continued on page 14

ZHURAVLFriends of Muraviovka Park

An Affiliate of the International Crane Foundation

March 2008

Muraviovka,the smallmiracle nextdoorBy Elena KaniginaBy Elena KaniginaBy Elena KaniginaBy Elena KaniginaBy Elena Kanigina

By Marina KolodinaBy Marina KolodinaBy Marina KolodinaBy Marina KolodinaBy Marina Kolodina

Ag program turning the corner

An agricultural program at the Park was initiallyenvisioned to demonstrate and exhibit strategies forsustainable organic farming practices along withproviding financial support for other Park programs. Theagricultural program has become the most difficultactivity to develop at the Park, because it needs a largecapital investment, professional leadership, anddedicated staffing. It has proven impossible to have allthe components in place at the same time.

Muraviovka Park is situated in a productiveagricultural area. But it’s very hard to find a goodfarmhand. In 2006, the Park had big problems with thenew farmhands. They could not show up in the morningand they didn’t know how to handle the tractorbreakdowns, etc.

In 2007, the situation improved due to the efforts ofSergei Smirenski and Marina Kolodina, who co-managed

the farm, and Alexandr Kolotii, who was appointed assite manager in September 2007 and began overseeingthe performance of farm hands and use of fuel.

Alexandr had been working at the Park as aconstruction worker since 1999. The only structures hedidn’t build are the Guest House and the EducationCenter. While Alexandr has no formal agriculturaleducation, he has some practical farming experience andhas shown a keen intuition and a conscientious attitudetoward both construction and site management. Thefarmhands now feel demanding, but thoughtfulleadership, so they are more concerned and involvedwith the work they are doing. They realize that they areresponsible for the results of their efforts andconsequently for their salary.

Before 2007, the Park had to spend money fromeducation and nature protection programs to support the

A majority of people dream to getaway from the hustle and bustle of theireveryday life, at least for the weekend.It is not necessary to search for newimpressions in the Far-far Kingdom.There are interesting places close by.You only need to take a bus or a car andgo.

One such example of untouchednature is Muraviovka Park nearBlagoveshchensk. This is the land where

continued on page 12

Muraviovka Park President Sergei Smirenski, center, harvests a leaf of the

wetland plant Euryale ferox for a group touring the Park in 2007.

Sometimes called foxnut or Gorgon plant, Euryale features leaves up to

three feet across, and has been successfully reintroduced into the Park

after being extirpated from the Amur River basin.

2

Moral standards of any state as well as its traditionsare undergoing changes all the time. The world’scultures are becoming more and more cosmopolitan. Butpeople, especially the younger generation, take onlypieces of another nation’s culture because they usuallydon’t know much about this other nation’s culturalhistory. Very often, the pieces they take are not the bestones. One way to compensate for this lack of knowledgeabout international cultures is to directly communicatewith the citizens of different countries.

Foreigners from all over the world: United States,Great Britain, China, Korea, Canada, France, and othersoften visit Muraviovka Park. They are teachers,elementary school and college students,conservationists, bird-watchers, etc. Some of themcome to participate in the international environmental orEnglish schools, which Muraviovka Park provides. A lot ofRussian students from Amur Region and Primorski Kraicome for these schools, where Russian, American,Korean, and Chinese teachers conduct classes. It isapparent that students are excited to communicate withthese educators of different cultural backgrounds,exchanging knowledge and ideas.

I think that it’s important for children to have apositive environmental attitude and their own role innature conservation. But I assume, what’s more

important is the lessons of ethics they areunconsciously being

taught. It may seem strange to see how proud foreignersare when their flag is being raised or their nationalanthem is played. It may be unusual to hear themspeaking with such respect about their country, despiteall of the problems they may have there! Our country isworthy of the same attitude and Russian children shouldbe able to express a love for their Motherland.

Foreigners very often talk about the tough issuesthey face. But what’s more important is that they talkabout ways to solve these problems, about howcommunities become involved in solutions, includingstudents’ actions. While talking by the camp fire we getvery fruitful ethics lessons, sharing the information andexperience of cooperation between students and adults.

A lot of children try to visit Muraviovka Park severaltimes. One of the reasons is a respectful attitudetowards any person of any age. Everyone has a chanceto do something useful and meaningful and to besuccessful. When you are in a situation where everybodycan share their opinion, listen to, and analyze otherviewpoints, children become more confident and feelcomfortable expressing their own ideas. Childrendevelop communicative skills, gain new values, developa respect for their own culture along with other cultures,and gain a sense of urgency to work at saving nature andthe planet Earth.

Getting to know other cultures and the peopleassociated with these cultures has a good impact onadults, too. Therefore, we can say that Muraviovka Parkhas a very significant role to play. The Park not only

teaches but demonstrates ethics and goodcitizenship to Amur students. The experiencethey gain at the Park teaches them respect,love, and understanding of people, nations, andnature.

Natalia Gromova is a member of the Amur

chapter of Friends of Muraviovka Park and of the

Park’s International Board of Directors.

Respect, ethics, important lessons at MPby Natalia Gromovaby Natalia Gromovaby Natalia Gromovaby Natalia Gromovaby Natalia Gromova

Group activities with people from

different backgrounds, above, at Krasnyi

Yar and right, at Muraviovka Park, help

students develop respect for other

cultures and the environment.

3

by Nikolai Zemlyanskiby Nikolai Zemlyanskiby Nikolai Zemlyanskiby Nikolai Zemlyanskiby Nikolai Zemlyanski

FOMP-Russia pitches in

Friends of Muraviovka Park is atruly international organization.Initially, it was established in theUnited States by American teachers,who visited the Park in the 1990s.Interest in the Park and its programsgrew so quickly that in 2004, aRussian chapter of FOMP wasstarted, followed two years later bythe establishment of FOMP-Korea.There are also people who are not inthe FOMP group, but, in fact, helpthe Park a lot.

Today, friends of MuraviovkaPark who live all over the world arean indispensable part of its success.A lot of programs become possibledue to their efforts. The mainpurpose for FOMP is to promote thisunique territory in its numerousprojects, including advertising thePark’s activities. For the laterpurpose there was a decision tomake a video “Muraviovka—TheIsland of Hope.” An internationalgroup of people were involved in itsproduction: Russians (Sergei andElena Smirenski, Nikolai and AlexeiZemlyanski, and Marina Kolodina);Americans (Barb Thompson andGeorge Archibald); German (RalfPfeipher); and others. This video isnow shown to everybody coming tothe Park and has helped peoplebecome more interested in thePark’s activities. Copies of the film,which has also been broadcast onAmur Regional television, areavailable in both Russian and Englishfrom FOMP.

To be exact, two films weredeveloped. One is a 30-minutepopular science film. The other is a13-minute introductory film. In thelonger version, Muraviovka Park’srole in the life of planet Earth isdescribed by world-renownedscientists and researchers. Theypoint out that this place is on theRamsar list of territories to beprotected and is the first and onlynon-governmental park ofsustainable land use in Russia. As aresult, the Park faces manychallenges. Nobody knows theproper way to operate, and so the

Muraviovka Park experience hasbecome invaluable.

