Ten days into its environmental work, the Tiger student team of the Amur Tiger Centre has fixed the problems that came to light in some sections of the Mys Severny (North Cape) eco trail during the autumn-winter season and moved on to the Lake Blagodatnoye (Blessed) excursion path.

“Over the past 10 days, planned repairs of the Mys Severny eco trail’s boarded path have been made with no damage to the environment and with minimal effects on the ecosystem,” Anna Gritsuk, an eco trail development and reconstruction expert from the Great Baikal Trail interregional organisation, said in an interview. “Three drainage dykes were heaped and two water discharge pipes laid, 700 m of the trail were covered with gravel, the steps on staircases were repaired, one more turnpike was built and 150 m of wooden flooring was installed. The students quickly coped with all that and moved on to another trail – Lake Blagodatnoye.”

Before the team set to work, Dmitry Gorshkov, director of the Sikhote-Alin Reserve, Olga Arifulina, deputy director for environmental education, and eco trail development expert Anna Gritsuk did the necessary planning and determined the control points that the upgraded eco trail was to pass.

“This year, the Tiger student team is moving along at record pace, above all because we replenished our rolling stock with several quadricycles, including cargo quads, in the past months. As a result, cargo delivery has become faster and more convenient. Second, the team itself – and it comprises students from all over the country – works smoothly, quickly and well,” Mr Gorshkov told reporters.

Besides improving the trail, the students will also have to repair an observation tower and build a parking area.

The project envisages a parallel educational programme for the students.

“During our lectures, we will tell the students about the history of the Sikhote-Alin Reserve, which will be celebrating its 80^th anniversary this year, as well as about environmental education conducted by experts and scientific research. Naturally, the highlight of the programme will be the reserve’s chief inhabitant – the Amur tiger,” said Sergei Aramilev, director of the Primorye branch of the Amur Tiger Centre. “In my lecture entitled The Amur Tiger: Myths and Facts, I will attempt to show what a unique and amazing animal the tiger is.”