Between 7 and 21 June, second-year students from the Faculty of Geography, Geoecology, and Tourism of VSU completed their practical training in bioindication and environmental mapping at the V. Peskov Voronezh State Nature Biosphere Reserve under the supervision of Associate Professor Sergey Epryntsev, Associate Professor Marina Klevtsova, and senior lecturer Dmitry Sarychev.
Located on the territory of the Usmanskii forest, the reserve has a variety of natural habitats and rich flora and fauna, which allowed students to learn the main methods of bioindication, perform field and laboratory interpretation of the photographic and satellite images of the studied territory, and develop a topographic map of the forest. During their field research, students learned methods of geographic reference based on the use of the Global Navigation Satellite System and geodetic instruments. Students also learned how to set up and run a scientific expedition camp.
The reserve’s researchers organised a number of tours for the students to promote environmental outlook. Students also did some volunteer work at the reserve.
The supervisors of the group expressed their gratitude to the director of the reserve, Anatoly Tarasov, as well as to the staff members, Vladislav Oleinikov, Vladimir Lavrov, Igor Vorobiov, Alexander Cheremukhin, Natalia Khlyzova, Evgeny Zverevoy, Tatiana Sirotina, and Dmitry Bunkin, for their assistance in organising the field camp, the guided tours, and the students’ volunteer work.
