Lake Baikal – Buryatia and Irkutsk Region, Russia

20th Anniversary Baikal Information Centre

In November 2019, NGO Baikal Information Centre "GRAN" is celebrating its anniversary - 20 years!

During this period we have been dealing with issues on Lake Baikal conservation, its study and involvement of the younger generation into nature protection activities. Throughout these 20 years we have been actively developing international cooperation. There is a big number of environmental, eco-educational, social and cultural projects implemented on the territory of Russia and abroad. A diversity of our work is reflected in scientific and practical results. Some of the projects were fulfilled due to the support of Global Nature Fund, thank you very much for this.

We are very proud and happy to be a member of the Living Lakes community. You always give us inspiration and new ideas for work.

Thank you for being with us throughout all these years, and we look forward to meeting with you at the future Living Lakes Conferences.

Warmest regards from the GRAN team,

Nina Dagbaeva

Director NGO Baikal Information Centre "GRAN"

Background Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is located in the south of Siberia, near the Russian- Mongolian border.

The species diversity in Lake Baikal is the highest among all the world''s lakes. About 2,500 different species of animals and 1,000 plants are recorded. In the Siberian taiga, in the pinewoods and lark woods you can find bears, wolves, lynxes and elks. The Baikal Seal (Pusa sibirica) is a unique kind of seal living exclusively in fresh water. There are also other endemic species - an example is the Golomyanka, a scaleless transparent fish possessing no swim bladder.

Lake Baikal is a lake of superlatives. At more than 25 million years old it is world’s oldest lake and with its maximum depth of 1,673 metres, Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, and the largest freshwater lake in the world by volume. The lake is fed by more than 300 rivers and streams, the largest inflows are the rivers Upper Angara, Selenga and Bargusin. Angara is the only outflow in the south of the lake. Lake Baikal has 22 larger islands. The Olchon Island with a surface of 730 sq. km is the largest island in Lake Baikal.

Our partner is the nature protection association "Firn" and the Baikal Information Center GRAN in Ulan-Ude. Water pollution is the most urgent problem our partners are dealing with. The wastewater from a paper plant built in Baikalsk on the south shore of the lake in the 1960s was considered the major source to pollution in the lake since March 2009. Other major contributor to pollution is untreated industrial wastewater carried to the lake.

The collapse of the Soviet Union led to economic crisis and the people living near Lake Baikal, in their struggle of life, understandingly (but unsustainably) put aside the protection of nature and environment in favour of creating jobs. Over-fishing and uncontrolled hunting (e.g. hunting of seals) threaten the unique fauna of the region as well.

Other problems, our partners are focusing on, are the dissemination of ecological information and environmental education in the Baikal region.

At the end of 2008, the “Ecological Community Council” was founded, its primary option is the cooperation between the Office of Public Prosecutor and the NGOs in the sector of environmental protection. With the corporate implementation of federal and regional programmes, encroachments and ecological felonies should be prevented and therefore the conservation of the unique nature in the Baikal region should be ensured. FIRN is a member of the Ecological Community Council.

Project measures Lake Baikal

Together with both partner organisations, GNF is and was implementing the following projects

Why Nerpas are weeping (2013–2014)
Together we can do it! (2012–2013)
Project for the protection of the Baikal Seals "Nerpa in Focus"
Project of Development of Sustainable Tourism (2008–2010)
Project "Integration of Youths into a Sustainable Development and Conservation of the Heritage in the Barguzin River Valley in the Baikal Region" (2007–2009)
Barn-Swallow Project (2004)

Further information about each project you find under the separate project webpage.

GRAN gründete den Verband für Ökotourismus in Burjatien (BETA)

In Burjatien nimmt die Zahl der privaten Initiativen zu, die sich für die Entwicklung von Natur- und Ökotourismus interessieren und einsetzen. Um ihre Bestrebungen zu bündeln und erfolgreich aufzubauen, hat GRAN den Verband für Ökotourismus in Burjatien (BETA) im Herbst 2010 gegründet. Bisher erhielten die privaten Initiativen keine staatliche Unterstützung für die Schaffung und Vermarktung von Ökotourismus-Aktivitäten.

Im Oktober 2010 wurde der Verband BETA sowie das Ökotourismusprojekt in der Oka-Region von GRAN im Burjatischen Parlament vorgestellt und stießen dort auf positive Resonanz.

Mit der erfolgreichen Entwicklung von Ökotourismus könnte eine wichtige Alternative zur geplanten intensiven touristischen Nutzung am Baikalsee und in seinem Wassereinzugsgebiet entstehen. Ökotourismus ist eine direkte alternative Einkommensquelle für die lokale Bevölkerung und zeigt zudem den wirtschaftlichen Wert von Natur und Kultur auf.

Ecotourism association (BETA) formed in Buryatia by GRAN

In Buryata, the number of private initiatives aiming at promoting nature and ecotourism increases steadily. To pool and bring forward their activities, GRAN has formed the ecotourism association BETA in autumn 2010. To date, private initiatives do not benefit from state funding for the creation and marketing of eco-tourism activities.

In October 2010, GRAN presented the eco-tourism project in the Oka region to the parliament of Buryatia, and it was received with great interest.

The successful development of ecotourism can provide an important alternative to the planned intensive tourism activities at Lake Baikal and in the catchment area. Ecotourism is an alternative source of income for the local inhabitants demonstrating the economic value of nature and culture.

Award for best book

Im Dezember 2013 the toolkit for school chldren "Baikal Box" was announced as the best book in the Republic of Buryatia.

Lake Bakal in the schools of Burjatia

In December 2012, the Living Lakes partner GRAN presented a collection of study material on Lake Baikal for use by school children aged ten to fourteen to broaden their knowledge and understanding of Lake Baikal, its ecological and cultural importance. The toolkit contains information, pictures, quiz questions and other interactive elements. The Baikal seal as a sympathetic mascot guides the reader through the diverse chapters. Game cards with questions on the animal and plant species and other interesting features as well as a big coloured map of Lake Baikal complement the education material.

Within the scope of a practical test, GRAN will distribute 1,000 copies among four schools, libraries and environmental organisations in Burjatia. If there is positive feedback, all school classes in Burjatia (for children aged 10 to 14) will receive a copy. It is planned to prepare an English version of the teaching material. The material was financed by UNEP and CocaCola.