Trash Free National Parks: the Pribaikalsky National Park

Trash Free National Parks: the Pribaikalsky National Park

A scale-up of the practices in the Pribaikalsky National Park (the Irkutsk region).

2021 – present

Lake Baikal Foundation has been implementing Trash Free National Parks program since 2019. The Pribaikalsky National Park is already the third specially protected natural area (SPNA) where sustainable practices of reducing waste generation and the system of separate collection with subsequent transportation for recycling are replicated. The project is being implemented taking into account the gained experience and expertise:

The model solutions of the Trash Free National Parks program are taken as a basis: in the beginning, visitors are taught the «Carry In – Carry Out» principle, as well as waste sorting in order to separate and recycle useful fractions: plastic, glass, metal. It is important that the acquired environmental knowledge can be immediately consolidated through practical application: a pilot recycling point will open in September this year in one of the most visited points of the Olkhon Island, namely on the Saraisky beach. A colored container site with detailed graphic instructions will match the landscape of a unique natural territory and at the same time attract the attention of visitors to responsible waste disposal during their recreation.

Additionally, other target audiences of the project will be covered. Together with the volunteers of the Give a Life to our Planet Foundation, lectures and workshops will be held for visitors and local residents, in particular, for families with children, schoolchildren, business representatives (travel operators, hotels and hostels, shops, etc.).

Goals:

  • increase the level of environmental culture of the local population and tourists coming to the Pribaikalsky National Park;
  • prevent further littering in the SPNA and neighboring settlements;
  • implement separate waste collection and elements of responsible tourism in the SPNA.

What effect do we want to achieve?

  • Separate waste collection practices are implemented for visitors of the Olkhon Island;
  • for the first time, the regional operator of solid waste management participates in the Trash Free National Parks program;
  • ecoeducational activities for the target audience are united into single concept ensuring the formation of professionals and population community who live and work in accordance with sustainable consumption concept;
  • the partnership among business, NGOs, SPNA, and civil society is strengthened thereby locally implementing the global Sustainable Development Goals in terms of responsible consumption, protection of terrestrial and water ecosystems.

Sustainability of the Project:

  • the pilot recycling point on the Saraisky beach is the basis for future sustainable waste management system in the Pribaikalsky National Park which will be maintained by the FSBI «Zapovednoye Pribaikalye» on a regular basis in a long term.


Trash Free National Parks