How 20-56 year old volunteers went to combat willow: details on the APB Turaŭ Camp – see below.
In August, volunteers of APB BirdLife Belarus gathered again at the APB Reserve. The Turaŭ Meadow is an internationally important bird area. Shrubbery growing over the Pripyat floodplain must be cut down. Shrubs present an obstacle for waders: the birds simply have no room for roosting!
We watch how the Turaŭ Bird Ringing Station operates, and then we pick our tools and hit the road.
- This year, we are going to one of the key sectors of the Turaŭ Meadow, - says Pavel Pinchuk, Director of the Belarusian Bird Ringing Center, – Masses of peewits, redshanks and such red-book species as the ringed plover, Terek sandpiper, oystercatcher and great snipe were noted there. Birds used to love the place. But it has overgrown with plants. There has not been any cutting for, I believe, 15 years…
The first felled willow falls with a crushing sound. We surround the tree like ants, each carrying branches away. We decided to measure the largest tree, like it was done in the 38 Parrots cartoon. Instead of birds though, we used human arms: it was the size of 10 people! Now the willow will not occupy the place that is so much needed by waders.
The first day is very productive: chips and branches are flying around and heaps of willow are growing fast. At night, we check the results: we have done a lot and there is still more to be done!
The next morning begins with a small bird excursion: we watch the red-book ring plovers and ruffs, discuss the wood sandpiper and put up pods of peewits. Another couple of minutes – and we spot a little stint. One must be lucky to see that bird.
Inspired by the birds, we come back to the job. Again: shrubs – trees – branches. We are in a hurry: we need to accomplish as much as possible.
- Our volunteer camp gathers both old APB members, IBA Guardians, and people who are not members of our organization – they only saw an announcement about the summer camp on the Internet, – explains Maxim Nemchinov, the Camp Coordinator and "Nature Important for All" Project Manager. – So, the camp provides a great opportunity to share experience and bring in new people. I believe we are going to have more and more assistance every year! The Turaŭ Camp has been closed, but we are going to have many new activities in future. Become a Guardian of your local important bird area, be where your help is needed!
The volunteers – old-time APB friends and newcomers, students and pensioners, biologists and programmers, residents of Homiel and Minsk… We were all united by our desire to support birds by our actions. Thank you!
Olga Novik from Biaroza:
- I like nature very much, therefore, I am here. I was born and raised in the countryside and I am not shy of manual work. I can tell all those who are afraid of getting dirty and scratching their feet and arms with branches, that it is not as bad as it seems. There is another key point here: you develop through such work. You are always on the move. You communicate with nature directly, here and now, not through photographs and films.
The volunteer camp was held under the "Nature Important for All" Project with the financial support from the European Union.
Victoria Tereshonok, APB Press Service
22.08.2016
