Mr. Abduselimov graduated from Lomonosov State University majoring in political science, and later defended his PhD thesis in political science.
Professional experience
He worked as a Deputy Director General of Inventionstory LLC, and later headed Kalina Trade, LLC.
In 2015, Mr. Abduselimov was appointed the President of “Nature”, a foundation that support nature preservation. The next year he became Deputy Director of the administration that supports the activities of “All-Russian Environmental Protection Research Institute”, a public organization funded from the federal budget. He has continued in the same line of work as the Director General of the autonomous non-profit organization Russian’s Nature Reserves Expo Center.
Since July 19, 2019 Mr. Abduselimov has been working as Deputy Director General of the “Northern Caucasus Resorts” corporation.
Sergey Aramilev
Education
Born on 11 March 1983 in Kirov. In 2005, graduated with honors from the Academy of Environmental Studies, Marine Biology and Biotechnology at the Far Eastern State University. In 2008, received a PhD in Biological Sciences majoring in Zoology in Biology-and-Soil Institute of the Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Science.
Professional experience
In 2003-2013, Mr. Aramilev worked as Leading Coordinator of the programme on biodiversity of the Amur Branch of the WWF of Russia, where he supervised programmes on preserving Amur tiger and Far Eastern leopard.
In 2013, headed the Far Eastern branch of the Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization ‘Centre for Research and Preservation of Amur Tiger Population’ created by Russian Geographical Society to coordinate the implementation of ‘Strategy on Preserving Amur Tiger in the Russian Federation’. Since 2017, he has been Director General of the organization.
Decorated with the Certificate of Merit for contribution to environmental activity by the President of the Russian Federation.
He is a member of the national committee of the Russian Federation on Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CATS) certification and Public Expert Council on environmental safety, environment preservation and reproduction of biological resources in Primorye Territory.
About the organization
The “Amur Tiger Centre” is an autonomous non-commercial organization established for preservation and researching the Amur tiger population. It was founded in July of 2013 by the Russian Geographic Society at the initiative of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.
Sergey Bachin
Education
In 1987 he graduated from the Faculty of Physics Lomonosov Moscow State University on a speciality in physics.
He has MBA (Master of Business Administration) in 'Corporate Finance', University of Hardford (USA).
He has certificates on audit, taxes and financial accounting – CMA (Certified Management Accountant) and CPA (Certified Public Accountant).
Professional experience
He worked at the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Since 1992 to 1998 he has been studying and working in the USA.
He worked as a financial manager in Pratt & Whitney company. Since 1998 he has started his work at 'Interros' Holding company system. In 1998 he worked at 'ONEXIM-bank' company. From 1998 to 2003 he worked at 'Interros Development' company. From 2003 to 2009 he was a Director General of the 'Open Investments' (OPIN) development company. Since 2009 till now he is a Director General of 'Rosa Khutor' company. Since 2009 till now he has been a Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Pavlovo Gymnasium. Since 2012 till now he has been a Chairman of the Board of Directors of 'Agranta' group of companies.
Rafiliya Bakirova
Education
She graduated from Orenburg State Agrarian University with a degree in Science of Law.
She has a degree of the Candidate of Science of Law.
Professional experience
In 2010 she acted as a Regional Director of steppe project implemented by UNDP/Global Ecological Foundation/ Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation (Minprirody of Russia).
In 2013 she became a Director of 'Orenburgsky' State Natural Reserve.
In 2014 she headed Federal State Budgetary Institution (FSBI) 'United Directorate of 'Orenburg 'and 'Shaitan-Tau' State Natural Reserves'.
From 2014 to 2017 she was a secretary of Secretary of the Board at the Association of Directors of Nature Reserves and National Parks of the Russian Federation 'Preserved Russia'.
From 2017 to the present she has held the position of Director of the Association of Directors of Nature Reserves and National Parks of the Russian Federation 'Preserved Russia'
About the organization
Federal State Budgetary Institution 'United Directorate of 'Orenburg' and 'Shaitan-Tau' State Natural Reserves' (FSBI 'Natural Reserves of the Orenburg Region') is a nature protection, research and development, ecological and educational institution.
The main objective of the Federal State Budgetary Institution 'Reserves of Orenburg region' is the preservation and study of the natural processes and phenomena, the genetic heritage of flora and fauna, certain species and communities of plants and animals, typical and unique ecological systems.
Andrey Barishnikov
Professional experience
Upon graduation from the Saint-Petersburg State University of Engineering and Economics, Mr. Barishnikov was selected from a pool of volunteers to participate in the clean-up of the Bely island in the Kara Sea, a part of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District. He was then conscripted into the military and in 2012-2013 served in the Airborne Force. After the completion of his service, he went back to Yamal to continue to work on the Bely island environmental clean-up efforts.
He was then hired to manage the Interregional Expedition Center for the Arctic. At around the same time he had become the director of the Russian Arctic Exploration Center, and later reorganized the two entities into one to in order to strengthen it.
He organized the environmental clean-up of the Vilkitsky island, and “Yamal-Arctic”, a comprehensive research and exploration arctic expedition.
Since 2018 he has been working as the director of Roszapovedcenter, a think-tank in support of pristine nature preservation under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia.
Zanda Buslova
Professional experience
Since 2015, Ms. Buslova had been working as Project Manager at the Public Relations Department of the Nornickel Group. She oversees the company's social and cultural projects.
Prior to Nornickel, she has worked in leading communication agencies, and was in charge of full PR support from government authorities to business clients.
About the organization
Nornickel Group is the largest producer of nickel and palladium in the world, and one of the largest producers of copper and platinum. Nornickel has been working consistently to reduce emissions of major air pollutants. By 2023, the company plans to reduce air pollutant emissions by 75 percent.
Vera Chizhova
Education
Vera Chizhova graduated from the School of Geography of the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University in 1965. Since 1966 she has been working at the aforementioned School at the Department of Physical Geography and Landscape Science. Vera Chizhova holds a Candidate of Sciences (PhD) degree and is a Lead Researcher in the Department.
Professional experience
Vera Chizhova is a geographer with over fifty years of work experience. During this time she has gained expertise in many domains, including the use of nature for recreational purposes, the impact of tourism and recreation on natural environments, recreational load regulation, evidence-based establishment of national parks and nature parks, sustainable tourism and eco training, planning environmental trail networks, and accessibility for disabled tourists. As a winner of the open competition “Professionals for Cooperation”, for six months in 1995 Dr. Chizhova conducted research at Idaho State University in the United States. She visited more than a hundred nature parks and national reserves in Russia, plus neighboring and far-away states ranging from Alaska to Australia. She has participated in many ecotourism development projects and in the creation of eco trails in national parks “Paanayarvi” and “Russian Arctic”, and “Komandorsky” and “Far Eastern Sea Nature” Reserves. Professor Chizhova teaches classes on the “Territorial approaches to nature preservation”, “Recreational Landscape Science”, and many others. She has authored 335 publications, including a monograph “Recreational landscapes: sustainability, load regulation, and management”
(Smolensk, Oykumena 2011).
Natalya Danilina
Professional experience
From 1988 to 1996, held positions starting with the Leading Specialist and ending with the Head of the Main Reserve Management Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation (Minprirody).
In 1996, founded Zapovedniki Environmental Education Center, and currently holds the position of a Director.
From 1993 to 2008 – Vice Chairman of the World Commission on Protected Areas of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (WCPA/IUCN), since 2009 to present: an Honorary member of the WCPA Executive Committee.
From 2005 to 2015 – Member of the Public Environmental Council of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.
Since 2011 – Deputy Chairman of the Expert Council for Specially Protected Natural Reservations of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.
From 2011 to 2014 – Member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Since 2016 – Member of the Joint Expert Council, the Presidential Grants Foundation.
For contribution to the development of SPNR was awarded several times with diplomas of honor of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the High Ecological Council of the State Duma, the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Has the title of an 'Honored Worker of Nature Protection of the Russian Federation'.
Made a big contribution to the development of environmental education and educational tourism at SPNR, to the development of scientific justification of these activity areas, and also to the implementation of the practice of working with volunteers in state nature reserves and national parks of the country.
About the organization
Zapovedniki Environmental Education Center was founded in 1996 for the purpose of efficiency improvement of the Specially Protected Natural Reservations of Russia and formation of public understanding of SPNR significance for the present and future of Russia.
