More than 8,000 seedlings have been planted in the Arsky district to restore forests and protect the Kazanka River
Today, the first stage of a large-scale pilot project for the reconstruction of forest plantations along the Kazanka River has started in the Urnyak rural settlement of the Arsky district. More than 50 people took part in the environmental campaign, which planted 8000 oak and spruce saplings.
The event brought together representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan, SIBUR, the Executive Committee of the Arsky district, the Arsky Forestry, the regional branch of the Russian Geographical Society and schoolchildren.
As Olga Manidicheva, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan, noted in her speech, the afforestation project for water protection zones has become a logical continuation of the research work that has been underway since 2022.
"Today we have started a project to reforest the water protection strips of our water bodies. This project is a logical continuation of the research work carried out since 2022 at the pilot facility – the Kazanka River. According to the results of the analysis carried out by our colleagues from the Federal State Budgetary Institution VNII Ekologiya, one of the key measures was the restoration of forest plantations in water protection areas. Today, together with the Ministry of Forestry, the Executive Committee of the Arsky district and with the support of SIBUR, we have begun the reconstruction of the forest strip. This project is in support of the national Environmental Well-being project," Olga Manidicheva emphasized.
The project is of federal importance: its results will form the basis of a set of measures to restore rivers throughout Russia, and successful experience is planned to be extended to other regions.
Alexander Zhalyuk, Head of Ecology at Kazanorgsintez PJSC (part of SIBUR), identified two main areas of the campaign: river rehabilitation and reforestation. "Today, more than 8000 seedlings of spruce and oak have been planted, we hope this will be a good contribution to the development of the ecological well-being of the Arsky district. SIBUR is always ready to support such initiatives. It is also worth noting that the children — pupils of the Arsky forestry were involved in the campaign," he said.
Dmitry Shiller from the Russian Geographical Society explained the ecological essence of the project: the creation of "biological filters" from trees will help purify the water flowing from the fields and significantly improve the quality of water entering the Kazanka and, ultimately, the Volga. "This is an incredibly successful combination of man and nature, in terms of the implementation of the cleaning project," said Dmitry Shiller.
The Deputy Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rais Gumerov, clarified that two-year-old seedlings were used for planting: a spruce with a closed root system and an oak with an open one. "Today's forest planting campaign is of key importance for the conservation of this water body. Similar campaigns are carried out to prevent contamination from the soil into the water, especially during the spring rains. This campaign is part of a systematic effort to create protective plantings," he assured.
According to Shamil Khairullin, the head of the Arsky forestry, the planting of trees is carried out in strips: 4 strips of oak and 6 strips of spruce. These rocks were not chosen by chance — their powerful root system strengthens the shores, prevents soil erosion, and the trees themselves are durable and weather-resistant.
This campaign is an important step in the systematic work to preserve the sources of the Kazanka River and improve the environmental situation in the region.