For arctic travel enthusiasts: MASU scientist takes part in creating a birdwatching travel guide
- 21.08.2020
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A birdwatching travel guide «The Arctic Gives You Wings» was presented last week in Murmansk. The unusual event took place at the natural habitat of the sea birds — the Kola bay.
The guide explains how ornithology can be an active and educational kind of tourism. The work was published with the support of the Russian Geographical Society.
An ornithology guide for the Murmansk region and Eastern Finnmark «Birding Across the Border» was published in English in 2016. The large group of authors worked on the Russian edition: ornithologists, professional photographers, expedition organizers, natural reserve and conservation area scientists, including the MASU «Monitoring and Conserving Arctic Ecosystems» laboratory worker — Ramzia Gaynanova.
Ramzia Gaynanova was responsible for cartography. She created informative schemes of various territories for each chapter of the travel guide. In the book, you’ll find 48 locations for birdwatching and a list of local animals. The territory covered by the guide includes 322 bird species.
No detail is overlooked by the authors — the route, infrastructure, quality of cellphone connection, the best seasons for visiting and local attractions. The guide will help you choose the right optics and tell you where you’ll need a spyglass or binoculars. The routes cover both the Russian and Norwegian territories — the travel guide tells which areas have special rules.
Birdwatching is an eco-friendly tourism. Beginners will find recommendations on how to watch the birds without harming them.
The guide is made for locals who want to get a fresh look at the nature of their region as well as for travel companies, ecologists, and teachers. City and regional libraries have already received the copies of the book.
Translated by Alina Derkacheva
MA Candidate in Translation studies (Linguistics) — MASU