The 2nd All-Russian scientific and practical conference «Ecological Tourism: Modern Vectors of Development» was held in Yekaterinburg at the Ural State Pedagogical University. The RGS presented cases of its own popular science routes developed jointly with the country’s leading institutes. The project is based on the creation of a new tourist experience in the process of completing the citizen science tasks.
The conference was initiated by the Sverdlovsk Branch of the RGS under the auspices of the Permanent Environmental Protection Commission and the Tourism Development Commission of the RGS. The main discussion platform of the business program was the scientific debates at the studio of the Russian society «Znanie». Natalya Belyakova, Director of the Expeditionary and Tourism Development Department, spoke about the role of the RGS in the development of sustainable tourism and the approach to working with nature reserves as science centers:
«The expert staff of the Society participated in the development of federal methodological recommendations for the tourism industry and regional authorities. These manuals are freely available for study. They present cases on working with specially protected natural areas, in particular as centers of scientific knowledge. We are open to creating large, complex expedition trips when a specific event in the life of the reserve — animal migration, seasonal natural phenomena — is complemented by a tourist experience. The approach of the RGS is to involve travelers in solving a specific task set by the scientific department of specially protected natural areas.»
Currently, the collection of «Travels with the RGS» includes nine popular science routes in various, difficult regions of our country. Each of them defines a clear scientific component of the journey, the concept of which was developed jointly with nature reserves, national parks, and research institutes. Some trips are organized in an expedition format, when scientists and specialists in specific fields of knowledge come along with tourists on the route. Thus, immersion in the cognitive process of travel takes place on a new level. Program participants receive unique knowledge right on the route and, under the guidance of scientists, perform simple tasks assigned by the scientific departments of specially protected natural areas.
For example, a series of trips around Kamchatka, developed jointly with the Kronotsky Nature Reserve and several scientific institutes, invites everyone not only to get acquainted with the rich natural world of the peninsula, but also to participate in the development of a large GIS project for monitoring thermal and surface waters. Before starting the route, tourists are greeted by scientists who tell them about the history of research and the importance of their work. For the most part, comprehensive studies of complex territories have not been conducted since Soviet times. Scientific institutes often lack the resources, time, and capabilities to conduct regular monitoring, take water samples from sources that are difficult to reach physically, and photograph ecological sites, flora, and fauna. Responsible travelers can handle these tasks right along the route. By scaling such cases, as a result, we help both research laboratories and tourists who gain unique knowledge in various fields of science.
Another vector of the RGS’s routes is ethnographic expedition trips. Here, tourists get the opportunity not only to get acquainted with the way of life of indigenous peoples, but also to experience their lives for a few days. In the process, travelers get the opportunity to conduct their ethnographic research, join the anthropological «kitchen», learn how to work in the field, and collect materials: keep diaries, make sketches, write down stories firsthand.
The RGS plans to develop new tourist and expedition trips to the most unique attractions: the Arctic, the Far East, Siberia.