Main programs of the organization: SPNR Educational Center (trainings, seminars, internships in Russia and abroad); Tourism at SPNR and rural tourism at areas contiguous with SPNR; Environmental Education at SPNR: strategy, educational programs; Coordination of the All-Russian movement 'Friends of Protected Islands'; Social project management and development of citizen initiatives in favor of SPNR; International Volunteer Center 'Burunduk': youth and corporate volunteering for SPNR; Design of ecological trails and visitor centers.
Marina Ditmarova
Education
Ms. Ditmarova holds a Forestry Engineer degree from the Leningrad Forest Engineering Academy named after S. M. Kirov.
Professional experience
She worked in urban landscaping, as a landscape designer.
Ms. Ditmarova has an extensive experience in teaching, and authored several environmental education programs for children.
Since 2006, she has been working in the Department of environmental education, tourism and recreation at the Sochi National Park. Ms. Ditmarova initiated, coordinated and organized a number of events focused on environmental and local history studies.
About the organization
Sochi National Park is a national park in Western Caucasus, near the city of Sochi, in Southern Russia. It is Russia's second oldest national park, established on May 5, 1983. Sochi National Park covers more than 208 thousand hectares.
It encompass all main attractions of the city of Sochi, both natural and historical: waterfalls, caves and grottoes, gorges and canyons, alpine lakes and mineral springs. The park has 78 monuments of historical and cultural value: dolmens, burial mounds, dwelling sites, medieval temples and fortresses, 28 of them have federal status. One of the park’s jewels is an aboretum park – «Dendrariy» – a wonderful example of the late 19th landscape gardening art.
Paul Eagles
Education
B.Sc. M.Sc., PhD.
Professional experience
His primary appointment was to the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, with cross appointment to the School of Planning.
He specializes in environmental, recreation and tourism planning, with 45 years of planning experience.
1996 – 2008: World Commission on Protected Areas of the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
2013 – 2016: distinguished visiting professor in the School of Environmental Science at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia.
He has undertaken planning and research in this field in over 30 countries and has 397 publications, of which 141 are refereed. He was Chair of the Global Task Force on Tourism and Parks for the
He has been a consultant on tourism for numerous agencies and corporations in Canada, and internationally for the World Bank, the World Tourism Organization, the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Environment Program, the Forestry and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, the Southern Africa Development Community, as well as the Nature Conservation Agencies of Sweden, Norway, and Finland
Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo (Canada).
About the organization
The University of Waterloo is one of Canada’s preeminent universities. It has been a national and international leader is mathematics, engineering, and national park management for decades.
Boris Erg
Professional experience
Boris Erg is Director of the IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (IUCN ECARO). His track record entails more than 20 years of experience in nature conservation and international nature policy, including working with international organizations, national authorities, civil society, and as a protected area manager. Boris is a trained expert in environmental management with core expertise in international cooperation, nature policy, protected area governance and management, and transboundary conservation. He is actively involved in various aspects of policy and programme development, including institutional development, programme design and regional cooperation. Boris is an active member of IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas’ Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group. Throughout his career he has maintained active relationship with international and national organisations, UN agencies, civil society, and the donor community and has promoted the concepts of equitable governance and nature-based solutions as a response to growing societal and environmental challenges.
Vyacheslav Fetisov
Professional experience
Viacheslav Fetisov’s main achievements have taken place on ice. Born in Moscow in 1958, this legendary Soviet ice hockey player is considered one of the best defensemen in the history of ice hockey.
He has won all the major hockey trophies. He has been World Champion seven times and nine times European Champion. He has won two Olympic gold medals and one silver medal. He won the USSR’s Championship thirteen consecutive years from 1977. In North America, he won the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Stanley Cup twice as a player and once as the coach of the NJ Devils. Viacheslav Fetisov has been inducted to the National Hockey League and the International Ice Hockey Federation Halls of Fame.
Fetisov has held different public positions. In 2016 he was elected State Duma Deputy and is the chairman of the State Duma Committee for Physical Culture, Sport, Tourism and Youth Affairs. In 2017 he was appointed as the State Duma’s Special Envoy for Interparliamentary and International Public Organizations on the Development of Sport.
Viacheslav Fetisov is committed to protecting the pristine natural ecosystems of the Arctic and Antarctic. He has actively supported the Ross Sea campaign in Antarctica and the largest clean-ups in Russia, including lake Baikal and the Arctic. Through spearheading “The Last Ice Hockey Game on the North Pole”, this ice hockey icon would like the polar regions to remain a reality for future generations, and not just a distant memory.
Viacheslav Fetisov is UNESCO Champion for Sport, UNWTO Tourism Ambassador and
Special Olympics Goodwill Ambassador
Dmitry Gorshkov
Education
Candidate of Biological Sciences.
Professional experience
From 1999 to 2004, a researcher in FSBI (Federal State Budgetary Institution) Volzhsko Kamsky State Nature Reserve.
From 2004 to 2010, a Senior Researcher in FSBI Volzhsko Kamsky State Nature Reserve.
From 2010 to 2013, a Deputy Director for General Affairs, researcher in FSBI Volzhsko Kamsky State Nature Reserve.
From 2013 to 2018, a Director of FSBI Sikhote-Alin State Reserve.
From 2018 to the present, Director of the World Wildlife Fund Biodiversity Program.
He was awarded a Certificate of Honor of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation 'For long-term and conscientious work, a great personal contribution to the development of the reserve business and the system of specially protected natural territories' and the 'For Service in the Reserve' sign.
About the organization
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is one of the largest independent international environmental organizations, uniting about 5 million permanent employees and operating in more than 100 countries.
WWF's mission is to prevent the growing degradation of the planet's natural environment and to achieve harmony between man and nature. The main goal is to preserve the biological diversity of the Earth.
Marina Gritsun
Professional experience
Has more than ten years of experience in the field of active tourism.
The founder and director of the children's camp 'Island of Heroes' ('Ostrov Geroev').
The creator and leader of the youth movement 'A-Z leader'.
The developer of programs for active children's recreation, including for children with disabilities in a tent camp.
Chairman of the Council of the Union of Organizers of Children's Active Tourism.
Olga Guerin
Education
Ms. Guerin graduated from University Paris 7 with a Master’s degree in environmental science, and then received a second Master’s in Mediterranean Landscape Design in from University Aix-Marseille I.
Professional experience
Ms. Guerin has been active in the field of environmental protection, sustainable regional development and landscape design for more than twenty years.
She began her career in 1995 working on the development of specially protected natural areas in France for the Biotope Ecology Bureau.
She then moved to the ECP Conseils consulting company in Aix-en-Provence, where her responsibilities included planning urban development projects with a focus on the environment, landscape design, sustainable development, and aspects related to society and history.
From 2001 to 2006, Ms. Guerin was employed as a senior manager at Enerplan, a national solar energy industry organization, where she became a member of the Board a few years after joining the organization. She worked on projects that later met French legal requirements to be labeled “high environmental quality”.
Finally, Ms. Guerin went back into business and founded Stream D to do hands-on sustainable development work. Her company won bids to do land-use planning for a number of municipalities.
About the organization
Stream D’s expertise is in combining environmental protection with sustainable development. Every project run by Stream D includes compensatory measures, such as species relocation, preservation of the original landscape to the highest degree, or eradication of invasive plant species. Ms. Guerin’s company also applies sustainable development methods that include training and education for adults and children, use of local environmentally friendly materials and local labor force, etc.
Philip Huly
Education
Mr Huly graduated from Moscow State University of Services Studies with a degree in tourism.
Professional experience
From 1993 to 2009, he has been working in the tourism business.
In 2012, he founded the BelAgroTravel company. Since 2014, the company has been actively participating in exhibitions and workshops, promoting its own tourism product and services, including sustainable tourism, in Belarus and abroad
Since 2016, Mr. Huly has been Chairman of the Board of the Republican Union of Tourism Industry.
He is also member of a number of governmental and intergovernmental bodies: the Interdepartmental Expert Coordination Council for Tourism under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus; the working group on the development of agroecotourism at the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus; the working groups for cooperation in the field of tourism of the Republic of Belarus and: the Russian Federation, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Turkey, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Turkmenistan, the French Republic, the Republic of India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan under the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic Belarus. He is a representative of the Russian Union of Travel Industry in the Republic of Belarus.
Me Huly also lectures at the Department of Ethnology, Museology and Art History, Faculty of History, Belarusian State University. He is a member of the Belarusian Republican Scout Association.