The majority of RussianFOMP members are not able todonate money to the Park. Butthey do what they can bycleaning the area, plantingtrees, fighting fires, and more.These may seem to be trifles,but they are very meaningful,time-consuming, and muchappreciated. Muraviovka Parkstaff is very limited and eachof them has a lot of things todo. So, such help from FOMP isnecessary for the Park’ssuccess.

The Park and FOMPorganize different art contestsfor school students. The twocontests “Swan-geese” (2006)and “Crane—Bird of Peace”(2007) were very popular amongstudents of the Amur Region.Hundreds of art pieces weresubmitted. The awards that thePark presented were sponsored byTEMBR-Bank, which is also a memberof FOMP.

Muraviovka Park is also helpedby the Amur Regional Judges’Association , Intourist travel agency,Partizan agricultural cooperative,ANK-Holding, the Nature Youth Clubin Konstantinovka, and many otherorganizations and people.

The Park continues to becomemore and more popular. In 2007,thousands of people toured the

facilities. Most visitors live in AmurRegion, but others travel fromdifferent parts of Russia or fromabroad. Amur citizens bring theirrelatives and guests from Ukraine,Siberia, and Moscow to show off thePark as a symbol of Amur Region.

FOMP-Russia is planning newactivities for 2008. For example,work is to start on landscape-designing at the centralheadquarters of the Park. FOMP willcontinue to help wherever it isneeded.

Nikolai Zemlyanski is president

of the Russian chapter of

Friends of Muraviovka Park.

Elena Kanigina of FOMP-Russia tends the

landscaping near the headquarters building.

Members of FOMP-Russia join share important responsibilities with Park staff.

4

Hello to Friends of MuraviovkaPark, especially to those of you whohave experienced being in thatmagical place. I traveled there thissummer after spending about threeweeks in China with a small group ofteachers from the Milwaukee,Wisconsin area. As a third-gradeteacher, I have used teachingmaterials from the InternationalCrane Foundation for several yearsand developed a year-long theme,“Cranes of the World,” for myclassroom. Each student adopts aparticular crane species andresearches its biology. During thefall semester, the class travels to ICFnear Baraboo, Wisconsin, and astudent acts as docent for eachspecific crane being observed.

This summer, our group ofteacher-travelers taught children atnature reserves in China. Then,ICF’s Joan Garland, artist ValDuBasky, and I joined elevenchildren and seven adults from theKeerqin Nature Reserve in InnerMongolia and crossed the Amur Riverinto Russia at Heihe, China. We hadvisited Keerqin earlier in the tripand met these musically talentedchildren. We were thrilled to betraveling with them and lovedgetting to know them over the nextweek. Our activities in InnerMongolia (China) and Russia werepart of an international programcalled “Three White Cranes, TwoFlyways, and One World.”Coordination is through the BeijingBrooks Education Center and theInternational Crane Foundation.

We were greeted inBlagoveshchensk by Marina Kolodina,director of Muraviovka Park, andseveral translators. After a deliciouslunch, a walk through the town

enjoying the sights, and a lectureabout the area at the local naturalhistory museum, we exchangedcurrency at the local bank. A busride through the countrysidecompleted our journey toMuraviovka Park.

Upon arriving at MuraviovkaPark, we dropped off the childrenand their chaperones at the studentcamp and proceeded to the guesthouse. In the evening, introductionswere performed for all theAmerican, Russian, and Chineseteachers, along with theirchaperones, before discussing theupcoming schedule of activities.

The next morning was filledwith teaching and observing othertechniques. We had a sharingsession with everyone in theafternoon and experienced a mostenjoyable time watching the sun setover the wetland. It was a beautifulsight through the lace windowscreens. What a novel idea, whichwas successful in keeping the bugsout!

I loved an afternoon field tripto town. We visited two homes.The gardens in those homes wereimpressive. I think everyone in thisregion has a special knack for

growing things. Even theelementary school was filled withlive, healthy, green plants. Therewas a warm feeling complementedwith the beautiful lace curtains inall of the classroom windows. Thegracious ladies who opened theirhomes to us and even fed us dinnerwere so patient and kind. We had achance to buy chocolate bars at alittle store for the evening bonfiretreat of “s’mores.”

Each morning before breakfast,Joan and I would go to the porch ofthe teaching building with thespotting scope to look for cranes.We saw Red-crowned and White-naped, but it was a little too early inAugust for the fall migration of theother species of cranes.

We did some stargazing andsang songs around the campfire.The Russian children were so sweet,some even gave us gifts. TheRussian students were older than theChinese students, but all were eagerto learn from us and happy to betogether. I never heard any arguingor discontent. They asked us to singfor them, so Joan and I treated themto “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”and we all sang “Jingle Bells.” It

by Jan-Marie Weilerby Jan-Marie Weilerby Jan-Marie Weilerby Jan-Marie Weilerby Jan-Marie Weiler

Short visit

forges lasting

friendships

continued on page 5

Jan-Marie

Weiler poses with a new friend

from Inner Mongolia during an educational workshop

at Muraviovka Park in July.

5

really sounded good!We loved the food. Fresh

produce was coming out of thegarden at this time of the year, sowe were treated to manyvegetables. The soups and stewswere very tasty, and reminded me ofmy grandmother’s cooking. Breadand cheese were also very good andreadily devoured. The candydesserts were a fun adventure andall of the choices had to be sampled.

Marina had the traditionalRussian sauna fired up for us.Showers had lots of hot water! Wehad plenty of bottled water, hot tea,and even soft drinks. We had achance to wash out our laundry andwith the brisk breeze it driedquickly. Life was good for us.

The closing ceremonies for thecamp came much too quickly. Thatday was impressive as the skiescleared and the temperature was

short days reinforced how similarpeople are and how easy it is tobecome close. Only the languageprovided a barrier between us. Butsmiles, sign language and our verycapable translators made the timetogether so great.

Now, I think back about themagical quality of the peaceful timelooking out over the wetland. Thesmell of the bonfire, the joy of thegood food shared and the funlearning together about our preciousplanet Earth are memories that Iwant to stay close to my heart.When I hear news about Russia, Ithink of the good people I met.Their kindnesses and selfless sharingof their time with us will always bedeeply appreciated. I can truly sayMuraviovka Park cast a spell uponme. It’s one of the loveliest places Ihave ever visited!

Jan-Marie Weiler is a third-

grade teacher at Golda Meir School

in Milwaukee.

Friendships from page 4 warm. All the students weretogether with much pomp andseriousness. The singing by theChinese and the entertainment froma musical group of local Cossacks,brought many happy smiles. It was athrill to see the two groups ofchildren singing together.

