Siberian Wellness has announced plans to support projects of the Lake Baikal Foundation in 2024. The systematic support will focus on preserving the biodiversity of Baikal, its water resources, waste management, development of specially protected natural areas, and other areas of the Foundation’s work.
Siberian Wellness’s contribution to the Baikal ecosystem in 2023
Siberian Wellness has been supporting the Lake Baikal Foundation for seven years. During this time, systematic projects have been implemented to help the Baikal ecosystem at all levels cope with global climate change and increasing anthropogenic impact.
“The main advantage of such a long-term partnership is the ability to build systemic and strategic projects. Thanks to cooperation with Siberian Wellness, we launch hypotheses and scale them into sustainable projects for the preservation of the Lake Baikal ecosystem. This includes support for applied scientific research, tree plantings, and animal protection,” said Anastasia Tsvetkova, the CEO of the Lake Baikal Foundation.
Only in 2023 with the support of the Company:
- planted 15,000 trees in the areas affected by forest fires, with seedlings provided with care to increase planting resistance;
- recycled 2.5 tons of recyclable materials;
- purchased 29 pieces of equipment to enhance the efficiency of environmental protection measures: night vision binoculars, camera traps, and more;
- supported four projects for the conservation of rare species: capercaillie, Baikal sponge, endemic algae of Baikal, and endemic plants of the Baikal region;
- charitable assistance amounted to 10 170 000 rubles.
In 2024, with the support of Siberian Wellness, we plan to scale up the implemented projects and launch new ones.
Supporting the biodiversity of Baikal
To support the protection of rare and endemic species, in 2024 the Lake Baikal Foundation and Siberian Wellness plan to provide new grant assistance to the neediest projects. Each year, the Foundation receives applications from young scientists, employees of specially protected natural areas requesting assistance in conducting research on the well-being of animal and plant populations. In 2018, the Foundation also initiated a program to protect the Baikal seal and continues to study the Baikal endemic species with leading experts.
Forest restoration will be carried out on 10 hectares (instead of 5.4 hectares in 2023). Volunteers will be involved in scaling up the plantings, and the project itself will meet all the requirements of a sustainable forest-climate project.
Reducing anthropogenic impact on Lake Baikal
One of the most important topics is monitoring the condition of the lake and reducing human activity’s impact on the Baikal natural territory. In this track, the Lake Baikal Foundation and Siberian Wellness jointly support the work of scientists conducting continuous observations of Lake Baikal’s ecosystem and implement solutions to optimize waste management in national parks.
“Siberian Wellness produces products from natural ingredients, and we understand the importance and value of the planet’s resources like no other. As part of the ESG plan, the Company has been investing in long-term environmental projects for over 12 years. We attract not only corporate investments but also contributions from our Business Partners, thus promoting a responsible attitude towards nature. Over the years of participating in conservation efforts, Siberian Wellness has directed 45 million rubles towards preserving the world’s deepest lake, and we will continue to support this important cause,” emphasized Siberian Wellness President Tatyana Gorokhovskaya.
Siberian Wellness will also support the longest-running project on scientific ecological monitoring, “Point No. 1,” by the Institute of Biology at Irkutsk State University, thanks to which we have information on the state of Lake Baikal’s pelagial (water layers) for 79 years.
Another important focus is helping natural areas combat waste and providing environmental education to visitors amid the growing tourist flow to Baikal. To enhance the effectiveness of the “Trash Free National Parks” program, we plan several measures:
- Set up special food waste collection sites protected from bears and other wild animals and conduct an educational campaign on food waste;
- Develop a solution for collecting glass to prevent shard formation;
- Increase the production of goods for the needs of specially protected natural areas from recycled raw materials;
- Service existing waste separation points installed in previous years.
Finally, in 2024, with the financial assistance of Siberian Wellness, significant work will be completed on the development of a Sustainable Development Strategy for the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Zapovednoe Podlemorye,” which protects and develops three unique natural areas on the northeast coast of Lake Baikal.
To ensure a comprehensive approach to forming the strategy, in addition to the employees of the Federal State Budgetary Institution, the Foundation’s team engages in a dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders of “Zapovednoe Podlemorye”: the local population, tourists, and the expert community. Practical implementation of the Strategy will begin this year.