About the organization
The Republican Union of Tourism Industry is a non-governmental non-profit organization. Union branches operate in five regions of Belarus (Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno, Mogilev, Minsk regions), the central office is located in Minsk.
The Union strives to create cooperation ties with foreign tourist associations and operators in order to facilitate the bilateral exchange of information and professional resources in the field of tourism, and to encourage and increase mutual tourist flows.
Anastasiya Ivanova
Education
In 2001 Anastasiya Ivanova graduated from the Philology and Journalism Department of Lomonosov Pomor State University, specializing in linguistic ethnography.
Professional experience
Ms. Ivanova conducted research at Kenozersky National Park, and authored a number of research articles on regional oral history. She also co-created a number of museum exhibitions at the National Park. Since 2009 Anastasiya has broadened the scope of her professional interests to include entrepreneurship, strategic planning and marketing. She is a co-organizer and a coordinator of a number of international, domestic and regional projects that aim to develop local business initiatives and social action projects. Anastasiya has been in charge of efforts to foster creativity, and improve the entrepreneurial and service culture of local communities involved in tourism. Since 2016 she has been the head of the Park’s tourism development department.
About the organization
Kenozersky National Park is the first park in Russia to try to build sustainable livelihoods for the local community. In doing so, the Park has become a focal point and an exchange platform for a large number of domestic and international stakeholders: professionals, government representatives of all levels, and civil society. The Kenozersky area has been gaining international recognition.
Pavel Khotsenko
Education
Dnepropetrovsk Civil Engineering Institute, Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Novocherkassk Forest Academy.
Professional experience
After serving in the Soviet army, he went as a member of Komsomol to the far north and participated at the construction of the Novy Urengoy city.
Mr. Khotsenko served in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, where he headed of the Anti-organized crime department.
He later moved to civil sector, including tourism, and was appointed Director General of the largest State budgetary institution in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District - the Directorate for the Development of the Hotel Complex of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District. He then became Special Adviser to the Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District.
Since May 2019, he has been managing the Sochi National Park.
About the organization
Sochi National Park is a national park in Western Caucasus, near the city of Sochi, in Southern Russia. It is Russia's second oldest national park, established on May 5, 1983. Sochi National Park covers more than 208 thousand hectares.
It encompass all main attractions of the city of Sochi, both natural and historical: waterfalls, caves and grottoes, gorges and canyons, alpine lakes and mineral springs. The park has 78 monuments of historical and cultural value: dolmens, burial mounds, dwelling sites, medieval temples and fortresses, 28 of them have federal status. One of the park’s jewels is an aboretum park – «Dendrariy» – a wonderful example of the late 19th landscape gardening art.
Alexander Kirilov
Education
In 2004, he graduated from Pomor State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, with a degree in Geography and Biology teaching.
Professional experience
In 2008, he worked in the State Environmental Inspection (Arkhangelsk Region).
In 2008: Head of the Directorate for specially protected natural areas (Arkhangelsk Region).
In 2011: Deputy Director for Protection, Russian Arctic National Park. Organized and headed expeditions to the Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land archipelagos, coordinated the work on elimination of environmental damages.
From 2017 to present: Director of the Russian Arctic National Park.
Participated in the TACIS international project 'Improvement of Drinking Water Quality in North-West Russia'.
He is a participant of the Polar Bear Programme (research, reserving and restoration of the polar bear population in the Russian Arctic).
About the organization
The Russian Arctic National Park is the northernmost and the first-largest protected natural area in Russia. The park is located on two polar archipelagos in the Arkhangelsk Region: Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land, which can rightfully be called 'the utmost point of the earth'. The area of the National park is 8.8 mln. hectares.
Anastasia Korol
Education
Ms Korol graduated from the East Siberian State Academy of Education with a degree in Foreign Languages. She also holds master's degree in “Management of educational systems” of the Krasnoyarsk State Pedagogical University.
Professional experience
Since July 2019, she has been a specialist in the field of Tourism Development at the ANO «Norilsk Development Agency» .
About the organization
Autonomous Non-commercial Organization «Norilsk Development Agency» was established in 2017 with the aim to create favorable conditions for sustainable development, social environment improvement and to contribute to the growth of human capital in the city of Norilsk.
ANO «Norilsk Development Agency» strives to foster development of the service economy in the city, thus improving the quality of life of Norilsk residents and contributing to the promotion of the local products and services.
The agency operates in five areas: the development of the business environment, the development of the urban environment, the development of tourism and investments, sociocultural and educational projects.
Sergey Krivonosov
Education
Mr. Krivonosov graduated from Novocherkassk Higher Military School of Communications (Military Institute) named after Marshal of Soviet Union, V.S. Sokolovsky with a degree in communications engineering. In 2017, he graduated with honors from Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov, majoring in “Master of Business Administration in Tourism and Hospitality”.
Professional experience
Mr. Krivonosov is a State Duma MP (United Russia fraction) of the VI and VII sessions. In the latter he supervises three committees. He is Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Affairs; Chairman of the Subcommittee on Tourism of the State Duma; and Chairman of the Board of the "Union for the Development of Tourism in the Russian Federation" (the Union is an affiliate member of the UN World Tourism Organization UNWTO)
Prior to becoming a Duma MP, Mr. Krivonosov was an active investor in tourism industry: construction, hotel and restaurant business on the Black Sea coast. He is the author of a unique project - the Plotforma Club, the only entertainment facility in Russia built on the high seas, which can accommodate more than 1000 guests. When creating the project, an innovative technology was used to erect the structure on piles, beyond the coastline. Mr. Krivonosov developed a wave-breaking construction of a new type and supervised the construction of the facility. President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and the President of Finland Tarja Halonen held a meeting at the Plotforma venue.
Since 2010, the PLOTFORM S-70 international tournament in professional combat sambo has been annually held at the Plotforma Club. The tournament was organized by the Russian sports organization LEAGUE S-70 with the active participation of its vice president, Sergey Krivonosov.
Evgeny Kudel
Education
Mr Kudel graduated from the Kuban State University with a degree in Romano-Germanic philology and the geography.
Professional experience
Since 2001, he has been working in the tourism sector, starting his career as a specialist in the administration of the municipality of Absheron district of Krasnodar Territory. From 2010 to 2016, he headed the Department for Development of Resorts and Tourism of the Krasnodar Territory, then he moved to head the Ministry of Tourism Resorts and the Olympic Heritage of the Krasnodar Territory. Since 2016, he heads the Department of State Tourism Projects and Tourism Safety at the Federal Tourism Agency.
Vladimir Kuznetsov
Education
He graduated from the Kirov Agrarian Institute with a degree in Biology.
He has also graduted from the Bashkir Academy of Public Administration and Management under the Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan with a degree in State and Municipal Administration.
Professional experience
From 1995 to 1998 ha was a Chairman of the District Committee, Ministry of Environment and Ecology of the Republic of Bashkortostan.
From 1998 to 2008 - Deputy Head of the Meleuz Territorial Department for the Control of Environmental Safety Standards, Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Bashkortostan.
From 2008 to 2015 – Chairman of the Meleuz Territorial Committee, Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Bashkortostan.
From 2015 to the present he holds the position of Director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution 'Bashkiria' National Park of Minprirody of Russia.
From 2017 to the present he occupies the position of Deputy Chairman of the Coordination Council of the Complex Biosphere Reserve 'Bashkir Ural'.
He was awarded diplomas of the Government of the Republic of Bashkortostan, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Bashkortostan.
About the organization
The 'Bashkiria' National Park was created on September 11, 1986 with the aim of preserving the unique nature of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Under the protection of the park are: Kutuk-Sumgan natural boundary with numerous caves, Muynak-Tash rock, karst bridge and Kuperlya waterfall.
Maelle Lepoutre
Education
Maelle Lepoutre received an MS in Forest, Water, and Bridge Engineering in 2009. Two years later she graduated from an IPEF (Engineers of Bridges, Water and Forests) International Executive Master’s Program.
Professional experience
Maelle Lepoutre worked for the French national forest organization, where she focused on natural hazards in the Ecrins in the Alps.
Since 2014, she has been overseeing the development of the Vanoise National Park in the department of Savoy in France, and since 2017 has in addition been responsible for the National Parc’s welcome facilities and information dissemination. Ms. Lepoutre is primarily in charge of managing cabins, visitors’ centers, customer experience, architecture, trekking experience and territorial marketing.