Our last morning arrived with afine mist in the air. Many White-naped Cranes were foraging in thefields on the way into town. Somelast-minute shopping provided candyfor my students at home, chocolatefor me, and a beautiful amber ring—a keepsake that reminds me of myunbelievable time spent in Russia.

There was one last lunch in atraditional restaurant, then a rush toget through security and one lastlook back at our new-found friends.We crossed the Amur River againwith our Chinese friends and had alast train ride together. Good-byeswere sadly expressed in Harbin. Thefriendships formed over those five

2007 brings cranes,

geese, love for KiviliDespite a staff too small for the diverse projects

underway, Muraviovka Park continues to thrive due to thewide-ranging volunteer efforts of local and internationalFOMP groups.

As always, hundreds of cranes and around 4,000geese (primarily White-fronted Geese), refueled in thePark during spring migration. Most of the time, the birdsand their roosting sites were protected from poachers bya government agency team. In March and April,temperatures dropped sharply, and the windy and snowyweather made it difficult for the birds to find food. ThePark’s lure crop fields and feeding sites help birds duringthese harsh times.

Due to drought, we only had one bonded pair andthree unpaired Red-crowned Cranes in the Park. One ofthese “bachelor” birds was a female. After she spottedKivili, our captive-bred male, she began calling to himand trying to find her way into his pen, where he eagerlyawaited her. We sympathized with their feelings, but didnot want to capture the wild bird or let Kivili out. Thisfemale stayed around and her loud voice woke us upevery morning at dawn between early April and mid-October. We knew that we needed to find a bride forKivili.

In early September, Oka, a young female Red-crowned from the Crane Breeding Center at Oka Reservenear Moscow, was shipped to the Park. We were glad tosee that both she and Kivili expressed interest in each

other. For a while, Kivili was trying to show her who wasthe boss, but Oka did not pay much attention to him.She was just 18 months old at the time, grew up amongother youngsters, and was not taking Kivili’s threatsseriously. In late October, Oka and Kivili performed theirfirst unison call. We hope that they will be a goodcouple and their offspring will support the wildpopulation.

—Sergei Smirenski is the

president of Muraviovka Park.

The pairing of Muraviovka Park’s captive male Red-

crowned Crane Kivili, left, with new partner, Oka, seems

to be progressing well. Cranes can be picky about their

mates and may injure or even kill one another during the

early stages of socialization.

6

Director takes story ofMuraviovka Park to the airwaves

Since the establishment of Muraviovka Park, staffhave placed great emphasis on spreading the message of

nature conservation and sustainable land usebeyond its borders. The conversation below isexcerpted from a radio interview between ParkDirector Marina Kolodina and reporter ElviraOverchenko, recorded on March 9, 2007, and

broadcast by the Amur Information Agency.

What is unique about Muraviovka Park? What

are the Park’s sources of support and is it

supported by the government? Might the Park be

closed down and if so, why?

Undoubtedly many people have never

thought about leaving the busy life of the city

to live closer to nature. Yet when we do, we

feel restored and think we have found true

happiness. But what if you live and work in a

place like that as Marina Kolodina does?

What then?

Elvira Overchenko: Muraviovka Park

is a treasure of the Amur Region. Marina,

describe the place for those who have

never been there.

Marina Kolodina: MP is the firstnongovernmental protected area inRussia. It consists of roughly sixthousand hectares, or 13,000 acres, asignificant wetland area in thefloodplain of the Amur River. Of thetotal, five hundred hectares arearable land. Our primary purpose isto serve as an experimental base forthe theory and practice ofsustainable land use in the systemof specially protected areas.Russia created this system for thebenefit of the entire world—zapovedniks and zakaznikswhere human beings never setfoot or set foot only undercertain, limited conditions.

The Park serves as analternative type of protectedarea. We demonstrate thatman and nature are notenemies, that they canexist side by side inharmony. For example,the Park contains thehighest density of rare

cranes and storks of any placein Russia, although farmers actively farm

fields that lie right next to these wetlands. The birds arejust fine there; they find the situation very convenient.

EO: Why did Sergei Smirenski, a Moscow University

biologist, organize the Park in the Tambovka Region ten

years ago? It’s so far away from Moscow.

MK: Sergei S. chose this place because thefloodplain of the Amur River is a unique place. Sergeiworked here in the 80s. He discovered the area not justfor himself, but for many people. It’s interesting thateven hunters were unaware that cranes and other raretypes of birds could be found here.

EO: And what is so special about this place?

MK: This area is very rich in biodiversity. Forexample, edelweiss is found here, a plant that grows inthe mountains; Pushitsa or cotton grass, a plant thatgrows in the tundra; and orchids that grow in the tropics.This rich biodiversity of plants and animals must beprotected for future generations.

EO: There are a great many mentions of the Park

on the Internet, but they all refer to nongovernmental

organizations. They say the Park is supported by NGOs

and financed by various foundations. There’s almost no

mention of government support or government programs

connected with the Park. Is this true? Is the Park

supported only by private grants or does it receive

support from the government?

MK: We have close relations with the regionalgovernment. In 2004, the Park’s tenth anniversary year,the Governor directed that the Park should receive itsown electric line. The Ecological Fund has supported alarge number of its programs. The last two years theDepartment of Education gave some support to ourEnvironmental Education program. But we must fund-raise for the majority of our support.

EO: Do you mean look for grants?

MK: Yes.

EO: Are these grants Russian or international?

MK: For the most part, unfortunately, international.I say unfortunately because we would be delighted toderive all our support from within the country. However,everything that is done in the Park is done for the AmurRegion. For example, we are about to start a largefederal program on sustainable land-use practices inwhich Moscow University will participate. The Park willbecome the base for the Russian Far East region.Scientists and students will come here. The program will

continued on page 7

7

produce significant scientific results and will be ofinterest not only to scientists, but also to the people wholive here.

EO: The Park is certainly involved in serious

scientific work!

MK: Yes, and we share the results with the peoplewho live in the Amur region, our visitors. That’s thereason that even people from Vladivostok come to us,even though they have lots of possibilities of their own,living as close as they do to Korea and Japan. They cometo the Park because we offer a kind of educationalexperience that they can’t get anywhere else.

EO: If the Park is so unique, why is it threatened

with possible closure? It is said that the Park might be

closed because of some problem with the land. It seems

that at present you are using the land in a way that does

not conform with legal guidelines, that you should be

using it for agricultural purposes. What happened?

MK: It’s very complicated. When the Park wasestablished, there was a category of land use callednature protection; that no longer exists. There is landthat fits into the category of specially protectedterritory, but Muraviovka Park doesn’t fit that category.Thus we are in a dilemma—what category to put the Parkin and how to characterize the Park’s activity in a waypermitted by law since the only way now to characterizeit is as agricultural production.

EO: To a large extent then you’re supposed to be

involved in agricultural activity when, in fact, you study

cranes and offer environmental education.

MK: Yes.

EO: Do you think the question can be resolved?

