The “GUIDE” Kaliningrad Regional Youth Environmental Group (non-governmental non-commercial organisation) Created: 1995 Registered: 1999 Coordinates: Botanicheskaja St., 2, office 14, Kaliningrad, , RUSSIA Phone: Phone/fax: Contact persons: Ismail Nigmatoulline (Coordinator of informational projects and cooperation), Alexey Golubitsky (Leader of the organisation) The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002

The “GUIDE” Kaliningrad Regional Youth Environmental Group Environmental education (raise of environmental awareness) among the community. Collection and spreading of environmental information. Involvement of young people with the rest of the public in the environment protection activities. Development of cooperation in the environmental field. Development of the Nature Protected Areas networks. Maintaining of the independent monitoring of environmentally dangerous projects. The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Main objectives:

The “GUIDE” Kaliningrad Regional Youth Environmental Group schoolchildren students teachers scientists biologists (ornithologists, ichthyologists, hydrobiologists and others) geographers Earth scientists other experts (cleaner production, ecomanagement and others) The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Members:

The “GUIDE” Kaliningrad Regional Youth Environmental Group Ecological laboratory of Kaliningrad Regional Children Centre for Environmental Education and Tourism (CEBET) Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) Russian Bird Conservation Union Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES) AVA (European Network of Environmental NGOs) Esrum Mollegard school Kaliningrad State University World Ocean Museum Kaliningrad City Administration The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Sample of links with other organizations:

Some facts about Kaliningrad region (water reservoirs and watercources) The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Territory: km 2 Population: ≈ persons Borders: Poland – 210 km Lithuania – 200 km Baltic Sea coastline – 140km Largest rivers: Neman (115km in the region), Pregolya (123km) Largest lake: Vyshtyneckoje (18 km 2 ) Other water reservoirs and watercourses: 150 ponds and lakes (18 km 2 in total) 239 swamp (821 km 2 in total) 339 watercourses (5180 km in total) 945 drainage channel (3384 km in total)

Main aspects of environmental problems of Kaliningrad region Water management and pollution Air pollution Solid waste management Energy management Environmental education The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002

Water problems Water pollution (“Quality”) Main pollutant : sewage, wastewater Sources: - factories, plants - agriculture - household The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Water management (“Quantity”) Water consumption is not controlled No stimulus for water saving Great overconsumption of water

The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Pollutants Small watercources Neman and Pregolya Baltic Sea Local pollution is threat for Baltic Sea! Link between pollution of local rivers and Baltic Sea pollution

Water problems Water pollution (“Quality”) Main pollutant : sewage, wastewater Sources: - factories, plants - agriculture - household The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Water management (“Quantity”) Water consumption is not controlled No stimulus for water saving Great overconsumption of water lack of environmental culture and environmental education

Program of environmental education combined with collecting information about environment of the region (The “GUIDE” together with ecological lab of CEBET) Cultivating of careful attitude to the nature and water resources; Improvement of people’s level of environmental education; Teachers’ training to provide them possibility to carry out environmental education by themselves; Collecting information about natural water objects in Kaliningrad region (monitoring) The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Main goals:

water ecosystem: structure and functioning water quality: what is water quality and what does it depend on how does water quality affects the ecosystem evaluating of water quality (methods accessible for schoolchildren) wastewater treatment principles methods costs (conclusion: importance of water saving) practical steps for water cleaning – what can we do by ourselves (scheme: “I see” → “I like” → “I want to save” → “I learn” → “I act”) The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Topics of the studies: Program of environmental education combined with collecting information about environment of the region (The “GUIDE” together with ecological lab of CEBET)

The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 In the lab On the river (outdoor)  Theoretical bases of water ecosystem’s structure and functioning  Building of food networks and ecosystem modeling  Studying aquarium materials (water ecosystem imitations)  Working with previously collected material  Trips to water objects (on EcoBus)  Obtaining samples and materials  Comparing theoretical knowledge with a practical situation  Evaluating the water quality Main activities Program of environmental education combined with collecting information about environment of the region (The “GUIDE” together with ecological lab of CEBET)

The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Data: collecting of and working with Trips to water objects Collecting water characteristics: Biological  Indicator organisms  Biodiversity  Bacteria number  BOD  Physical  Depth and width  Current speed  Turbidity  Temperature  Chemical  Oxygen contents  Nitrogen and phosphorus contents  pH Data combining and analyzing (together with children and teachers) Water quality evaluating Making decision about necessity of action taking Recording to database Applying on the map of the region Providing data for partner organizations

The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Studies with children carried out by ecological lab’ teachers (N.Belyakova, A.Dubinin) over the time from September 1998 till March Studies’ topicsNumber of studies Number of hours A. Natural water ecosystems. Factors determining their stability First glance at water plants and animals of Kaliningrad region64344 Food relations between organisms in water ecosystem68226 “The world in the drop of water”, “Who live in the pond?” (for small children)58134 B. Water pollution. Water quality Evaluating of water quality by bioindication method. Chemical and microbiological properties of water Household sewage and its cleaning (excursion to waste treatment plant; laboratory work) 1042 “Glass of water” (for small children)612 Oil pollution of water: Oil: treasure and danger “Black gold” (for small children) C. Studies with children’s research groups TOTAL

The “GUIDE” Environmental Group © 2002 Studies with teachers carried out by ecological lab’ teachers (N.Belyakova, A.Dubinin) over the time from September 1998 till March Studies’ topicsNumber of studies Number of hours Water ecosystems: population, food relations; stability-determining factors. Methods of water objects’ investigation; methods of water quality evaluating (field and cameral studies) Principles of studies’ carrying out Water: significance in our life; sewage water and its treatment Principles of practical studies with children; excursion to waste treatment plant; laboratory work Organizing of school monitoring of small rivers. The Baltic Sea Project 23 Practical studies in ecological education Topics and methods of studies with children of different age. 411 TOTAL38160 Program of environmental education combined with collecting information about environment of the region (The “GUIDE” together with ecological lab of CEBET)