2004 Summer Projects
NEW. Click here to download the summary of 2004 project achievements.
1. A Bicycle Trail on the west shores of Baikal.
Turka, Buryatia.
Dates: From June 15 through June 29 and again from September 1 through September 15
Location: Turka is located 150 km north from Ulan-Ude (the capital of Buryatia).
Description: There is a new bicycle trail to be built, running through the town of Turka from the river there to nearby Goryachinsk. This trail is important for developing a new and popular type of low impact tourism. It will also provide education opportunities to the local population on how they might develop alternative economic employment.
Work: You will build a new trail according to international bicycle trail standards, clearing the trail of underbrush and other impediments.
Accommodations: Lodgings will provided be in a local school as well as in a small, private hotel.
Rest & Re laxation (R&R): Optional activities include swimming in Lake Baikal, fishing, hiking, swimming in the River Turka, visiting hot springs in both Goryachinsk and Zolotoi Klyuch.
Hosts: The Baikal Shoreline Forest Service, Turkinskaya Middle School.
Meeting Location: Hotel Buryatia in Ulan-Ude
2. Northern Coast Trail
Severobaikalsk, Buryatia
Project dates: June 17 to 28 and again, right afterward from June 28 to July 10)
Location: Two stretches of trail will run along the northern shores of Baikal, connecting the town of Severobaikalsk with the village of Baikalskoye
Project description: When this 40-kilometers of hiking trail will run through some of the most beautiful spots along the northwest shores of the lake. This is an area, however, that is experiencing the heaviest load of recreational visitors in all the northern reached of the lake. It is in dire need of a trail to accommodate these visitors and keep them from damaging outlying areas of the environment.
Work: Clearing out trail path, removing trees where necessary, leveling and filling in holes and other obstacles along the way. Small bridges will also need to be built, as well as two campsites (with barbecue pits, picnic tables, restrooms, waste-collection bi ns, and level areas for tents, several informational kiosks, along with other picnic/rest areas. Trail markers will also need to be put in place. This part of the trail will be built by volunteers from the Baikal Middle School, along with international participants.
Accommodations: Lodgings will provided be in a local school as well as in tents.
R&R: Weekend activities include swimming in Baikal, fishing, hiking along nearby Sandy Island (a half-submerged island jutting out into Lake Baikal).
Host: The North Baikal School of Tourism and Environmental Education
Meeting Location: Irkutsk (or for those taking the trans-Siberian and then the Baikal Amur railroads, Severobaikalsk itself)
3. The Osinovka River Trail
The Baikalskii National Nature Reserve
Project dates: June 28-July 10
Location: Trail will run along the edge of this nature reserve from the Baikalskii Visitor Center to Osinovka Falls, several kilometers from Baikal itself..
Project description: This trail is situated within Baikalskii National Nature Reserve, one of the most pristine areas in all of Siberia. The first stretch of trail will begin at the trailhead, on the left bank of the river where an already existing trail needs improvements. Then on the right bank, further up the river, a new trail will have to be built.
Work: On the left bank volunteers will help in clearing and leveling existing trail, removing fallen trees, as well as some brush and undergrowth. A 10 meter bridge will be constructed across the river, along with several wooden walkways in low-lying areas. One campsite will also be built, and it will be equipped with an outdoor barbecue pit, picnic tables, toilet, and rubbish container. An acre will be cleared area for setting up tents. Further upstream, on the right bank, a winter cabin will be upgraded with new toilets & waste disposal systems. There will also be several rest stops set up, with informational bulletin boards along the trail. Trail markers and other trail indicators will be set out the entire length of the pathway. Finally, the visitor center/hostel area will be landscaped, with planted trees, new beds of native flowers, seeded grass and other native bushes and plants, both around the center and along the start of the path.
All this work will be performed with the help of volunteers from the local Tankhoi High School
Accommodations: Lodgings will provided be in nature reserve’s Visitor Center Hostel as well as in tents.
R&R: Weekend activities include swimming in Baikal, fishing, hiking into the heart of the reserve to see waterfalls, birds and oth er specially protected wildlife.
Host: The Baikalski Federal Nature Reserve
Meeting Location: Irkutsk (or for those taking the trans-Siberian train, you may come directly to the village of Tankhoi, headquarters to the Nature Reserve.
4. Trail to Serpent Springs
Ust-Barguzin Village, Zabaikalsky National Park
Dates: From July 10 to July 24 - two groups and from July 25 to August 8 - two groups and August 30 to September 18 (weather permitting) one group.
Location: Zabaikalsky National Park is located in the central part of Lake Baikal on its eastern shore, 260 km from Ulan-Ude.
Description: The Monakhovo-Zmeyevaya (or Serpent) Trail is made of two sections: the first goes from the settlement of Monakhovo to nearby Kurbulik., and the second runs from Kresti Beach to Serpent Springs. The route is used by tourists and local alike. It’s a great way of reaching Serpent Bay and the famous hot springs of the same name without having to go by boat.
Work: It is necessary to carry out some urgent repairs on the existing trail here. This will entail: 1. Clearing the trail of debris and fallen trees 2. Creating detours around hazardously steep areas and otherwise covering and restricting access to the old trail in places where it is too dangerous 3. Reinforcing the trail, especially on modest slopes. 4. Placing markers and directional signs at ridges along the trail, at intersections, and at the bottoms of slopes.