MK: The Agriculture and Ecology Committee of theregional Parliament is helping us. And we hope that theywill consider the question during the March session andthat their decision will help us. The fact is thatMuraviovka Park is protected under the RamsarConvention. The Ramsar Convention includes wetlandareas of international significance. Furthermore, thePark is considered one of the key ornithological areas inRussia. Clearly, we would do real damage if we were todo what is being required of us. In other words, there isa major contradiction between the law as it stands nowand the realities of the natural world. However, we

believe that this problem can be solved.

EO: Can the average person who lives in the Amur

region come to the Park and see the cranes? Will you

invite them in or is the Park a zakaznik that people can

only visit if they have a pass?

MK: We invite everyone to visit us. That’s thedifference between us and other protected areas. Ifpeople come, they can look around. If we are able, wewill offer them guided tours. There are no conditions onvisiting the Park, but people should call ahead to let usknow they are coming. We are happy to welcome people.That’s why we exist.

EO: Do people come often?

MK: Yes. Last year we had over 2,000 visitorsduring the season. Our new captive facilities for cranesand other wildfowl attract lots of tourists and wild birdsas well. In fact, they are already flying about the pensright now.

EO: What’s the best time of year at the Park?

MK: Autumn. Pushkin loved the fall and we lovethe fall. In the fall there are tremendous gatherings ofmany different birds. The fall colors are beautiful andthe wetlands are an amazing color.

EO: Do you have the time to stop every now and

then and just enjoy the beauty of the place where you

live?

MK: Unfortunately, no, but that’s normal. Only avery few people work at the Park since we are anonprofit organization and we have very limited funds.But we manage because we have a large group of friendsand I’m very grateful to those who come out and help usget ready for the arrival of tourists.

EO: It’s a great pity that you don’t have time to

take in the beauty of the place. Maybe one just gets

used to everything, even the very beautiful and out-of-

the-ordinary.

MK: No, you never get used to it. For instance, wehave very beautiful sunsets, and every day as one isbusily running around somewhere or other, no matterhow busy, one finds time, a minute or two, to stop andappreciate the beauty.

EO: Thank you for our conversation. We’ve been

talking about Muraviovka Park. My guest has been the

director of the Park, Marina Kolodina.

Interview from page 6

Muraviovka Park on-lineEven if Amur Regional Radio is out of your range, you can still learn all about

Muraviovka Park through the Internet! The website for the Friends of Muraviovka Parkcan be found at www.muraviovkapark.org, while the official Muraviovka Park site athttp://muraviovkapark.ru features versions in English, Russian, Korean, and Chinese!You can also listen to two new songs about the Park by Svetlana Obidion at this site!

8

Muraviovka Park is known far beyond the Amur Region as a prime habitat for cranes and storks. But there aremany other feathered creatures that deserve just as much attention for conservation and research. In addition to thesix species of cranes, the Park hosts 220 other bird species.

During the summer and annual migrations, an observer can identify 21 species of birds of prey. Common Kestrelsare unique in their ability to hover in mid-air for long periods of time while searching for a meal. Amur Red-footedFalcons are swift-winged, pigeon-sized hunters. Golden Eagles are majestic warriors and the largest of the eagles.The coloring of Ospreys is special among the birds of prey with a dark upper body and a white lower body streakedwith brown on the bosom. Ospreys feed on fish, which they catch with sharp talons as they dive abruptly from highover the water. There are also seven species of owls atthe Park. The largest of them is the Eurasian Eagle Owl.Its light ocher coloring, big “ears,” and orange eyes make itdistinct from the others.

Any water surface appears lifeless without the presenceof birds, such as business-like loud terns or fussy-runningsandpipers. These birds are from the Charadriiformes Order,of which 32 species can be observed at the Park. GreenSandpiper, Common Redshank, Marsh Sandpiper, CommonSnipe, and Far-eastern Curlew are the sandpipers (birds ofsmall or middle size with long legs and beaks). Northernlapwings look very unusual, even exotic, with feathercolorings from purplish green to dark blue and violetshades. At the back of the head is a long thin crest, whichgives the bird a funny appearance.

Songbirds are the most numerous order of birds, notonly at Muraviovka Park, but across Russia. The Park hosts97 species, which inhabit groves, bushes, thickets,grasses, and reeds. These include the omnipresentCrows, Magpies, and Jackdaws, along with famousvocalists such as Robins, Skylarks, and Thrushes.Sparrows are also part of this order. Some questionthe singing of Crows, but each Crow family expressesunique sounds. Many of them are able to imitatesounds in the environment, such as human speech, butthey do not actually sing. Magpies are an exception.Their singing is very quiet and usually goes unnoticed.

Grays’s Grasshopper Warbler and Palla’sGrasshopper Warbler are very secretive birds that spendall their time in tall grasses. Palla’s Warbler, DuskyWarbler, and Radde’s Warbler are very small, weighingonly 5 to 15 grams. Their nest consists of a ball-likestructure made out of grass and moss with a sideentrance. White Wagtails and Forest Wagtails are small insize with an exquisite body and tall legs. The thrushfamily members at the Park are represented by White-throated Rock Thrush, Dusky Thrush, Gray-backed Thrush,Bluethroat, Siberian Rubythroat, and Siberian Blue Robin.These are the top-singing birds and unrivaled amongsongbirds. It is hard to miss a flock of crested dandiescoming to feed on ash berries. They cannot sing, butrestlessly warble and whistle. Present are BohemianWaxwings and Yellow-breasted Buntings. Unlike thewaxwings, the buntings do not over-winter in the Park orfly in flocks, but their sounds are more attractive.

This assembly of birds of Muraviovka Park wouldnot be complete without mentioning a group of veryactive and restless birds, known as tits, represented bythe Marsh Tit, Azure Tit, Willow Tit, and Coal Tit.

Galina Nosachenko is Muraviovka Park’s biologist.

by Galina Nosachenkoby Galina Nosachenkoby Galina Nosachenkoby Galina Nosachenkoby Galina Nosachenko

More to MP bird life than just cranes

From top, the Yellow-Breasted Bunting, Siberian

Rubythroat, and Long-Tailed Tit are just a few of the

birds calling Muraviovka Park

home.

9

Hawks, Golden Eagles, falconsand other birds of prey inhabitingthe Amur River Basin travel south infall, along with most migratorybirds. On the way to their winteringgrounds, they face many dangers.As they tire, power lines appear asconvenient resting sites. But, onecareless wave of their wings cancause a short circuit resulting in thebird’s death. Some of them try toclean their beaks on the power lines,which leads to death, as well. “Weare constantly picking up dead birdsunder the power lines,” explainedVasilii Dugintsov, an ornithologist inthe State Agency, during a talk onbirds of prey. This discussion tookplace at a public festival held inMuraviovka Park during lateSeptember. It also includedspeakers and demonstrations abouthunting with birds of prey.

