• 11.01.2026 07:38

Day of Nature Reserves and National Parks

On January 11, the Russian Federation celebrates Day of Nature Reserves and National Parks at the initiative of several environmental organizations.

Tula State University is directly involved in this holiday, thanks in large part to the Department of Biology at the Institute of Natural Sciences.

"Natural studies are one of our core activities," emphasizes Yelena Mikhaylovna Volkova, Doctor of Biological Sciences and Head of the Biology Department. "For a long time, we collaborated closely with the Kulikovo Pole and Yasnaya Polyana museum-reserves. Under the guidance of faculty, students conducted research on flora and fauna there. We also conducted research in specially protected natural areas, such as the Lupishkinskoye Bog near the village of Yepifan and Aleksin Bor, as well as in the steppe areas of the Yefremovskiy, Kimovskiy, Kurkinskiy, and Plavskiy districts of the Tula region."

Three years ago, with Yelena Mikhaylovna's direct involvement, the Tulskiye Zaseki National Park was established. It comprises three territories: Malinovaya Zaseki (near the village of Kosaya Gora and the Yasnaya Polyana Museum-Reserve), Zasechniy-Ozerniy (near the village of Skuratovskiy), and Krasivomechye (Yefremovskiy District). All of these territories contain areas of broadleaf forest with marsh or steppe communities.

In 2024, Tula State University, represented by Rector Oleg Aleksandrovich Kravchenko, signed a cooperation agreement with the Tulskiye Zaseki National Park. This agreement gave new impulse to the research that had begun earlier.

Scientists and students from the Biology Department are actively studying these areas. The results of their research are reflected in their term papers.

Tatyana Krikunkova