About the organization
The Vanoise National Park is surrounded by ski resorts and maintains daily connections with the tourism office and the skiing areas. It is located between the Maurienne and the Tarentaise valleys, both of which have ski resorts surrounded by 535 km² of protected wilderness. The highest summit in the park is over 3 000 m with altitudes ranging from 1280 to 3855 meters. The park includes significant glaciers that are under protection, and visitors can enjoy the trekking “Vanoise glaciers tour” to see them. The park features 400 km of marked trails and 25 cabins, of which 16 are managed by the Vanoise National Park. Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso has a 14km border with Vanoise, together, they stretch across 1250 km² of protected land.
Olga Lyakhova
Education
Olga Lyakhova graduated from Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Department of Laser and Optoelectronic Systems, majoring in engineer.
Professional experience
She has been working at Rosa Khutor since 2012.
Ms Lyakhova is responsible for planning the resort's infrastructure and the development of the territory, as well as new tourism destinations.
She also teaches the module “Strategy for the creation and development of a mountain resort" for the top-managers of the mountain resorts.
She is a member of the Ecotourism working group within the Coordinating Council for the Development of Tourism in the Russian Federation, established under the Decree of the Government of Russia No. 1253 as of November 21, 2015.
Maxim Mironov
Education
In 2004, Mr. Mironov graduated with honors from the Norilsk Industrial Institute with a degree in «Deep Mining of Mineral Deposits». A year later, he underwent advanced training in «Economics and Management» within the program «Real Estate Valuation». He continued his skill improvement with «Manager and Personnel» program at the International Institute of Management. His further training included «Project Management of Single-industry Towns» program at the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo.
In 2019, he received a diploma of professional training at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the program «Innovative Management of the Municipalities Territory Development ». He is currently completing his Masters of Law degree at the Moscow Witte University.
Professional experience
Mr. Mironov started his career as a mining engineer at the technical department of the Taimyrsky mine engineering complex. He also served as the chairperson of the Young Specialists Movement, and won The Vladimir Potanin Foundation grant’s contest.
Since 2018 until present, he has been part-time adviser to the Head of the city of Norilsk.
In October 2018, he was appointed Deputy Director of ANO Norilsk Development Agency, and a year later he was promoted to the position of Director.
About the organization
Autonomous Non-commercial Organization «Norilsk Development Agency» was established in 2017 with the aim to create favorable conditions for sustainable development, social environment improvement and to contribute to the growth of human capital in the city of Norilsk.
ANO «Norilsk Development Agency» strives to foster development of the service economy in the city, thus improving the quality of life of Norilsk residents and contributing to the promotion of the local products and services.
The agency operates in five areas: the development of the business environment, the development of the urban environment, the development of tourism and investments, sociocultural and educational projects.
Vladimir Moshkalo
Professional experience
Mr. Moshkalo is a geographer by background and holds a Master’s degree in Geography from the M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University and a Master’s degree in Environmental Management from the European Postgraduate Course in Environmental Management – a joint course of the four Dutch Universities: Amsterdam University, Amsterdam Free University, Leiden University, and Wageningen Agricultural University.
Vladimir has accumulated 30 years of work experience including working for Soviet and then Russian State Environmental Protection authorities: USSR State Committee for Nature Protection and then Russian Ministry of Environmental Protection where he was involved in international nature conservation co-operation. Throughout his career he has maintained active relationship with UN Programmes and Agencies, other international organizations, international financial institutions and major international conservation secretariats (CBD, CITES, Ramsar, Bonn and Bern Conventions).
From 1995 through 2010, he was working for the IUCN as the Head of Sub-regional Office for Russia and CIS where he led development and implementation of Sub-regional Programme as a part of the IUCN Pan-European Programme. His areas of work and expertise during this period concentrated on Forest Conservation; ECONET and Protected Areas, Rare and Endangered Species, Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development, Arctic Ecosystem, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Mountains, and Sustainable Fishery and Public Support for Conservation Initiatives.
Ekaterina Nazarova
Professional experience
Ekaterina Nazarova oversees the "New Opportunities in the Social Sphere” initiative, aimed at increasing the share of the non-governmental sector and creating a favorable environment for the activities of non-governmental social service providers in the areas of ecological tourism development, children's rest and recreation, health care, social services.
About the organization
The Agency for Strategic Initiatives or ASI is a Russian autonomous non-profit organization founded by the Government of Russia. The agency aims to implement a set of measures in the economic and social spheres. In particular, for the promotion of priority projects, the implementation of measures to improve the business environment in Russia, the development of professional personnel, etc.
Viktor Nepomnyashchiy
Education
Viktor Nepomnyashchiy is a graduate of Tomsk State University and holds a PhD in Georgaphy. He has authored more than fifty publications.
Professional experience
Mr. Nepomnyashiy worked as a senior lecturer in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of Kuzbass Technical University. In 2009, he started working at the Khakasskiy State Nature Reserve, where three years later he was promoted to the position of director. As an editor-in-charge he produced a compendium of articles “Scientific Research in Reserves and National Parks of South Siberia”, and co-authored some of the monographs published by the Khakasskiy Nature Reserve.
From 2015 to 2018, Mr. Nepomnyaschiy played an important role in preparing an application to recognize the Khakasskiy Nature Reserve as a Biosphere Reserve and in compiling the dossier to inscribe the Oglakhti mountains on the UNESCO preliminary world heritage site list.
For more than fifteen years Viktor Nepomnyaschiy has been the Secretary of the Board of the Association of Directors of Russia’s National Parks and Nature Reserves. He sits on the Coordination Committee to develop children’s and youth tourism in the Republic of Khakassia, and is the deputy Chair of the Public Council for Tourism under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Khakassia. Since 2010, Mr. Nepomnyaschiy has been the Scientific Secretary of the Khakassia division of the Russian Geographical Society.
About the organization
The Khakasskiy State Nature Reserve is the only federal-level nature reserve in the Republic of Khakassia. It was founded in 1999 by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation which created a reserve with the Chazi and Maliy Abakan Nature Refuges at its’ core. It covers a wide range of landscapes and is home to a large diversity of animal and plant species. More than 80% of all plant and animal species in the Republic of Khakassia and some 40% of all plant and animal species in the entire Altai-Sayan ecoregion can be found in the Khakasskiy Nature Reserve. In 2012, the federal-level Pozarim wildlife sanctuary, an important part of the main migration corridor for many rare mammal species inhabiting the region, was transferred under the management of the Khakasskiy Nature Reserve.
Vladimir Omelchenko
Education
He graduated from Ol'minsky Belgorod State Pedagogical University and Orlov Regional Academy for Public Administration
Professional experience
From 2008 to 2013 he was in charge of the issues related to the formation of a healthy lifestyle among students at the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.
Since 2013 he has been working at the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Further Education 'Federal Center for Children and Youth Tourism and Local History'.
At the moment he holds the position of Deputy Director of the Federal Center for Children nd Youth Tourism and Local History.
In 2018 he was elected to the public council of the Federal Agency for Tourism.
About the organization
The Federal Center for Children and Youth Tourism and Local History (FCCYTLH) is an organization subordinated to the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation and provides program-methodical and organizational support for the development of children and youth tourism in the education system of the Russian Federation.
FCCYTLH coordinates the activities of more than 200 regional and municipal centers for children and youth tourism in the regions of the Russian Federation, forms and implements the All-Russian Calendar of Mass Events with students studying in the field of tourism, participates in the development of regulatory support for children's active tourism.
Olga Pegova
Education
Graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology named after K. I. Scriabin, Major – Veterinarian biochemist.
Professional experience
2007 to 2016: worked at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Russia).
2014 to 2016: Supervisor, WWF Panda Business Club.
2016 to 2018: worked as an expert in environmental marketing and PR in EcoBureau Greens; as an expert at the environmental education center 'Zapovedniki'; and as a lecturer in Environmental PR at MSIIR.
Currently, she holds the position of Deputy Director for Environmental Education at the Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve named after H. G. Shaposhnikov.
The introducer and coordinator of the international movement 'Earth Hour' in Russia. Developed and implemented the media campaign entitled 'A Tiger Year'.
Project Initiator of international conferences entitled Green Offices 2014 and Sustainable Business Forum 2015.
