A group of 20 schoolchildren embarked on an ecological and local history expedition "Water Arteries of the Vitebsk Region" from the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve from June 12 to 19, the environmental institution informed a BELTA correspondent.
A group of 20 schoolchildren embarked on an ecological and local history expedition "Water Arteries of the Vitebsk Region" from the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve from June 12 to 19, the environmental institution informed a BELTA correspondent.
"Previously, when the adventures of 'Polesie Robinsons' captivated children across the entire Union, such water expeditions for children were popular. And now our specialist, Alexey Bogovets, is reviving the tradition of eco-rafting, where children can learn a lot of new things and acquire survival skills in field conditions. He also leads classes in the tourism club, whose pupils, along with other active schoolchildren from the village of Domzheritsy, and several individuals from Borisov, have set off on the current expedition. The average age of the participants is 13-14 years old," said Artem Damut, Head of the Reserve's Tourism Department.
It is expected that over the week the participants will cover approximately 150 km by kayaks and boats along a system of lakes and canals, from Lake Olshitsa in Lepel District to the Western Dvina River in Polotsk. Along the way, they will visit natural monuments and man-made architectural creations, and sites of military glory of the Fatherland's defenders. Last year, Alexey Bogovets organised a similar water expedition along the Berezina River basin. This route won in the nomination "Best Ecological Expedition" at the regional competition "Discover the Motherland - Educate Yourself".
"The current expedition is a logical continuation of the first one, because the watershed of two basins - the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea - runs through the territory of our reserve. The first direction was explored last year, and now it is the turn of the second. About 200 years ago, the man-made Berezina Water System of canals was created by imperial decree for the development of trade routes, timber rafting, and so on. The children will also learn about this during the expedition," added Artem Damut.
The expedition is absolutely safe for children: all of them have undergone preliminary instruction, and complete novices have also received training, noted the head of the reserve's tourism department. All participants have been provided with the necessary equipment from the reserve's arsenal. In general, it turned out to be an engaging alternative to a health camp. However, the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve is not limited to water tourism offers for children: during school holidays, everyone can visit the local "Museum of Nature" and "Forest Zoo", the "Education House", the monitoring station, walk along the country's first mythological trail, or go on a bike tour, ride horses and observe the starry sky through a telescope, and try many other activities.