From May 23 to May 27, 2022, the scientific organizations of the Department of Biological Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus are holding the Week of the Native Nature.

By tradition, the event is timed to coincide with the celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22). State Scientific Industrial Company «Scientific-Practical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Bioresources», State Scientific Institution «V.F. Kuprevich Institute of Experimental Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», State Scientific Institution «Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus» and State Scientific Institution «Forest Institute» prepared a number of events.

On the eve of the Week of the Native Nature, on May 21 (Saturday), a fair dedicated to the World Bee Day will be held in the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Guests will enjoy the honey tasting, a creative master class and the honey sales. At the festival, adults and children will be taught by specialists to understand bee products and use them with benefit.

On May 23, 2022, the opening seminar of the Week of the Native Nature will be held, timed to coincide with the International Day for Biological Diversity, when the leading scientists of the Department of Biological Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, representatives of scientific organizations, ministries and departments will report. The scientists of the V.F. Kuprevich Institute of Experimental Botany NAS of Belarus will report about the diverse and unique flora of the Elnya Swamp.

On May 23-27, 2022, the Forest Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus will organize an information and educational project «Dialogues about Nature». Within this project the students from the city of Gomel and the scientists will discuss the biodiversity of the forest ecosystems, the rational nature management and the policy pursued in our country in the field of the nature protection. The Zoochetverg project will offer a popular science lecture «In Search of the Bear Metelka: Marsh Research by an Entomologist» (May 26 in the assembly hall of the V.F. Kuprevich Institute of Experimental Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus).

Employees of the V. F. Kuprevich Institute of Experimental Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and National Practical Center on Bioresources will join the action «Clean Coast» to clean up and improve the coastal strip of the Vileika Reservoir, as well as hold a teleconference with colleagues from the I.G. Petrovsky Bryansk State University, dedicated to conservation of plant biodiversity in the Nerusso-Disney Polessye region.

Traditionally, the scientists prepared an extensive excursion program. Educational excursions will be organized for high school students as part of the program «First Step into Science» on the theme: «Collection funds and research laboratories of the State Scientific and Research Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on Bioresources». During the Week of Native Nature (May 23-27) you will be able to see the collection funds and expositions of the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, including rhododendron collections, which are in the flowering phase. Educational excursions with a visit to the museum of the forest history of the Institute of Forestry, the study-museum of Academician V.A. Ipatyev, research laboratories of the Institute will be organized for students of secondary and vocational educational institutions of Gomel. Visitors to the Central Botanical Gardens of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus will also have the opportunity to consult with scientists and specialists – curators of lilac and rhododendron collections (in the format of online meetings). By the end of the Native Nature Week events on the website of the Central Botanical Garden of the NAS of Belarus will be posted video posts in which specialists will answer the most popular and urgent questions on the agrotechnics of growing and caring for lilacs and rhododendrons.

Наведвальнікаў Цэнтральнага батанічнага сада НАН Беларусі таксама чакаюць кансультацыі з навуковымі супрацоўнікамі і спецыялістамі – куратарамі калекцый бэзу і рададэндранаў (у фармаце анлайн-сустрэчы). Да завяршэння мерапрыемстваў Тыдня роднай прыроды на сайце Цэнтральнага батанічнага сада НАН Беларусі будуць размешчаны відэапасты, у якіх спецыялісты адкажуць на самыя папулярныя і надзённыя пытанні па агратэхніцы вырошчвання і доглядзе бэзу і рададэндранаў.

*International Day for Biological Diversity was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1995. Its goal is to raise awareness of the society in matters of ecological system conservation, to draw public attention to the problem of the irretrievable disappearance of many representatives of flora and fauna on Earth. This year's theme is Building a Common Future for All Living Things.