Since the recent downturn in August of an already declining economy in Russia, a general pall seems to hang like a storm cloud in the air. Throughout the fall season we have been receiving reports from around Russia of the hardships caused by the country's financial state. Budget cuts for Zapovedniks signify much more than limited conservation activities. In Sayano-Shushenksi Zapovednik, a ranger has been killed. In Kavkazski Zapovednik, an education specialist laments that his hard work is no longer appreciated or needed.
Managers write of their struggle to keep offices and housing heated.
Many are dreading a tough winter ahead. The coming months will, indeed, be difficult for conservationists, protected areas managers, scientists, and many others in the environmental field. Together with our colleagues in the region, we must work hard to preserve the many achievements that have been made in the past decades. We must continue to bolster the Zapovedniks, National Parks, and NGOs in the region and we must find innovative ways of getting funds directly to the region. As this issue of Russian Conservation News was going to press, the shocking.