These predators arecarnivorous and hunt on smallerbirds, mice, and hares, and certainlycan attack domestic animals,causing anger to their owners. It isunderstandable, that people are justtrying to protect their pets by usingguns to shoot at the birds of prey.However, it would be more logicaland more humane if they wouldmove domestic animals intoshelters, during the time of predatorbird migration. We shouldn’t forgetthat these birds are the doctors ofnature. They regulate the numbersof rodents, which can cause a lot ofcrop damage if not kept undercontrol.

In addition, hawks, falcons, oreagles can be used as huntingpartners. For decades, this way ofhunting had been forgotten, but nowit’s being restored in differentplaces, including the Amur Region.At the “Day of Birds of Prey”festival, Vasilii Dugintsov introducedthe Park’s visitors to equipmentdesigned to tame hunting birds,using some Russian names that hadlong been forgotten. VasiliiTereshkin demonstrated what his

Northern Goshawk hadlearned. Ten daysearlier he caught thebird north of MuraviovkaPark, in SerishivoDistrict. After such ashort time, the bird hadbecome used to Vasilii,understood his orders,and submitted to them.

Ornithologistssometimes use the so-called “sparing way” ofkeeping birds incaptivity. They catchsubject birds in autumnand then release themin spring. After beingreleased, the birds arewatched for some time,to ensure they haveadapted back to anindependent life. Vasilii explainedthat this strategy will be used for hisNorthern Goshawk. Denis Ivanov, astaff member of the State Agency,also takes great interest in huntingwith birds. For the festival, hebrought a Eurasian Eagle Owl, whocharmed all the visitors with hisbeauty and quiet behavior. Denisexplained that Eurasian Eagle Owlscan see very well both at daytimeand at night. But at night it is saferfor them to hunt. During the day,flocks of crows attack and it isdifficult to fight and hunt at thesame time.

During the festival, the wildbirds of prey must have felt thatpeople were talking about them.So, they decided to make a smallshow. A Northern Goshawk spotted apheasant hiding in thick grassseveral meters from the area wherepeople were standing. He forcedthe pheasant to run out of itsshelter. But for some reason herefused to take the game and flewoff. After him, a Common Buzzardappeared, sensing an easy meal, butthe pheasant was smart enough toreturn to his grassy hiding spot.

During the day spent at

Muraviovka Park, the visitors madelots of discoveries. They found out,for example, that Amur Red-footedFalcons winter in South Africa, thatfemale birds of prey weigh morethan males, and that hares quiteoften win the fight with birds ofprey. These and many other thingsmake us feel closer to the birds ofprey and increase our desire toprotect them against every possibletrouble.

A few days after the festival atMuraviovka Park, their staff told mea story about a Golden Eagle. Thechief agronomist of the largecooperative, Partizan, brought awounded Golden Eagle. The birdhad been found by farmhands, in afield. Probably, it was woundedseveral days ago. The first surveyhad shown that the wound was notserious. The bird spent two days atthe Park and then was taken byState Agency staff. They found outthat it was a young bird and hadbeen injured by a power line. Thebird recovered after several weeksand was released.

Tatiana Kholkina is a journalist

with the state television and

radio station in Amur.

Festival features

Amur’s birds of preyby Tatiana Kholkinaby Tatiana Kholkinaby Tatiana Kholkinaby Tatiana Kholkinaby Tatiana Kholkina

A Eurasian Eagle Owl, on the arm of Vasilii

Tereshkin, charms visitors during Muraviovka

Park’s “Day of Birds of Prey” festival.

10

Since its establishment in 1994,Muraviovka Park for Sustainable LandUse has become attractive to naturelovers not only among the residentsof the Amur Region, but far beyondits boundaries. Until now, the Parkis the only organization in the AmurRegion that offers nature tours. Allother agencies mostly organizeshopping tours to China or arrangeair tickets for the Amur citizens whowish to travel to other countries. Toraise more interest in the Park’s eco-tourism program among localcommunities and stakeholders, fourgroups of American volunteers withexperience in nature tourism andsouvenir marketing traveled toMuraviovka Park in 2007.

The first group consisted

of five American Muraviovka ParkBoard members, with travelexpenses subsidized by a grant fromthe Trust for Mutual Understanding.During their three-day visit in July,plans for expanding andstrengthening the nature tourismprogram were discussed among othermost important issues. The Park isstriving to increase its financial self-sufficiency and believes that thisprogram could bring additionalincome. Jim Mallman, president ofWatchable Wildlife, Inc. (St. Croix,MN), together with Park PresidentSergei Smirenski and Director MarinaKolodina, visited severalgovernmental offices, tour agencies,and banks in the regional capital,Blagoveshchensk. Meetings withAlexander Kival, Deputy Minister ofEconomics and Tourism and someother officials from the regionaladministration were especiallyproductive. Direct contacts wereestablished, goals set, and specificplans discussed.

After six months of

planning, the second group,consisting of six Midwesterneducators, traveled to Russia attheir own cost for three weeks inJuly. There, they conducted a verysuccessful four-day seminar for 22

teachers and a ten-day “all English”environmental camp for 52 middleschool children from 11 districts ofthe Amur Region. This group alsomade a two-day trip to the summercamp for orphans in Krasnyi Yar,conducting activities and games forover 150 children. During theseminar and camp, the importanceof nature tourism and souvenir-making were frequent topics and theAugust program was advertised. Asa result, five teachers signed up forparticipation in the TMU-sponsoredeco-tourism workshops in August.

The following month,three Americans and one Russiantraveled to Muraviovka Park viaMoscow to lead a six-day trainingprogram in nature tourism for 16local tour operators, college andschool teachers, students, naturereserve staff, handicraft makers,and municipal administrators fromten districts of the Amur Region.During their first three days at thePark, the program leaders fine-tunedthe course and materials which hadbeen developed through email andteleconferences between Baraboo,Seattle, and Muraviovka.

The classes were conductedAugust 16-21 by Terry Blumer andStephanie Forbes of the WoodlandPark Zoo in Seattle. One workshopcovered preparatory and follow-upwork with visitors, includingfacilities and programs for tourists;another was about souvenir making,pricing, marketing, and involvinglocal people in nature tourism(homestead and handicraftprograms). Through both classroomand hands-on activities, participantsgained a better understanding of thetheories and realities of opening areserve to people, while stillpreserving the ability for wildlife tobehave naturally with minimalinfluence from visitors. They alsolearned about the visitor’s programand gift shop at Seattle’s WoodlandPark Zoo.

Particular activities includedteam building for workshop success,strategic planning theory, eco-tourism and sustainabledevelopment theory, identifying thePark’s and other sites’ capacityneeds (facilities, staffing, training,etc.). Activities were based on

Workshops draw international interest

Tourism building momentumby Elena Smirenskiby Elena Smirenskiby Elena Smirenskiby Elena Smirenskiby Elena Smirenski

continued on page 11

Local artisans from the Amur area attend a workshop on developing souvenirs

led by staff from Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo.

11

conversation and idea-sharing, asways of building proficiency.Participants understood that no onecoming in from the “outside” canmake the best plan for sustainableuse for any area. This workshopbecame a forum for collectiveproblem identification and solving,while sharing resources andinformation with one another.

