations.

Of course, once Belarus‘ nuclear power station launches, there will be little difficulty in finding electrical capacity for recharging stations. Accord-

ing to Olga Prudnikova, who heads the Production and Technical Board at

Belenergo State Production Association, an extensive network of stations is planned, for use by private and public transport.

Some may be sceptical, but think how we once felt on the introduction

of mobile phones. Within five years, we may feel the same about electric

transport. China, the EU, and the USA are already investing in this sphere,

promoting sales via preferential purchase terms, for example, free parking and free

recharging. Such vehicles are also given their

own lane, and are exempt from ecological tax.

These all sound very attractive. What can be

offered in our country? So far, the only move

Belarus has made to make electro-transport

attractive is the possibility of duty-free import.

There is also huge scope to develop urban

cycling in our country, with 1.5 million people

reporting using a cycle. The number has

grown since even five years ago but, as Mr. Novoselov admits, cycling is considered to be

a pastime for teenagers, rather than a viable

method of transport for working adults.

Major cities do need to take action to avoid pollution from transport

emissions, and to take measures to limit noise (traffic noise comprises 60-80 percent of all urban noise at present). Innovative transport can improve

the situation but what can be done with constantly growing number of

cars?

A way-out of the situation may be the limiting of the number of cars with access to central city locations, as in London for instance (where a

congestion charge deters unnecessary road usage).

The so-called ‗modal shift‘ involves transferring passenger traffic from personal to public transport, via motorists leaving their cars at designated

parking sites. Moscow is already seeing success with this approach.

Are we ready to rely more on buses and trams? It‘s still a big question. However, Mr. Novoselov says, ―Buses use five times less energy per pas-senger than a personal car; trams and the metro use ten times less. Devel-

opment of public and green transport (via bicycle infrastructure) will solve

problems of cleanliness of air and traffic jams.‖ He argues that we don‘t need new highways, we need alternative solutions.

Belarus-Magazine,

15.08.2016

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MOBILE CARRIER LAUNCHES BELARUS' LARGEST

SOLAR POWER PLANT

A mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will work in Belarus on 2-14 October for the sake of reviewing the regulatory infrastructure (Integrated Regulatory Review Service). The IAEA mis-sion will analyze the compliance of the Bela-rusian system designed to regulate nuclear and radiation safety with the agency's rec-ommendations, BelTA learned from repre-sentatives of the Communications and Public Information Office of the Nuclear and Radia-tion Safety Department (Gosatomnadzor) of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry after the latest session of the Ministry's board.

Gosatomnadzor head Olga Lugovskaya out-lined the Department's near-term priorities. Among other things the Department will focus on preparing for licensing the operation of the first power-generating unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, including an evaluation of its safety parameters. The evaluation will be carried out by the licensed agency — the United Energy and

Nuclear Research Institute Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. This is why Go-satomnadzor will invite foreign experts from the regulatory bodies of Armenia and Russia to evalu-ate the institute's compliance with licensing re-quirements and conditions.

Gosatomnadzor will also have to prepare for exercising oversight functions during the commis-sioning phase of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.

The creation of an integrated Gosatomnadzor management system in compliance with IAEA safety norms will remain high on the agenda.

According to the source, participants of the session of the Ministry's board discussed coordi-nation of oversight efforts at the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. Oversight will be considerably beefed up. At present nine government agencies, including Gosatomnadzor, perform these functions. The application of legis-lation when violations of nuclear and radiation

safety regulations are detected was also dis-cussed.

―The organizations and officials, whose work we oversee, have to understand that any viola-tions will entail decisive enforcement action in accordance with the law,‖ stated Belarusian First Emergencies Minister Vasily Stepanenko.

Participants of the Ministry's board session discussed and adopted Gosatomnadzor's strategic plan for 2016-2020, the strategy for enhancing oversight functions, managing knowledge and analyzing probabilities from the safety point of view. These documents stem from the experience accumulated by creating the nuclear and radiation safety regulatory infrastructure in Belarus, rec-ommendations of foreign and international ex-perts, the IAEA's current requirements for nuclear and radiation safety regulatory agencies.

BELTA, 5.08.2016

IAEA MISSION TO ASSESS REGULATORY

INFRASTRUCTURE IN BELARUS ON 2-14 OCTOBER

The Belarusian mobile carrier velcom has launched the country's largest solar power plant in the town of Bragin, the com-pany's press service told BelTA.

The solar power plant occupies a terri-tory as large as 60 football fields. Its out-put would be sufficient to power all the street lights in Minsk at night. The power plant has been built not far from Bragin and represents an example of the alternative development of Chernobyl-affected territo-ries.

As much as €24 million has been invested in the project. The solar power plant will beef up the country's energy security by reducing its dependence on hydrocarbon raw materials. Eve-ry hour of the solar power plant operation will

allow Belarus to save at least 7,000m3 of natural gas.

The solar power plant has been commis-sioned ahead of schedule. The project was im-plemented four months ahead of the time speci-fied by the investment agreement in order to catch as many sunny summer days as possible.

Velcom's solar power plant is now the largest one in the country in terms of the size and out-put capacity. The power plant occupies over 41ha and can produce 18.48MW. The facility relies on 85,000 solar panels that convert solar radiation into direct-current electricity. This electricity is fed to 617 inverters to become alternating current. A number of power trans-formers increase voltage up to 110kV in order to feed electricity into the national power grid.