About the organization
The Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve named after H. G. Shaposhnikov has been established on May 12, 1924, and is the largest (covering the largest area) and the oldest specially protected natural reservation in the North Caucasus. The total area of the Reserve is over 280,000 ha, it is inscribed in the World Heritage List as 'Western Caucasus'.
The Reserve harbors 89 species of mammals and 248 – of birds, including 112 nesting, 15 species of reptiles, 9 – of amphibians, 21 – of fishes, 1 – of cyclostomes, more than 100 species of mollusks, and about 10,000 insect species. Among large mammals, the Reserve is home to the bison, red deer, brown bear, Persian leopard, West Caucasian wild ox, chamois, lynx, Siberian roe deer, and wild boar. The Reserve flora includes 3 thousand known species, among which more than half are vascular plants. More than 720 species of fungi are known in the Reserve. Every fifth plant is endemic or relict.
Several tourist trails pass through the territory of the Reserve, including one which is popular since the Soviet era, tour No. 30, which today is called 'Eco Tourist Route No. 1'.
Alexander Pestryakov
Professional experience
He has been conducting active social and political activities for more than
15 years.
In 2007, he opened a territorial branch of the Russian Union of
Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in Norilsk and Taimyr. He twice was
elected as chairman.
He headed the Zapolyarny Representative Office of the Agency for Small
and Medium Business Support of the Krasnoyarsk Region Government.
In 2014, he took part in the process of creating a tourist and recreational
cluster on the basis of FSBI Taymyr Reserves.
Norilsk Development Agency Board Member.
He is a laureate and diploma winner of several All-Russian competitions.
He was awarded the medal 'For the Development of Local Self-Government'
for the socio-economic development of Norilsk.
At present, a Chairman of Norilsk City Council of Deputies.
About the organization
The main activity is connected with the solution of strategic issues of
development of the city of Norilsk and the north of the Krasnoyarsk Region:
creating new workplaces, improving business conditions and supporting
entrepreneurship, investment attractiveness of territories, infrastructure
projects. One of the initiators of the field 'Arctic tourism' in the Russian
Tourism Development Strategy.
Konstantin Prosekin
Education
Mr. Prosekin graduated from Buryat State University with a degree in biology. He is candidate of Biological Sciences and author of more than 70 scientific publications.
Professional experience
From 1994 to 2005, Mr. Prosekin held different positions at the Environmental education department of the Dzherginsky gas processing plant.
In 2005, he joined the Department of Youth Policy, Tourism and Sports of the Administration of the Kurumkansky District Municipality (Republic of Buryatia) as a leading specialist. He then worked as Deputy Director for Research at the Federal State Budgetary Institution Dzherginsky. From 2013 to 2019, he was Deputy Director for Tourism, Recreation and Environmental Education at the Federal State Budgetary Institution «Zapovednoe Podlemorye» nature reserve.
Since 2019, Mr. Prosekin heads the Federal State Budgetary Institution Taymyr Nature Reserves.
He also served as people’s deputy of the Maysk municipality in 2008-2012.
Since 2010, he is an independent expert on natural population of animal species at the Office of Rosprirodnadzor in the Republic of Buryatia. Since 2011, he is an independent expert of state environmental review (Office of Rosprirodnadzor in the Republic of Buryatia). From 2013 to 2015, Mr. Prosekin was member of the Public Environmental Council under the Office of Rosprirodnadzor in the Republic of Buryatiya, and in 2018 – 2019, he served as a member of the Public Council of the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Buryatia.
About the organization
Federal State Budgetary Institution «Joint Directorate of Taymyr Nature Reserves» (FSBI «Taymyr Nature Reserves») is the largest association of protected areas of Eurasia under the operational management of one Institution. The total nature reserves area exceeds 11.9 million hectares.
The united directorate of the Taimyr Reserves includes the Putoransky, Big Arctic and Taymyrsky reserves, as well as two federal reserves - Purinsky and Severozemelsky. The territories are located in the Arctic Circle. The northern borders of the protected areas are washed by two seas of the Arctic Ocean - the Kara and Laptev, and from the south, they bathe in thousands of waterfalls of the Putorana plateau.
FSBI «Taymyr Nature Reserves» is engaged in the conservation of the unique nature of the Arctic islands, Taymyr and Putorana plateau, scientific research and environmental education, as well as the development of tourism in the protected (buffer) zones of nature reserves.
Vasily Sarana
Education
Graduated from the Department of Geography at Lomonosov Moscow State University, where he has been working as a senior researcher.
Professional experience
Leading research fellow at the Federal State Budget Institution «Joint Directorate of Taimyr’s Nature Reserves ». Since 2000, he has also written and directed popular science and documentary films about nature, wildlife, ethnography and the history of geographical discoveries. His films have won awards at international and Russian film festivals. In 2008, the film «The Return of the Musk Ox» received the «Lavr» national award in the category «Popular Science Cinema».
Selected filmography
"Country of the bighorn" (2000),
"Kotuikan — river from the past" (2001),
"Distant Yaktali" (2002),
"A Journey into the World of the Wild Forests of Komi" (2003),
"In the footsteps of Arguish" (2004),
"Cold Pole" (2004),
"Wanderers of The North" (2004),
"Unknown Taimyr" (2005),
"People of the Deer Region" (2005),
"Mysteries of Taimyr Migration" (2005),
"In the Footsteps of Middendorf" (2006),
"Bashkir Diary" (2006),
"Beautiful Agidel" (2006),
"Time Architecture" (2007),
"Return of the Musk Ox" (2008),
"A Date with the Siberia’s Sentinels" (2009),
"A Walk into Siberia" (2010),
"Delta" (2011).
"Alone with the Wolves" (2017)
Daria Seykina
Education
Ms. Seykina graduated from Volgograd State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering with a degree in engineering and from Volgograd State University with a degree in Psychology. She also holds a degree in Ecological tourism from the Volgograd Institute of Youth Policy and Social Work .
Professional experience
Ms. Seykina was granted the "Instructor of youth tourism" title, she also holds the first sports category in sports tourism.
She participated in several advanced mountain sports hiking in Western and Central Caucasus (Altai).
For more than 5 years she has been a professional tourism trainer.
In 2014, she was appointed Deputy Director of the Children's Adventure Camp "Big Adventure in the Krasnodar Territory", responsible for the development of camp programs, teaching materials, classes; instructor training; interaction with camp partners, as well as regulatory bodies.
About the organization
"Big Adventure" is a children's camp established by famous Russian travelers Dmitry and Matvey Shparo.
There are two campsites: in Karelia and in the Krasnodar Territory.
Annually, the camp in the Krasnodar Territory hosts over 800 children. While in the base camp, the children practice for a multi-day trip, mastering tourist skills. After this, the groups go on hiking. Participants travel through the territory of the Big Thach Natural Park, the Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve named after H.G. Shaposhnikov, State natural zoological reserve "Psebaysky" and foothills of the Mostovsky district.
Vyacheslav Shcherbakov
Education
In 1998: graduated from the Khakas State University.
In 2004: completed the Presidential Program in Management at the Krasnoyarsk State University.
Professional experience
From 1998 to 2009: held the positions of Chief Accountant, as well as Deputy for Economics and Finance at FSI SNBR 'Sayano-Shushensky'.
From 2009 to the present: has been holding the position of Director of the FSBI 'Stolby State Nature Sanctuary '.
Awarded departmental marks 'For Merits in Nature Reserve Management' and 'Honorary Worker of Nature Conservation'.
About the organization
The Stolby Nature Reserve was created in 1925 and is one of the oldest protected areas in Russia. Every year the tourist-excursion area of the nature sanctuary is visited by more than 600 thousand people.
In 2018, the nature reserve entered the top 5 best places for ecotourism in Russia, according to a special collection with best practices in the tourist sphere prepared by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
Lev Shagarov
Education
PhD in Geography
Professional experience
From 2009 to 2013. Mr. Shagarov worked as a senior instructor in the Department of Recreational Resources, Geography and Regional Ethnography at Sochi State University, a public higher education institution funded from the federal budget. The next year, he moved to the Department of Tourism Services, Management, and Technologies of the same University. Since 2018 Mr. Shagarov has been a docent (an adjunct professor) at the Department of Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences and Ecology of the Sochi Institute of the Friendship of Nations Russian University, a federal-level autonomous educational institution. From 2015 to the present day, he has been employed as a Deputy Director for Research at the Ornithological Nature Park in the Imereti Lowlands, a public institution in the Krasnodar region. He is a member of the Environmental Council under the head of the administration (or Governor) of the Krasnodar region. Mr. Shagarov is also a member of the Russian Geographical Society.
