The first independent foreign visitor has recently arrived at Bryansk Forest Nature Reserve. Richard from Austria has been dreaming of visiting the russian village of Chukhrai for 10 years.
One of the GEO magazines in the anniversary year of 2006 was wholly devoted to Russia still unknown for most of the foreigners. This very magazine, shabby from reading and travelling, became a tour guide on our country for Richard, a citizen of Austria.
Not knowing the language or the country, but experienced in travelling around the world, Richard set to a month tour round Russia. During this time he visited different parts of the country, got acquainted with the culture and learnt 3 main Russian words: ‘Spasibo’ (Thanks), ‘Privet’ (Hello) and ‘Khorosho’ (OK, Good).
Bryansk Forest Nature Reserve is the final destination of Richard's tour round our country, a most thought over and desired one. He was well prepared: in that GEO magazine there was an article by Laura Williams (the wife of the founder and first director of Bryansk Forest Nature Reserve, a famous photographer Igor Shpilenok) illustrated by pictures of Nikolai Shpilenok. Richard also put some printouts of the nature reserve website inside the magazine. It turned out that Richard was ready with everything but for train tickets and notifying of his visit.
But for the three main Russian words, the traveller knew several more: 'Trofimovna', 'Kalinyonok', 'Khovrach' and 'Kiset' – Richard knew by heart all of the Chukhrai villagers (of 2006 of course). He was very upset at getting to know that none of the people he knew was stil alive. But he was licky to meet the the photographer Nikolai Shpilenok and the author of the article Laura WIlliams, who was as usual taking care of her horses when Richard arrived. The European tourist was astonished at the sight of an American ricking the hay in the very heart of Russia.
Richard, not scared with neither the fast ride, nor the roads, was so much infatuated with Bryansk Forest and Chukhrai that he planned returning in a year. This time with his friends and relatives. And he promised to order all the tickets and announce his coming beforehand.
At the mansion of the Bryansk Forest Nature Reserve in the valley of the Terebushka river there is an ecological path: a special deck for wildlife exposure and description. The place has been chosen on purpose: the valley of the small forest river Terebushka is extremely beautiful. Not only people like it, but animals too — they settled in the river and its former beds long ago.
Recently the results of International Birdwatching Days 2014 in Russia have been announced. Bryansk region has become the leader in the number of species counted — our birdwatchers have observed 89 bird species.