Workshop participantsdeveloped the necessary skills tomake mission statements andstrategic plans for appropriate usesof existing or potential tourist sites.They began to be able to identifythe strengths each unique facilityhas to offer, and describe targetaudiences for tourism. Participantslearned about the sustainabledevelopment theory to build uponfor a holistic approach to tourist sitemanagement. Evaluation formswere filled out by all theparticipants so that they couldexpress their satisfaction with theworkshop and what tools theyneeded for future skill-building. Theentire group expressed a willingnessto develop a network of naturetourism sites and souvenir producersin the Amur Region. Muraviovka Parkreceived an outline of proposedsustainable development plans forfacility enhancement and marketingof the Park, to use in creating ablueprint for future Park programs.

One very important outcomewas a collective resolutioncomposed by the group, at their owninitiative, that was later deliveredto the Amur Regional Administration.In this document, the programparticipants highly evaluated theworkshops, listed the existingobstacles to the development ofnature tourism and handicraft in theAmur Region (high taxation, highelectric power tariffs, high creditinterest, lack of materials and tools,lack of special college and universitycourses). Specific proposals weremade to remove these obstacles andimprove the situation.

Ten artists from the region wonscholarships to the workshop as aconsequence of their performance inthe “Crane—the Bird of Peace”contest earlier in the spring. Over300 people from 20 districts of theAmur Region presented their art andsouvenirs between March and May.The 12 student winners receivedscholarships to attend environmentalcamps at the Park in 2008, while thebest works were displayed inBlagoveshchensk, at the Park’sEducation Center, and in SouthKorea. Some of the winners willparticipate in the first Russian-Korean winter camp in South Koreaduring February 2008, co-sponsoredby Muraviovka Park and the KoreanFederation for the EnvironmentalMovement.

Finally, in November, Jim

Mallman returned to the Park withCarrol Henderson of the MinnesotaDepartment of Natural Resources toassess the capacity for naturetourism in the Amur Region. MarinaKolodina and Alexander Kival,Deputy Minister of Economy andTourism of the Amur Region,assisted. They visited two of the 25game refuges and several culturaland natural history sites inBlagoveshchensk, including anarchaeological dig that hasuncovered a 65-million-year-olddinosaur. They concluded that theAmur Region as a whole offers greatopportunities for nature tourists.

The next steps in improvinglogistics were identified and it wassuggested that Muraviovka Parkbecome a regional resource centerfor wildlife tourism. Moreover, bothdistrict and regional governments, aswell as local communities showedstrong interest in helping to developsuch a program. Hopefully, in 2008they will be able to help expand thisvery important pilot program byconducting seminars and workshopsat the Park and in Blagoveshchenskfor university professors, students,and tour operators. Additionally,they would assess a number of othersites in the region with goodpotential for nature tourism.

The above activities werecovered widely by the provincial andnational mass media. Uponcompletion of this summer program,the evaluation forms completed bythe participants were discussed viaemail. Guidelines and other printedmaterials have been developed,translated into Russian, posted onthe Park’s website, and distributedin Russia. These materials (tourismlocations, tourism event evaluationforms, questionnaires for souvenir-makers, guidelines for creating/judging/pricing handicrafts, and theResolution of the workshops) areavailable upon request.

Special acknowledgments ofgratitude are extended to the Trustfor Mutual Understanding,International Crane Foundation,Woodland Park Zoo, and WatchableWildlife Inc. for their funding andsupport of this initiative.

Elena Smirenski is an ICF

program assistant and board

member of Muraviovka Park.

Tourism from page 10

Amur Region Minister Alexander V. Gordeev and Deputy Minister of

Economy and Tourism Alexander Kival (on left) discuss opportunities for

nature tourism programs with Jim Mallman of Watchable Wildlife, Inc. and

Carrol Henderson of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (right).

12

birds and plants reign. No personcan remain indifferent after visitinghere. It’s the place where you wantto return. Come and visit! You willenjoy interesting excursions andtalks about wildlife, along withstories about the history ofMuraviovka Park and its importancein the world. You will take awayunforgettable impressions!

Intourist-BlagoveshchenskTravel Agency is working atdeveloping a trip entitled “Weekendin Muraviovka Park” for differentages and attractive to all nature-lovers. Have you ever noticed whatpacification comes when yousuddenly find yourself in a placewith no urban noise? A silence whichis only “disturbed” by singing birdsand rustling foliage. An improbablebouquet of vegetative aromas rushesover your body and stupefies yourhead. What a pity that it isimpossible to carry away a smallslice of this miracle, unless you willtake it as memories.

There is a good opportunity inthe Park to restore your energy andto broaden your mind, after workinghard all week. The excursions willintroduce you to various plants andbirds inhabiting the Park, includingone of the most graceful birds—cranes (which are not commonly

seen by the averageperson). During your visitto the Park there is anopportunity to fill in thisgap and learn much moreabout these birds, to meethandsome Kivili and hisgirlfriend, Oka.

Muraviovka Park is avery good attraction fortourists. First, it islocated nearBlagoveshchensk and thePark allocates its own busin order to ease visitortravel. The Park haseverything a tourist mayneed: there are naturetrails, crane pens, andpens for some rare birdspecies. There’s a campwith wooden cabins forliving, kitchen place forcooking, and hot watershowers. Second, thePark’s site is rich withdifferent bird species.Lately, the Park has beenhosting an increasingnumber of visitors and inspite of the increased traffic therehas been little effect on the area’swild flora or fauna. Visitors alwayshave a tour guide, which helps tokeep people disciplined. Cranes andother rare birds are not afraid of thepeople; they stay near by Central

Miracle from page 1

Local artisan Sergei Gutsan demonstrates pottery-making to a group of

tourists visiting Muraviovka Park.

A group visiting Muraviovka Park last spring

follows one of the new nature trails on the site.

Headquarters or fly low abovevisitors’ heads.

The package of tourist servicesoffered for the visitors of MuraviovkaPark is rather diverse:

• 1- or 2-day routes;• Education and consulting

services;• Organization of scientific

tourism;• Special activities (festivals,

fairs, competitions, exhibitions);• Sale of organic food brought

by local people;• Rental of tourist equipment;• Manufacturing and sale of

souvenirs; and• Manufacturing and sale of

some special videos and pictures.These programs and services

enable continued nature protectionin the Amur River Basin andrestoration of national traditions.Folk festivals promote involvinglocal communities in theirorganization. All of these activitiesenrich the impressions touristsexperience from visiting MuraviovkaPark.

Elena Kanigina is the manager

of Intourist-Blagoveshchensk

Travel Agency

13

An administrative council meeting in Decemberfeatured discussion of environmental protection inTambovka District, Amur Region. Mayors of villages,directors of agricultural cooperatives, andrepresentatives of Tambovka District Administrationwere present at this meeting. The representatives of theMinistry of Agriculture of Amur Region, RussianConsumers’ Inspection, Ministry of Property in the Amurarea, and some others made presentations. Listening tothe speakers, the audience obtained a very sharpnegative impression toward environmental conservationas a whole.