Over 730km of cables are used to connect all the equipment inside the solar power plant. Velcom has also built a 4.5km high-voltage pow-er line with 22 electric poles and a transformer to connect the facility with the Bragin electrical substation. Modern materials and equipment made by foreign and Belarusian manufacturers have been used to build the solar power plant and the connecting power line.

The solar power plant is expected to bring life to the territories affected by the Chernobyl disaster and become an example of how polluted lands can be used for a profit and benefit the local economy. Local contractors will be invited to provide maintenance services.

BELTA,

19.08.2016

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Union State continues work on overcoming consequences of Chernobyl accident

Overcoming the consequences of the Cher-nobyl accident is a mutual problem and concern of the Union State. Belarus and Russia have been sol-ving this challenging task together for 20 years.

At RSPC for Radiation Medicine and Human Ecology in Gomel, doctors use the most modern equipment

This year, the fourth ‗Chernobyl‘ programme is completed, with the fifth soon to launch, cover-ing the period up to 2021. Its draft c o n c e p t was con-sidered at a session of the Commit-tee of the P a r l i a -men t a ry Assembly of the Union of B e l a r u s and Rus-sia re-g a r d i n g eco logy , n a t u r a l resource m a -nagement and rectification of the consequences of the acci-dent. Held on June 28th, at Zhodino‘s RUE ‗Research and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus for Arable Farming‘, it was attended by the Deputy State Secretary of the Union State, Ivan Bambiza.

Drawing conclusions regarding this year‘s achievements, it was noted that not all organiza-tions have taken a responsible approach towards carrying out of the planned tasks. Rospotrebnad-zor, Minselkhoz and the Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia have already fully used funds allocated for the first half-year, while the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia has used 79.4% of its allocated budget. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Belarus has used 72.7%. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health of Russia and Rosleskhoz are yet to implement any plans.

Mr. Bambiza has asked that the situation be brought into hand, with chiefs hindering the pro-cess admonished. He states that regulations must be ‗accurately carried out‘.

The main message of the new programme was read by the Chairman of the Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly, Ale-xander Popkov, stat-ing that public health is of paramount importance. This year alone, 809 Russians and Belarusians exposed to radiation as a consequence of the Cher-nobyl NPP accident will receive medical aid, funded from the Union State budget.

In accordance with the Union programme,

three institutions are hosting patients: the Nikifo-rov Russian Centre of Emergency and Radiation Medicine of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in St. Petersburg; the Medical Radiological Scientific Centre named after A.F. Tsyba (a branch of the Federal Medical Research Centre named after P.A. Hertsen of the Ministry of Health of Rus-sia in Obninsk); and the Republican Scientific and Practical Centre for Radiation Medicine and Human Ecology in Gomel.

The new programme focuses on further develop-ment of a s i n g l e Cherno-byl regis-ter, de-veloping methods a n d c r i t e r i a for iden-t i f y i n g r i s k g r ou p s , and for i m p l e -ment ing the latest spec ia l -ized and h i g h -technolo-gy medi-cal aid. Methodo-l o g i c a l

approaches to treatment and rehabilitation should be the same. It‘s time to create a single list of diseases which have emerged because of radiation from the accident. The Belarusian list has 18 ail-ments, while the Russian has 150.

Parliamentarians have approved the idea of creating a single code of foodstuffs, paying special attention to food for children. The new programme includes measures to produce foods able to im-prove the health of those living with the conse-quences of exposure to Chernobyl radiation. Nutri-tional quality depends on soil fertility and the level of applied technologies, so scientists have devel-oped 70 fertilisers, taking into account various needs. We need to accelerate their introduction, to minimise the presence of radionuclides in food.

The new programme also stipulates devel-opment of fo-restry, to provide effective protection from forest fire, and increase the level of radiation protection for forestry workers, and the public, while using contaminated forest territories more effectively. Automated, remote controlled vehicles are one way forward.

Mr. Bambiza urges a responsible approach, saying, ―We don‘t need the programme for its own sake. We shall move forward.‖ The draft concept of the new programme will be ready by September 1st of this year.

Belarus-Magazine, 9.08.2016

IMPORTANT NOT TO BE LATE WITH DISCOVERIES

Moving to the fifth level

Belarusian Energy and Ecology Forum

to take place in Minsk on 11-14 October The 21st Belarusian Energy and Ecolo-

gy Forum will take place in Minsk on 11-14 October, BelTA learned from Zhanna Zenkevich, Press Secretary of the Belarusian Energy Ministry.

The Belarusian Energy and Ecology Forum will include the 21st international specialized expo Energy. Ecology. Energy Saving. Electro, the 11th specialized expo Water and Air Technologies, the 12th spe-cialized lighting equipment expo ExpoSvet, the 2nd international specialized expo and conference Expogorod, and the 21st Belarus-ian Energy and Ecology Congress.

Apart from that, the fifth Belarusian-German Energy Forum will take place in Minsk on 11 October to continue the tradition of successful

organization of bilateral energy forums. The Bela-rusian-German Energy Forum will be a one-day event timed to the international expo Energy Expo 2016.

The energy and ecology forum is supposed to highlight modern achievements of science and technology in the area of power engineering, energy saving, environmental protection, and the use of renewable energy sources. Every year the forum is hailed as a unique venue for a meeting of energy industry specialists, ecologists and other specialists from Belarus, CIS and non-CIS states. The forum contributes to the expansion of cooper-ation, exchange of cutting-edge scientific accom-plishments and innovative projects.

BELTA, 17.08.2016