Sergey Shevelev
Education
He has a degree of Candidate of Environmental Sciences, the Saint Petersburg State Forest Technical University under name of S. M. Kirov.
Professional experience
1983 to 2002: held positions of a forest ranger, State Security Inspector, Deputy Director for Territory Protection at the FSBI 'Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve'.
2002 till present: holds the position of Director at the Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve named after H. G. Shaposhnikov.
Honored Ecologist of Russia, as well as the Honored Forestry Specialist of the Kuban.
Awarded with the badge of honor 'For Services in the Natural Reserve Practices'.
About the organization
The Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve named after H. G. Shaposhnikov has been established on May 12, 1924, and is the largest (covering the largest area) and the oldest specially protected natural reservation in the North Caucasus. The total area of the Reserve is over 280,000 ha, it is inscribed in the World Heritage List as 'Western Caucasus'.
The Reserve harbors 89 species of mammals and 248 – of birds, including 112 nesting, 15 species of reptiles, 9 – of amphibians, 21 – of fishes, 1 – of cyclostomes, more than 100 species of mollusks, and about 10,000 insect species. Among large mammals, the Reserve is home to the bison, red deer, brown bear, Persian leopard, West Caucasian wild ox, chamois, lynx, Siberian roe deer, and wild boar. The Reserve flora includes 3 thousand known species, among which more than half are vascular plants. More than 720 species of fungi are known in the Reserve. Every fifth plant is endemic or relict.
Several tourist trails pass through the territory of the Reserve, including one which is popular since the Soviet era, tour No. 30, which today is called 'Eco Tourist Route No. 1'.
Ivan Shmakov
Education
Mr. Shmakov graduated from the Economics Department at Dostoevsky Omsk State University with a degree in Taxes and Taxation.
Professional experience
He has held key positions in Russia’s banking sector. At different times in his career, he was put in charge of oversight of the following regions: Siberia, the Far East, and the Northwestern Federal district.
Since 2018 Mr. Shmakov has been the deputy head of Roszapovedcenter.
In April 2019 Mr. Shmakov was appointed to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia as the Director of the Department of State Policy and Regulation of Development in SPNAs (Specially Protected Natural Areas), and of the Baikal Natural Territory.
Peter Shpilenok
Education
Mr. Shpilenok was born on the 8th of September 1984 in the Bryansk region. He graduated from the Department of Law of St. Petersburg State University, majoring in Environmental Protection.
Professional experience
He started working at the Kronotsky State Nature Reserve as a state inspector in 2009. His duties included taking part in extended anti-poaching raiding operations on land and in the waters of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve and the South Kamchatka Federal Sanctuary.
Later, as Director for Development of the Sorokoput OOO, he participated in projects to implement the use of innovative technologies in national parks and nature reserves of Russia, such as wind and solar energy units, drones, photo traps, and modern means of communication.
Since 2015 Mr. Shpilenok has been providing his expert advice to the Bryansk region
Working Group on Ecology and Forest Protection of the All-Russian National Front (ONF). He had worked as the deputy Director for Development of the Bryank Forest Reserve before being appointed to head the Kronotsky State Nature Reserve on March 16, 2017.
Peter Shpilenok is a third-generation nature conservationist, coming from a lineage of well-known environmentalists. His father, Igor Shpilenok, a famous photographer and nature blogger, founded the Bryansk Forest Nature Reserve. Tikhon Shpilenok, his brother and a well-known environmentalist, was the head of the Kronotsky State Nature Reserve from 2009 to 2016.
Peter Shpilenok is also an avid nature photographer, and his photographs have won awards in international and domestic competitions.
Ivan Sidelnikov
Education
Ivan Sidelnikov was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) in 1979.
He graduated from the Department of Economic Geography and Social Ecology at St. Petersburg State University in 2001.
Professional experience
After graduation, he made his debut as a screenwriter, director and producer at the Lennauchfilm (which stands for the Leningrad film studio of popular science and education films) in St. Petersburg, with the educational film project "The Map of Russia".
In 2005, he founded the Installtechno studio, which he has since been heading. The studio specializes in the production of documentaries, presentation films, infographics, and AR/VR applications.
In 2013, Mr. Sidelnikov established the Laboratory for Demonstration Technologies at the AARI - the State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation «The Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute».
Mr. Sidelnikov is a repeat winner of prestigious international awards in corporate media, documentary films and visual presentation products.
Alexander Sinitsyn
Education
Mr. Sinitsyn holds a Master's degree in Finance and Credit Operations from the Financial Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation.
Professional experience
He has many years of experience managing business units of international consulting firms, including heading the financial markets and investments unit in the Taxation and Legal Department at Deloitte. Over 15 years Mr. Sinitsyn has gained expertise managing projects in structuring global finance and investment, mergers and acquisitions in the financial sector, Eurobond issuance, and securitization. He led projects to audit and evaluate the financial health of organizations.
About the organization
The Center for Strategic Research (CSR) is a Moscow-based think tank with a focus on strategy and policy development and implementation. CSR builds on a wide network of experts in government, academia and NGOs to offer comprehensive solutions for public policy. A rigorous process of consulting with key stakeholders in a particular area of research has allowed the Center to become one of the premier providers of strategy and policy making services to the federal, regional and local governments. CSR seeks to contribute its expertise and intellectual effort to all key initiatives that aim to propel Russia towards sustainable, equitable and long-term economic growth.
Erik Solheim
Professional experience
Erik Solheim, is a well known global leader on environment and development as well as an experienced peace negotiator. He served as Norwegian minister of Environment and International Development from 2005-2012. During that period he initiated the global program for conservation of rainforests. He brought Norwegian development assistance to 1%, the highest in the world. Erik has been chair of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (the main body of world donors) 2012-as well as Executive Director of UN Environment. Erik led the peace efforts in Sri Lanka as the main negotiator of the peace process and has played a vital role in peace efforts in Nepal , Myanmar and Sudan. Currently he is senior adviser at World Resource Institute and Convener of the Global Coalition for Green Belt and Road.
About the organization
The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research non-profit organization that was established in 1982. The organization's mission is to promote environmental sustainability, economic opportunity, and human health and well-being. WRI partners with local and national governments, private companies, publicly held corporations, and other non-profits, and offers services including global climate change issues, sustainable markets, ecosystem protection, and environmental responsible governance services
Svetlana Sutyrina
Education
Ms. Sutyrina graduated from the Biological and Soil Faculty of Irkutsk State University with a degree in Zoology.
Professional experience
She started her career in 2002 as an employee of the joint project of the Sikhote-Alinsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve and the Wildlife Conservation Society for the study and preservation of the Amur tiger.
In 2010 she bacame a researcher at the Sikhote-Alinsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve, and in 2013 was promoted to Deputy Director for Research.
Since August 2018, she heads the Sikhote-Alinsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve.
Tengiz Tarba
Professional experience
Mr. Tarba worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhasia as an Ambassador-at-Large. For five years he participated in the Geneva process, and for a year was involved in meetings within the Framework for Incident Response and Prevention.
For three years he worked in the Abkhasia Tourism Ministry as the Head of the Information Department.
Mr. Tarba is also an avid photographer and a videographer, who over seven years has gathered a unique collection of photographs and video clips of Abkhasia’s mountainous landscapes.
The Foundation’s purpose is to tell the story of Abkhasia’s mountainous environment to allow people to discover its unparalleled beauty and feel their responsibility for keeping it safe and flourishing.
About the organization
The ‘Highland Abkhazia’ Foundation:
- Organizes meetings, lectures, photo exhibits and presentations;
- Together with the Ministry of Culture of Abkhasia, conducts research expeditions to the dwelling sites of prehistoric humans;
- Runs search expeditions to World War II combat sites in the mountains;
- Participates in international conferences dedicated to tall mountains;
- Produces TV shows and films;
- Runs environmental events with the participation of volunteers;
- Promotes summer and winter ecotourism.
Denis Terebikhin
Education
He has a higher pedagogical education.
Professional experience
He worked in the business sector, was engaged in political activities.
Director of Taimyr Municipal State Educational Institution Volochanskaya secondary school no. 15.