Medical Inspection Servicedemanded that the organization ofdump sites be documented, thatconstruction plans be submittedfor approval and that a sanitaryzone be established around thedump sites. The audience feltthat after all the bureaucracy istaken care of, the MedicalInspection Service will return tofind other violations and raisemore fines or to spend more forimproving the facilities, becauseit’s next to impossible to observeall the necessary sanitary rules.Ministry of Property talked about the wrong use of lakes.They mentioned how many fines they raised fromTambovka District organizations. The representative ofthe Fishers and Hunters Community explained that inTambovka and Konstantinovka Districts, there were only188 pheasants counted and that the agricultural workersare doing everything incorrectly, that they are destroyingour nature. They went on to say that KonstantinovkaDistrict has much less farming and a lot of rivers withwetlands providing wildlife habitat, while in TambovkaDistrict there is no appropriate habitat.

However, we have a completely different opinion onmany of the issues mentioned. Muraviovka Park is animportant stop-over area during spring and summermigration, thanks to the surrounding farming practices.We are a good feeding ground for the birds. In oneplace, close to the central headquarters building, it ispossible to count 60 pheasants. Many farms andcooperatives run environmentally-friendly farmingpractices. Big cooperatives like Partizan have alreadyequipped their combines with straw-choppers so strawpiles are no longer being created, reducing the chancesfor wildfires. Tambovka District farmers are gettingwider equipment so that they can cover more ground inone pass, driving a tractor 30 times on a field instead of60 times. Tractors are also being used with more tires orwider tires or tracks to reduce soil compaction anderosion.

The main problem between nature conservationterritories and farming lands is that they do not have aproper dialogue between each other. They may eventake a belligerent attitude against the other forperceived or actual injustices. Actually, farmers can becriticized for burning straw piles on the fields, whichresults in wild grass fires that destroy wildlife habitat(including some in Muraviovka Park), and sometimesfarmers don’t use chemicals properly, etc. But, thepresence of farmhands on fields frequently preventspoaching, allowing birds to feed quietly.

Once we were surprised with what enthusiasm afarmhand of Muraviovka Park had seen the first cranes ofspring or early flowers. To tell the truth, this veryfarmhand picked a bouquet of flowers in order “to please

the wife.” He had no idea of therare species of flowers he waspicking. So we have severalproblems. But these problemscan be solved, it matters how toraise them to find an adequatesolution.

Any activity of the people isvery difficult to supervise anddirect. Is there a necessity to dothat? How can we achieveharmony between the interestsof man and nature? One of thepossible solutions of this problemis sustainable land use. This

term means people’s activity grows in a way that allowspeople to see what they want to see, experience whatthey want to experience, but does not destroy the verythings they are seeing and experiencing. We can strugglewith mountains of dust, poaching and barbarity acrossthe centuries, but it is necessary to eradicate the sourcesof these problems, which hide in human consciousness.

Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to influencethe self-consciousness of people and their attitude tonature. As it is known, people develop their beliefsabout life on the basis of their received knowledge. Ifthey don’t have knowledge, their beliefs are formed in awrong way. For example, the hunter kills an endangeredanimal. Doing this, he does not know that it is a rarespecies, which can’t legally be killed. The results of thisact can be rather sad both for the hunter and for nature,which has lost a piece of its uniqueness. But probably, ifthis man had the necessary knowledge, his shot wouldnot have sounded. So, it is essential to stress theimportance of environmental education of the localpopulation for understanding the importance of a carefulattitude toward nature.

One of the main principles of sustainable land use isdevelopment of environmental education of localcommunities as a long-term program. It is veryimportant to run various schools and workshops aboutenvironmental protection. For this reason, Muraviovka

The ethics of communicationby Viktoria Kalininaby Viktoria Kalininaby Viktoria Kalininaby Viktoria Kalininaby Viktoria Kalinina& Marina Kolodina& Marina Kolodina& Marina Kolodina& Marina Kolodina& Marina Kolodina

continued on page 14

It is essential to stressthe importance of

environmentaleducation of the local

population forunderstanding the

importance of a carefulattitude toward nature.

14

organic farming process. This year,the Park, for the first time, realizeda small profit out of farming. So, wecan thank our farm team for theirgood work.

The demonstration farm hasalways been short of equipment. Inthe past, the old tractors brokedown often and the farmhands didnot respect how they handled theequipment. With an effectivemanager, the Park can continue todevelop its agricultural program, butit still needs reliable tractors andsome critical pieces of goodequipment. Without a proper row-planter and cultivators, the farm canhardly yield a good crop of soybeans.The average crop of soybeans in2007 for Tambovka District was 1.4tons per hectare, while the Park’syield was 0.5 tons per hectare. ThePark is looking to raise support forthe purchase of new equipment,which will enable it to improve cropyields.

On the positive side, the 2007small grain crop production is almostas high as the average in TambovkaDistrict (comparing 1.95 tons/ha atthe Park to 2.2 tons/ha average forthe District). Enough money wasraised from small grain sales tobuild a shelter with cement floor forcrop cleaning and sorting.

When we talk of proficientleadership, we first of all meanstrategic planning, which is very

important for the Parkand its budget. Thiscomplicated work isdone by Dr. SergeiSmirenski. The firstand the only five-yearplan was made in 1995by Sergei and GeorgeDanner. For sevenyears, the agronomistsworking for the Parkresisted developingsubsequent plans. In2007, Dr. Smirenskiwrote a new plan, afterconsultations withLeonid Kovlyakov, thechief agronomist forthe Partizancooperative. Hopefullythis new plan willprovide a path forfuture success of thedemonstration farm.

The Partizancooperative alsocontributed to thePark’s positive farmingresults in 2007.Partizan provided thePark with seeds, helpedfix equipment, andaided grain drying. Specialrecognition also goes to the Amur OilCompany ANK, who helped withseeds for the hayfield and someother support.

The farm is slowly but steadilymoving toward its initial vision ofdemonstrating that organic farming

Park actively carries out its educational programs,emphasizing that it is each person’s individualresponsibility to conserve nature. Due to these efforts,hundreds of Amur people have realized that mankind andnature are indissolubly connected. If nature becomespoorer, the life of man becomes no brighter.

The other point of ecology communication concernsthe professional behavior of conservationists andecologists. If local people see real action fromenvironmentalists and a careful attitude to nature, theywould surely have desire to help, too. As an example,after a large wildfire during the fall of 2007, aneighboring farmhand, who had come to help extinguishflames in the Park’s wetlands, asked to be paid. Hisfriend answered him: “You did not help the Park. Youhelped yourself. First of all, it is necessary to you,because you live here.”

