HSE Students Save the Forests

Respect for the environment brings future teachers, architects, economists, programmers and linguists together – as HSE Nizhny Novgorod campus take part in a project to restore forests that suffered in the 2010 forest fires.

Respect for the environment brings future teachers, architects, economists, programmers and linguists together – as HSE Nizhny Novgorod campus take part in a project to restore forests that suffered in the 2010 forest fires.

The ‘Living Earth’ project, developed with the support of Nizhny Novgorod local authorities, is being held for the fourth time. Its goal is to unite students from all universities in Nizhny Novgorod. This year the initiative focused on Voskresensky district.

Phase one involved planting trees and the preliminary clear-up of the territory. On the second and third days volunteers, armed with spades and kitted out in wellies, went off into the forest to plant pine trees at the prepared sites.

It was hard but useful work, and the students were also able to enjoy a varied sports and entertainment programme. In their free time, they played tennis, games, and billiards. And in the evening they gathered by the camp-fire.

They also enjoyed an excursion to lake Svetloyar, where they learned about the history of how it formed, the famous legend, and watched the beautiful sunset over the lake.

Yulia Kryuchkova, a first year student at the Faculty of Informatics, Mathematics and Computer Sciences at HSE Nizhny Novgorod said: ‘I got such a buzz of positive emotions, that it’s hard to pinpoint the best part! The main thing is to never forget how much interesting there is around us, and that small difficulties are part of this invaluable experience that we enjoyed those three days. Drinking tea in the evenings, the journey there by van over dirt roads – much more fun than any roller coaster, believe me! – the night sky, those are all things I will remember.’