A credit course or expedition voyage in Russian Siberia - August/September 2003

General Introduction

We are pleased to invite you to participate in a journey through the ecological zones of Central Siberia, within the framework of the 'Green Net of Russia' project. Several major ecological zones will be traversed, starting with the taiga forest of the Krasnoyarsk region, then we will cross the Solgonskij Krjaz range and descend into the steppes of Khakassia. From there we will travel through the Sayan mountains by boat, following the Yenesei gorge, studying various types of temperate montane forests, to the steppes and sand and scrub deserts of Tuva. Our last stop will be in high altitude forests and alpine tundra while crossing the Sayan mountains by road. This will bring us to four of Russia's most exquisite 'zapovedniks' (nature reserves): Stolby, Chazy, Sayano Shushensky and Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina. The emphasis of the expedition/course is on the ecology, geography, natural history and wildlife of various climatic and ecological zones, their untouched wild condition, traditional land use as well as recent and potential conflicts with industrialization.

Sponsors, organizers and leaders

This expedition can be taken as a credit course (see below), and/or enjoyed as an experience of a lifetime. The expedition/course is organized by the 'Ecological Travel Center', (an environmental NGO), and is offered to North American participants through 'InterUniversity Centre Canada' a private corporation dedicated to the development of academic programs for North American students in the successor states to the USSR. The leaders/professors of this voyage are Dr. Konstantin Rogovin, Senior Scientist at the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Science, and Dr. Dolf Harmsen, Professor Emeritus at Queen's University, Kingston, Canada, who will both be giving lectures during the voyage. Other lectures and talks will be given by specialists from research institutes and nature reserves we will visit.

Cost, duration and logistics

The total duration of the expedition/course is 23 days (tentative dates 19 August to 10 September 2003). The cost is US $2325. A deposit of US $200 is required at the time of registration. For registration details see below.. The cost covers the airfares from Moscow to Krasnoyarsk, and back to Moscow from Abakan or Kyzyl, as well as all essential expenses for the duration of the course (i.e. all travel in Siberia, overnight costs and all meals, including the first night and the last night in Moscow ) and the cost of the Russian visa. Participants are responsible for their travel from their home base to Moscow and back. Very reasonable overnight accommodation can be arranged for those who wish to spend some extra time in Moscow either before or after completion of the journey. Participants must bring all their own clothing and personal items, including boots for hiking, raingear etc. A list of recommended items, as well as anticipated weather conditions etc will be posted on this web-site as part of the frequent updates that will be added to the site.

Insurance and orientation

Travel to countries or regions of countries that do not have a well-developed tourist industry can pose difficulties at times. We caution all participants to take out adequate travel and health insurance. Such insurance comes in a variety of packages that vary considerably in cost and coverage; choose your insurance with care. InterUniversity Centre offers an insurance package, but the participants are responsible for choosing the insurance they consider appropriate for themselves. The Queen's University International Centre offers pre-departure orientation sessions for students. For specific dates of these sessions, please contact Ms K. Jennings at eaa@post.queensu.ca. A detailed Pre-Departure Workbook for Study, Work or Travel Abroad is available on a limited-access website of Queen's University's International Centre. You can get the password from Dr.Harmsen Harmsenr@biology.queensu.ca ; he can also send you a hardcopy through the mail. Video tapes of the session will be available in April, and are on the limited access website. Most universities offer similar orientation courses; we strongly advise all participants to avail themselves of such services, and also remember that travel in Siberia may involve unforeseen delays and other minor irritants. Queen's University has also arranged for an 'Evacuation Plan' for Canadian citizens via the Canadian Embassy in Moscow as a hopefully unnecessary safety measure in case of an unforeseen international problem.

The number of participants is 15; the voyage can only proceed with that number of participants since a high percentage of the cost is fixed, so that the cost per participant is dependant on the number of participants

Credit course arrangements

The course is listed as a senior undergraduate course, Biology 307/407, at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, within the framework of the Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology. The professor in charge of the course is Dr. Rudolf Harmsen. The course will carry a half course credit weight. (Ontario students are required to complete five full credits in a full academic year). Most North American universities will recognize a Queen's University credit for transfer. Interested students from universities not associated with the Ontario Program are advised to take the course via Moscow State University. The faculty of Soil Science of this University will offer a credit to those who complete all the requirements listed below. Participants interested in taking the course via MSU should inquire at their home institution as to credit transfer arrangements. Registered students will be evaluated on the basis of their participation during the course. They will have to give a short presentation introducing or summarizing one of the ecosystems we will study. They will also submit an essay on a topic of their choice, and as agreed on in consultation with Dr. Harmsen. Part of the assessment of the students' performance will be based on their participation in the various aspects of the field work.

Application and registration procedures

A registration form and instructions can be down-loaded from this web-site: www.interuniversity.com. Students who have registered through their home university with the Ontario program must also register with the InterUniversity Centre in Guelph, but do not have to pay another deposit. For further information, and updates keep consulting this website frequently or contact Dr.Harmsen directly at telephone number (613) 533-6136 or (613) 544-3626, or at harmsenr@biology.queensu.ca .