This is why there is disagreement with the speech

of the representative of Fishers and Hunters Society: “Itis necessary to remove the people in order to protect theterritory.” Possibly, when we remove the people, willthe birds move away with them? Why are the majority oflocal ecologists illiterate in ecological problems? Why,when asked “how to protect?” They shrug theirshoulders and answer that the government should thinkabout it. Not only the bosses, but also the citizensshould think about it. It may be easier to yell andstruggle for clean air, ground, and water from pages ofthe newspapers or tribunes of conferences somewhere inthe Philippines, or collect the penalties/fines, than reallythink about how to conserve.

Hope lies in what Muraviovka Park is trying to do,now. Even though it occasionally stumbles, it continuesto work for the people and for nature. It searches fordialogue; it searches for ecology of communication.

Viktoria Kalinina is a student at

Amur State University;

Marina Kolodina is director of Muraviovka Park.

Agriculture from page 1

can be economically profitable andto be a source of support for thePark’s sustainability. But this profitsurpasses all other profits as soon asit is measured by the improvementin people’s and nature’s health.

Marina Kolodina is the director

of Muraviovka Park.

Communication from page 13

Muraviovka Park staff combine some of the 140

hectares of wheat planted in 2007. Other crops

grown at the Park last year included barley,

soybeans, hay, and corn.

15

Two on April ballotTwo members of the existing Board of Directors for Friends of

Muraviovka Park are up for election this year. They have graciouslyagreed to continue their active support of Muraviovka Park.

FOMP members may vote in the 2008 Board of Directors electionby submitting the ballot above during the Annual Meeting or returningit by April 6, 2008 to ICF. Any person wishing to be on the Board mayalso be a write-in candidate. Candidates receiving the most voteswill be elected as members of the Board of Directors.

Kate Katzban-Beren joined the FOMP board in 2005, aftertraveling to the Park as part of the first teaching team that summer.Since then, she has filled the role of Board Secretary and taken onthe task of maintaining FOMP’s web site. Kate explained that sheenjoys collaborating with all of the members and with the wonderfulstaff at the Park. She is eager to continue her work with the Board,bringing Muraviovka Park’s message to the United States throughinternational exchange and communication.

Catherine Kubista is an English teacher in the Milwaukeearea. People often ask how she ended up traveling to a crane refugein Eastern Russia. She explains that it can be traced back to hersenior year at UW-Madison when she fell in love with Aldo Leopold’s ASand County Almanac. And then to a few summers ago, when she hadthe opportunity to hear Elena Smirenski speak about Muraviovka Parkat a week-long graduate class on environmentalism in Eastern Europeand Asia. After hearing Elena’s talk, Cathy knew that she had totravel there, and after being at the Park, she knows that she willreturn. Like the language in Leopold’s book, there is just somethingabout the Park that makes her need to stay connected. “Serving onthe FOMP Board allows me to use my talents so that others will alsohave the opportunity to visit the Park and understand why so manypeople thing the place is magical,” she explains.

2008 Board of Directors Election

Membership Renewal (Membership term January 1, 2008 – December 31, 2008):

Name __________________________________________

Address ________________________________________

_______________________________________

City ________________ State _____ Zip _____________

Email __________________________________________

Friends of Muraviovka Park:

Membership Renewal and Board of Directors BallotPlease vote for TWO of the following candidates:

___Kate Katzban-Beren ___Catherine Kubista ___Write in candidate:____________________

Membership Levels:____ student ($10)____ individual ($15)____ family ($25)____ school/youth group ($50)____ organization/firm ($100)____ contributing member ($100)____ additional donation

$_____total donation

Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.Please make checks payable to the International Crane Foundation and return to:

Friends of Muraviovka Park, International Crane Foundation, P.O. Box 447, Baraboo, WI 53913

#

#

Salad “Olivier”Salad “Olivier”Salad “Olivier”Salad “Olivier”Salad “Olivier”from the kitchen of

Elena SmirenskiElena SmirenskiElena SmirenskiElena SmirenskiElena Smirenski

Ingredients:• 1 whole chicken breast, poached,

boned, and skinned, or 1/2 poundlean cooked veal;

• 1 pound all-purpose potatoes,boiled in their skins and peeled;

• 2 medium dill pickled cucumbers;• 1 cup cooked fresh or frozen peas;• 1 medium onion, finely chopped;• 1 cup Mayonnaise;• 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and

quartered;• 8 large black Greek olives;• 8 sprigs parsley.

Cut the cooked chicken andpotatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Peel thecucumbers and also cut into 1/2-inchcubes. In a large bowl, combine themeat, potatoes, cucumbers, green peas,and onion. Add the mayonnaise and mixgently, so those ingredients are notmashed.

Refrigerate the salad until servingtime (but for no longer than four hours).Serves 8-10 as an appetizer or 6 as anentree. You may also omit the chickenor veal to make a delicious meatless sidedish!

Dedicated toDedicated toDedicated toDedicated toDedicated to

environmental protection,environmental protection,environmental protection,environmental protection,environmental protection,

educational programming,educational programming,educational programming,educational programming,educational programming,

ecological research, andecological research, andecological research, andecological research, andecological research, and

sustainable agriculturalsustainable agriculturalsustainable agriculturalsustainable agriculturalsustainable agricultural

development atdevelopment atdevelopment atdevelopment atdevelopment at

Muraviovka Park andMuraviovka Park andMuraviovka Park andMuraviovka Park andMuraviovka Park and

in the Amur Riverin the Amur Riverin the Amur Riverin the Amur Riverin the Amur River

watershed of thewatershed of thewatershed of thewatershed of thewatershed of the

Russian Far East.Russian Far East.Russian Far East.Russian Far East.Russian Far East.

Friends of

Muraviovka ParkAn Affiliate of the

International Crane Foundation

P.O. Box 447

Baraboo, WI 53913

ZHURAVL IS EDITED BY GEORGE DANNER AND

DESIGNED BY ROB NELSON.

WWW.MURAVIOVKAPARK.ORG

ICF to host

FOMP

Annual

Meeting on

April 6The Annual Meeting for

“Friends of Muraviovka Park”will take place Sunday, April6, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. in theInternational CraneFoundation library. Everyoneis invited to share what ishappening at the Park,become reacquainted withother members, and listen toJan-Marie Weiler, as shedescribes her 2007 travel andadventures (see page 4).

This meeting also marksa ten-year milestone forFOMP, which was founded in1998. Happy Birthday, FOMP!

Help them grow with Adopt-a-Nest!Adopt-A-Nest is a great way to help protect nest sites for Red-

crowned Cranes, White-naped Cranes, Oriental White Storks and allthe other species that raise their young at Muraviovka Park.

For a minimum “adoption fee” of $50, those who adopt a nest(or receive it as a gift) will be acknowledged with a certificate,crane photo, and a book about cranes, their habits, and habitats.This package comes complete with postcards from the Park and a

one-year membership in the Friends of Muraviovka Park.To request an adoption brochure please contact ElenaSmirenski at elena@ savingscranes.org or Carolyn

Parrott at parroo@gmail.com.