He is engaged in a project to open a reindeer farm in the Awam Tundra, the main goals of which are tourism and the training of indigenous children in the traditional crafts. He is also a sled dog racing coach.
At present he is the co-founder of the family (clan) community 'Husky-tyal' (Husky-wind).
About the organization
Husky-tyal community is the organization of reception and assistance in accommodation of exclusive tourists, researchers, extreme sports lovers visiting central Taimyr, including photographers and world-class ethnographers.
Anastasia Terebikhina
Alexander Zheleznyak
Education
In 2002 he graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Professional experience
Journalist, photographer.
He headed Russian editorial staff of National Geographic Traveler for eight years, and published a lot of reports and articles regarding travel industry.
He worked in Public Administration in Sevastopol for three recent years. He headed the Travel Department in the regional administration and the Travel Development Center. He created and launched an adventure travel project 'Greater Sevastopol Trail'.
He was responsible for amendments to the federal legislation in the field of natural and recreational activities.
He is currently the Travel Expert of the All-Russia National Front.
He heads the Association for the Development of National Pathways of Russia.
In May 2019, he was appointed head of the Departments in charge of the development of ecotourism in national parks at the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia.
He is a member of the Russian Geographical Society.
Alexei Yaroshevsky
Professional experience
Mr. Yaroshevsky is the First Vice-President of the Federation of Sport Tourism of Russia, member of the Coordinating Council for the Development of Tourism in the Russian Federation.
Uliana Lomakina
Ekaterina Panova
Professional experience
Ms. Panova participated in the development of Pasvik Visit Center located in the Pechenga District of the Murmansk Region. Bird identification stands were installed along the ecological trails in the Pasvik Nature Reserve.
She also took part in the «Acquaintance with the Nature Reserve Residents» project, participated in renewal of the ecological trail in the Pasvik Reserve, and the reconstruction of the ornithological gazebo and the ornithological tower.
Olga Zyppelt
Professional experience
Ms. Zyppelt is an active member of the Kombinat Dobro corporate volunteering program since the start of the program in December 2015.
She took part in the following projects:
Eco-marathon 2017-2019, captain of the Green Mile team (winners of the 2017 eco-marathon).
Eco-quests 2016-2017-2019, participant and organizer.
«If you want to change the world» and «Collect separately» volunteer projects aimed at environmental education in schools of Monchegorsk city.
She also participated in volunteer events, organized by Nornickel: «Picnic. The city is us», «Science Festival», «Polar Olympiad» (2016-2019).
Julia Manchuk
Professional experience
Ms Manchuk is a specialist of the HR department of the Polar Division, Nornickel
Together with other fellow volunteers she implemented an environmental project for the processing of plastic in remote areas.
She will speak on: «How to start from scratch a workshop for processing plastic ».
Deli Saavedra
Education
Studied Biology and holds a PhD which focused in the Eurasian Otter.
Professional experience
He is currently Regional Manager of Rewilding Europe.
He has worked as a consultant during the last twenty-five years, coordinating the reintroduction of endangered species (black vulture, Eurasian otter) and the planning and management of protected areas.
He has collaborated and researched on protected areas planning (Costa Rica, Hungary), private conservation (Venezuela, Australia) and endangered species (Poland, Morocco, Ethiopia).
He has written a book about the reintroduction of the Otter in Catalonia and another one about biodiversity of northern Ethiopia.
He is the president of Sol Solidari Foundation (environmental cooperation in Africa) and member of the Reintroductions Specialist Group of IUCN.
Об организации
Цель фонда Rewilding Europe – восстановить и сохранить дикую природу и природные процессы в Европе и в то же время показать, что восстановление дикой природы может открывать новые возможности для бизнеса, создавать рабочие места и приносить доход в сфере сельского хозяйства, для которого часто характерно снижение экономической производительности и оставление земли.
Mahir Aliyev
Education
1996 – Azerbaijan State Institute of Languages (English and French Literature).
Receiving his Master’s degree in Environmental Resource Management from Western University in Baku.
Completing his postgraduate studies in Environmental Diplomacy from the University of Geneva.
Professional experience
For over 20 years he has been serving in the United Nations, working in the field of environmental resource management and international environmental governance.
2000 – 2009 – he managed a number of large projects under the Montreal Protocol programme, Climate Change and International Waters.
He has led UN missions and coordinated implementation of large environmental projects in over 30 countries of Eastern Europe, Africa, and Middle East.
As Portfolio Manager with the United Nations Office for Project Services he supervised the implementation of a large portfolio of International Waters projects, such as: Lake Chad Basin, Niger River Basin, Agulhas and Somali Large Marine Ecosystem, Caspian Sea, Dnieper River Basin and others.
Since 2009 he has been serving as Coordinator of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for the Europe Office in Geneva, Switzerland where, among other duties, he represents UNEP in interagency cooperation.
He heads the UNEP-run interim Secretariat of the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Tehran Convention), as well as the Coordination Unit of the Environment and Security (ENVSEC) Initiative.
Jerome Caviglia
Education
Master of Tourism, Territories and Heritage.
PhD of Heritage Valorization and Sustainable Development.
Professional experience
He worked as an Audit in a Visitor Center of Mont-Blanc region.
Also he worked as a Manager of a communication firm specialized in marketing and tourism, Research professor in the University.
2005 – he founded Atemia.
He’s daily involved in strategic studies direction in eco tourism and manage Atemia and its susidiaries (Atemia Immobilier et Atemia equipements).
He is also specialist of outdoor sports and an experienced ultra trail runner.
His field of intervention is eco interpretation and valorization of natural and cultural heritage, tourism strategy and master planning (specialized in mountain areas).
About the company
Since its inception, Atemia company has implemented more than 160 projects in the field of sustainable tourism development in various regions of France.
Enric Sala
Education
In 1996 – he obtained his PhD in Ecology from the University of Aix-Marseille, France.
Professional experience
He is a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence dedicated to restoring the health and productivity of the ocean.
His more than 120 scientific publications are widely recognized and used for real-world conservation efforts such as the creation of marine reserves.
He is currently working to help protect the last pristine marine ecosystems worldwide, and to develop new business models for marine conservation.
He founded and leads National Geographic’s Pristine Seas, a project that combines exploration, research, and media to inspire country leaders to protect the last wild places in the ocean. To date, Pristine Seas has helped to create 18 marine reserves – some of which are the largest on the planet –covering an area of more than 5 million square km.
He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. His experience and scientific expertise contribute to his service on advisory boards of international organizations and governments.
About the company
Pristine Seas is an exploration, research, and media project founded and led by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Enric Sala. Since its beginning in 2008, Pristine Seas has carried out expeditions in 26 places, 18 of which have since been protected, covering a total area of more than 5 million square kilometers – more than ten times the area of California. Over the next two years, Pristine Seas will target up to six more locations, aiming to inspire the protection of a total of 20 of the wildest places in the ocean by 2020.
As an impact-driven global nonprofit organization, the National Geographic Society invests in bold people and transformative ideas with one audacious goal: to create a planet in balance – one that provides for humanity and the multitude of other species with which we share the Earth. We fund hundreds of research and conservation projects around the world each year and inspire new generations through our education initiatives and resources.
Jordi Palau
Education
University of Lleida (Forest Engineer).
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (MSc Protected Areas).
Professional experience
As a civil servant, he has been director of the largest natural park in Catalonia – High Pyrenees, 70000 hectares – for ten years, dealing with issues such as the reintroduced population of brown bear and the «greening» of neighbouring ski resorts.
Since 2014 he is the manager of three national game reserves in the Pyrenees, where he deals with big game management, rewilding and ecotourism.<
He has travelled around the world visiting protected areas in Africa, Asia and the Americas, getting to know them first-hand.
He lived for many years in the Pyrenean country of Andorra, where he contributed actively to the creation of the three protected areas currently existing there.
In 1996 co-authored the book «Nature and Ecotourism in Andorra: an option for the future».
About the organization
Generalitat de Catalunya is the regional government of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, in NE Spain. Following the Spanish Constitution, all the responsabilities in nature management and conservation are hold by this body. National Game Reserves depend on the General Direction of Forest Ecosystems and Environment Management, which is placed in the Department of Agriculture.
Ximena Patino
Education
1974 – 1978 – USA University of Georgia State (Psychology).
1978 – 1981 – USA New School for Social Research (Master Economics).
Professional experience
1999 – Present – Business development manager, Servinformación S.A (Colombia).