Accommodations: Volunteers will utilize guest houses (boarding-houses) in Barguzin for several days, as well as a ski-resort hotel there. Out on the site, tents will be used most of the time, with possible stays in the Park's Environmental Center..
R&R: Swimming in Baikal, bathing in the thermal spring, and fishing. After the project ends: taking there will be a chance to take a cutter around Chivirkuysky Bay.
Host: The Zabaikalsky National Park.
Meeting-place: The Hotel Buryatia, in downtown Ulan-Ude.
5. Khamar-Dabansky Trail
The Utulik-Solzan Regional Park
Dates: August 9-21
Location: near the town of Baikalsk along the southern edge of Lake Baikal
Description: This trail connects the watersheds of the Utulik, Babkha and Solzan Rivers. It is a key component to developing this, the first regional nature park this part of Siberia. Two of the trails under construction are loop trails, running from the foot of the northern section of the Khamar-Daban Mountain Range to the sub-alpine zones below. Total length of these ecotrails will be 80 km. The land has been granted for use by the Irkutsk Oblast' administration to the Baikalsk Business Incubator (a local non-profit). The trails are used by thousands of residents from the towns of Baikalsk, Babkha, Utulik, Kedrovaya and Mangutai. Unfortunately, at present the trails themselves are somewhat littered, and in some places are severely blocked. The terrain is mountainous, full of steep slopes, bogs and rivers. There are beautiful vistas along the trail, as well as 124 species of endangered plants. There are also 40 bird species that range in this region. After the work is completed, both the regional park and the trail itself will be managed by the Baikalsk Business Incubator, under the supervision of the Irkutsk government administration.
Work: In outfitting the ecotrails in this new regional nature park, we intend to: 1)-restore and clear some twenty-five km of trail; 2)-create five new campsites; 3)-build two suspension bridges across the Babkha river. Volunteers will include 3 employees from the Baikalsk Incubator.
Accommodations: Over-nighting in tents near the worksites.
R&R: Optional activities may include swimming in Baikal, birdwatching, fishing, hiking and mountain climbing, and visits to the local town of Baikalsk, the largest town on Baikal.
Hosts: Baikalsk Incubator
Meeting Location: Irkutsk
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6. Repairing the Bolshoye Goloustnoye to Sandy Bay Trail.
Pribaikalski National Park
Dates: August 23 to September 3 only
Location: North of the village of Bolshoye-Goloustnoye
Project Description. The shoreline trail up to-Sandy Bay has been designated as a key part of the Great Baikal Trail system. The trail represents the only way for pedestrians to easily reach Sandy Bay from Bolshoye Goloustnoye. In 2003, the trail was used by hundreds of long-distance hikers, of which some 25% were foreign citizens. In 2002, a guide-booklet was published for the trail, containing very extensive and exact information about trail conditions. (An English version of the publication is being prepared.) Some parts of the trail had been cleared in previous years, and supplied with campsites, bridges, trail markers and informational kiosks. But last year, a forest fire left 60% of the trail blocked by fallen trees, two of the campsites burnt, and two of the bridges destroyed. So this year's project will not involve building of a new trail, but the restoration of an already-existing trail.
Work: To carry out the project the following activities are planned: 1-Clearing fallen trees from 25 km of the Bolshoe Goloustnoye-Sandy Bay trail. 2-Building two campsites (with tables and benches as wel l as foundations for tents). 3-Building and placing three informational kiosk-displays, as well as some fifty trail markers. 4-Actual re-building of the Trail (some 7.5 km). The work will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, some 20 volunteers from Rotary International will clear and supply materials for the Sandy Bay Trail. This work will run 10-12 days and take place in June of 2004.
During the second phase, ten volunteers will build the Sandy Bay Trail itself, making it accessible for horse-riders. (At present, the descent from the pine forest passages is too steep for horse traffic. The second phase will run 10-12 days and will require international volunteers
Accommodations: Housing 2 nights in bed and breakfasts in Bolshoye Goloustnoye, and then 10 days in tents near the worksite at Sandy Bay.
R&R: Optional activities may include swimming in Baikal, fishing, hiking, and visits with local people in the Buryat villa ge of Bolshoye Goloustnoye.
Hosts: Pribaikalski National Park
Meeting Location: Irkutsk
NEW PROJECT---Restoration of the-Preobrajenskiy Monastery on Lake Baikal.
Posol’skoe village, Republic of Buryatiya.
Dates of restoration events: 1 June - 15 July; and again from 16 July - 1 September.
Location: The monastery is situated some 150 kilometers from the city of Ulan-Ude.. This is the oldest standing monastery in all of Siberia. This monastery was built in 1651 in honor of the territorial ambassador, Erofey Zabolotniy, who died here.
Job at hand: Workers will take part in restoration work, started in 2002 under the initiative of the Preobrajenskiy Monastery Restoration Fund. The main tasks remaining are in landscaping, repairing a brick-covered front wall and other sides and turrets of the monastery, performing necessary carpentry work and roof construction.
Accommodation: tent camp, as well as local school building (not far from work site).
Rest and relaxation: swimming in Lake Baikal, fishing, hiking, trip down to the Selenga River.
Host: The Posol’skiy Spaso-Preobrajenskiy Monastery on Lake Baikal.
Place of meeting: Hotel Buryatiya in Ulan-Ude city.
Additional information: Naturally, the hosts would like to work with volunteers who embrace or otherwise respect religious freedoms.