A series of eco-educational classes "Citizen Scientist" has been launched in Kazan
A month of practical classes on the ecology of the city and the river started in Kazan as part of the Kazanka Development Strategy. The first meeting of the participants took place on the eve on the Black Lake. The annual urban laboratory "Citizen Scientist" is aimed at sharing knowledge between experts-architects, environmentalists, scientists and residents. The project has been running for 3 years and became a finalist of the I All-Russian Park Award in the nomination "Environmental Campaign".
The participants of the first introductory meeting were greeted by Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan Olga Manidicheva. She noted the importance of such meetings and told reporters in an interview about the monitoring system of the republic's water bodies. "The monitoring program developed by the Institute of Ecology and Subsoil Use Problems The Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan, includes 71 points on different reservoirs of Tatarstan. And since 2014, we have been monitoring them according to certain indicators, which are also determined by the Academy of Sciences of the Republic. New ones are being added to these points, on those water bodies that we believe need to be taken under special control," Olga Manidicheva noted.
All data received is analyzed. Thus, according to the Deputy environmental protection Agency, the analysis of the dynamics of 2022 and 2023 showed an improvement in the condition of about 10 water bodies. The pollution index of most of the reservoirs remained unchanged. There are, of course, tense water bodies, the head of the Ministry of Ecology added, where there are slight deterioration in indicators for certain pollutants, but there are not so many of them.
"If we talk about monitoring, I still can't help but say that the Ministry also has a very unique monitoring tool - this is the Flamingo research vessel. A year ago, it underwent a deep modernization and today it is a modern ship of the scientific research fleet of the Russian Federation, which can measure 16 environmental parameters of a water body on the move. These are 8 hydrochemical and 8 hydrophysical indicators," Olga Manidicheva said. This year, the ship was already on its first expedition. Monitoring was carried out along the Kazanka River as part of the BRICS Games. No excess was recorded along the entire route of the Flamingo.
Also, as part of the research work, the Russian Geographical Society has been implementing a separate project "Free Current" for 2 years in a row. As part of it, volunteers are clearing the Kazanka river from the rubble of trees. Olga Manidicheva stressed: "Last year they have already covered 25 km, cleared 25 rubble - these are really colossal figures. This year, the work continues, some of the rubble has also been cleared. We will monitor how the quality of the river will change as a result of the implementation of this project."
Maria Kozhevnikova, Deputy Director for Scientific Activities at the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management of KFU, also became the speaker of the first introductory meeting of the "Citizen-Scientist". Invited experts also spoke about the discussion "All rivers fall into the ocean": They talked about the experience of interaction and management of rivers in other cities and what contribution each resident can make to preserve an important part of ecosystems — rivers and reservoirs.
It should be noted that this year the geography of the "Citizen Scientist" project is expanding: classes will be held not only on the banks of the Kazanka River, but also on the Knoxa River, Volga and even Sviyaga. The slogan "Kazanka overflows its banks" speaks about the importance of preserving and interconnecting all water bodies.
10 classes of various formats were prepared for the participants, and those who attended all the lab classes will have an eco-party.
The participant's passport will be entered during the class. The most active will receive diplomas and souvenirs from the Kazanka Development Strategy.