2012 – Present – President and founder, Saving The Amazon Foundation (Colombia).
She is committed in creating a platform that unites the entire planet for the reforestation of the Amazon, planting trees with the indigenous communities in their shelters, and creating a model of sustainable development for the conservation of the Amazon.
Peter Prokosch
Education
Biologist, PhD.
Professional experience
In the 1970s and 80s he played a pioneering role in the conservation development of the International Wadden Sea and became Head of the WWF Wadden Sea office in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
As a researcher at the University of Kiel, Peter studied biology and marine sciences.
He has extensive experience working with the establishment and development of national parks in the Wadden Sea, the Baltic coast of Germany, Svalbard and Iceland as well as in nature reserves in Siberia and other parts of the circumpolar Arctic, often in close cooperation with tourism.
2002 – 2006 he served as CEO of WWF-Germany in Frankfurt, 1992 – 2002 as director of the Arctic Programme of WWF International in Oslo.
Until 2014 he was the managing director of GRID-Arendal.
Present – Founder and Chairman of the Board, Linking Tourism & Conservation (LT&C).
About the organization
LT&C is a Norwegian registered NGO with members from all continents, which profiles examples (LT&C-Examples) for replication, where tourism is supporting the establishment or development of national parks or other types of protected areas. LT&C is a support organization for the CBD Aichi target 11 and the SDGs 14 & 15.
Vyacheslav Fetisov
Professional experience
He is a legendary Soviet ice hockey player, one of the best defensemen in the history of the world ice hockey.
In 1975 through 1989 – he played in CSKA Red Army hockey club. Overall, he played 479 games and scored 153 goals in the USSR championship.
From 1989 through 1994 – he played in the USA for the New Jersey Devils, and from 1994 – 1998 for the Detroit Red Wings.
From 2002 through 2008 – he served as the Chairman of Goskomsport (State Committee for Physical Culture and Sport of the Russian Federation, then Federal Agency for Physical Culture and Sport).
From 2008 through 2016 – he represented the Primorsky region in the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation upper chamber of the Russian Parliament and was the first deputy chairman of the Senate Committee for Social Policy as well as the head of the Russian Senate delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
In 2016 – he was elected the Deputy of the State Duma and holds the position of the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Physical Culture, Sport, Tourism and Youth Affairs.
In October 2017 – he was appointed as the State Duma Special Envoy Interparliamentary and International Public organizations on the Development of Sport.
He used to be the Chairman of the WADA Athlete’s Committee and a member of the WADA Executive Committee for several years.
Member of the Board of Directors of the Continental Hockey League.
UNESCO Champion for Sport, awarded with Silver Olympic Order.
Stanislas Henrion
Education
2000 – 2004 – Ecole Nationale des Travaux Publics, France (m.eng and electives at the Lyon’s School of Architecture).
2010 – 2014 – Venice University and Paris-Est University (thesis in Town planning).
2014 – 2016 – London Business School (executive MBA degree).
Professional experience
2004 – 2007 – Office Manager of Local representative of the Ministere de l’Equipement in charge of promoting and improving national planning and housing policies on local communities, Direction Departementale de l’Equipement, Normandy, France.
2007 – 2012 – Territorial Advisor to the CEO of agency for elaborating, financing, and managing urban projects in social neighborhoods, ANRU, Paris. He was negotiated and managed conventions for 30 different urban renovated projects.
2010 – 2012 – Founder – Manager, REGAIN, start-up, France. Promoted innovating projects by creating cross-disciplines teams with economists, geographers, farmers, and sociologists.
2011 – 2015 – Senior Advisor – North-America, Russia and Central Asia of Ministere de l'Energie, de l’Ecologie et des Transports, Paris. He was negotiated 10 bilateral institutional partnerships in transport, energy, and smart cities with Russia, Kazakhstan, California, North Virginia, and Quebec governments.
2015 – Present – Counsellor – Chief of unit Infrastructures, Energy, Transport and Industry, French Embassy, Moscow. Reviewed and benchmarked competition technologies in railway, utilities, automotive vehicles, energy efficiency, breakthrough innovations and smart-cities. Launched, energized, and led bilateral cooperation between France and Russia in fields of utilities, innovating transport, green economy, and energy-efficiency.
Clara Restrepo
Education
2005, Degree in ethno education and social project
Rioacha, Guajira - Universidad de la Guajira
2011, Postgraduate Management Specialist
Medellín, Antioquia - Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana
2005, Course on human rights and the environment
Ecuador - Education center of studies for human, cultural, social and environmental rights.
Professional experience
I am an indigenous and professional leader of the Wanano people from the Timbó-Rio Vaupés indigenous community, of the AATICAM society. This association owns and manages the Waracapurí Hotel, an indigenous wellness hotel where it is possible to stay when visiting tree planting with the Saving The Amazon Foundation. I am recognized as a cacique (indigenous chief) in different towns, due to the leadership I have played in the representation of the indigenous communities in different scenarios of the country. As a professional in ethno-education and social project,
I have managed different projects such as indigenous housing plans, educational projects and pedagogical models. I am an advocate for the rights of indigenous, environment, social and cultural matters.
Alexander Zheleznyak
Education
In 2002 he graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Professional experience
Journalist, photographer.
He headed Russian editorial staff of National Geographic Traveler for eight years, and published a lot of reports and articles regarding travel industry.
He worked in Public Administration in Sevastopol for three recent years. He headed the Travel Department in the regional administration and the Travel Development Center. He created and launched an adventure travel project ‘Greater Sevastopol Trail.’
He was responsible for amendments to the federal legislation in the field of natural and recreational activities.
He is currently the Travel Expert of the All-Russia National Front.
He heads the Association for the Development of National Pathways of Russia.
He is a member of the Russian Geographical Society.
Paolo Castro
Education
Engineer degree in Agronomy by the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa.
Professional experience
1984 – 1990 – Head of Agrarian Zone at the Entre Douro e Minho Regional Services of the Ministry of Agriculture.
1993 – 1996 – Valorization of the Rural World.
1996 – 2000 – Director of the Peneda Gerês National Park and President of the Association for the Development of National Park Regions.
2002 – 2003 – Director of Planning Services for Agro-Environmental Policies.
2003 – 2006 – General Secretary of Institute for Agrarian Development of the North Region.
2007 – 2010 – Technician responsible for a project in Forest Fire Protection Network Planning in the National Forest Authority.
Co-founder and manager of a travel agency Moebius EcoTravel Lda.
Founder, single associate and manager of Ponto Natura.
Vice President, treasurer and elected member of the Council of Europarc – European Federation of National and Nature Parks.
Natalya Danilina
Professional experience
From 1988 to 1996, held positions starting with the Leading Specialist and ending with the Head of the Main Reserve Management Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation (Minprirody).
In 1996, founded Zapovedniki Environmental Education Center, and currently holds the position of a Director.
From 1993 to 2008 – Vice Chairman of the World Commission on Protected Areas of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (WCPA/IUCN), since 2009 to present: an Honorary member of the WCPA Executive Committee.
From 2005 to 2015 – Member of the Public Environmental Council of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.
Since 2011 – Deputy Chairman of the Expert Council for Specially Protected Natural Reservations of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation.
From 2011 to 2014 – Member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Since 2016 – Member of the Joint Expert Council, the Presidential Grants Foundation.
For contribution to the development of SPNR was awarded several times with diplomas of honor of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the High Ecological Council of the State Duma, the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Has the title of an 'Honored Worker of Nature Protection of the Russian Federation'.
Made a big contribution to the development of environmental education and educational tourism at SPNR, to the development of scientific justification of these activity areas, and also to the implementation of the practice of working with volunteers in state nature reserves and national parks of the country.
About the organization
Zapovedniki Environmental Education Center was founded in 1996 for the purpose of efficiency improvement of the Specially Protected Natural Reservations of Russia and formation of public understanding of SPNR significance for the present and future of Russia.
Main programs of the organization: SPNR Educational Center (trainings, seminars, internships in Russia and abroad); Tourism at SPNR and rural tourism at areas contiguous with SPNR; Environmental Education at SPNR: strategy, educational programs; Coordination of the All-Russian movement 'Friends of Protected Islands'; Social project management and development of citizen initiatives in favor of SPNR; International Volunteer Center 'Burunduk': youth and corporate volunteering for SPNR; Design of ecological trails and visitor centers.
