CC BY
30EARTH SCIENCES
DESIGNING EDUCATIONAL NATURE TRAILS WITHIN A SUBURBAN PROTECTED NATURAL AREA
Degteva A.,
MS student, Department of Ecology, Yuri Gagarin State Technical University of Saratov, Russia
Podolsky A.
Professor, Department of Ecology, Yuri Gagarin State Technical University of Saratov, Russia
Abstract
The article considers educational nature trails as a necessary element of comprehensive environmental education at protected natural areas. The ecological routes designed on the territory of Kumysnaya Polyana Nature Park, their designation and the tasks, the completion of which is required during the project implementation, are reviewed in this publication.
Keywords: educational nature trails, protected natural area, Nature Park, Kumysnaya Polyana, environmental education.
Currently, the issue of environmental culture is particularly relevant. This is due to the growing human impact on protected natural areas. The method of presenting material is of great importance in conducting environmental education. Up-to-date infrastructure elements offered for training and an opportunity to observe natural environment is the basis of high-quality environmental education. The formation of ecological culture should be the focus of activities conducted within suburban protected natural areas.
Designing educational nature trails within the suburban protected natural areas may contribute to the protection and restoration of ecosystems and promote their rational management. An educational nature trail is a specialized route set in natural environment. Walking the educational nature trail combines both recreational and learning activities. A society with a developed environmental culture of the population is formed via studying natural objects in natural environment. This contributes to the implementation of the fundamental principle of international standard for environmental education: education about the environment, through the environment and for the environment.
The Kumysnaya Polyana Nature Park is located near the city of Saratov, Russia. The area of the Nature Park is 4.4 thousand hectares. Recreational and health improving facilities for adults and children as well as ski resorts are located on the territory of the forest. Forest management in the park is in progress. Work is underway on the removal of garbage, and protection and preservation of forests. The objectives of the functioning of the Nature Park are to preserve the unique natural complex of the suburban forest, environmental education and recreation in natural environment.
The forest plant communities of the Kumysnaya Polyana Nature Park are built predominantly by five tree species: English oak (Quercus robur L.), European
maple (Acer platanoides L.), small-leaved lime-tree (Tilia cordata Mill.), aspen (Populus tremula L.) and white birch (Betula pendula Roth.). Numerous representatives of the forest fauna are fox, least weasel and white-bellied hedgehog. The main representatives of the avifauna of the forest are common Chaffinch, Collared Flycatcher, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Common Blackbird, and Song Thrush.
Conducting environmental education activities is essential for nature protection in the Nature Park. At present, educational activities within Kumysnaya Poly-ana Nature Park are represented by a comprehensive environmental program. Part of this program is designing educational nature trails.
Expanding knowledge of natural objects and ecological processes, studying the impact of human activities on ecosystems, and acquiring the skills of integrated environmental assessment are the main goals of designing educational nature trails. The tasks of creating educational nature trails are education about the environment and tourist recreation. The main requirements put forward in the course of designing such route are the aesthetic appeal of the area, degree of difficulty of the terrain, and relevance of educational materials advertised along the educational nature trail.
The main types of activities required for the creation of educational nature trails are the strengthening of the roadway and the installation of small architectural structures (information boards, signs, bridges, etc.).
The results of educational nature trails' design within a suburban protected natural area Kumysnaya Polyana Nature Park include the development of three educational nature trails.
Educational nature trail #1 is a route 7.1 km long. The walking time for this nature trail varies in the range from 2.5 to 3.5 hours (excluding prolonged stops). This educational nature trail is presented in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 1. Educational nature trail #1, satellite view Figure 2. Educational nature trail #1, schematic view
Educational nature trail #2 is a route 5.1 km long. from 3 to 4 hours (excluding prolonged stops). The na-
Figure 3. Educational nature trail #2, satellite view Figure 4.
Educational nature trail #2, schematic view
Educational nature trail #3 is a route 4 km long. from 1.5 to 2.5 hours (excluding prolonged stops). The The walking time for this nature trail varies in the range nature trail #3 is presented in Figures 5 and 6.
Figure 5. Educational nature trail #3, satellite view Figure 6.
Educational nature trail #3, schematic view
Travel time is given approximately based on our pilot studies. Educational nature trails are quite accessible. They have access roads and do not run along steep ascents and descents. Educational nature trails intersect different types of landscape complexes and ecosystems. This is ensured by laying out trails both on plateau and on the slopes of various aspects, as well as along the bottom of ravines. The trails are expected to run through forested areas as well as open space.
Designing educational nature trails is one of the most important tasks of any protected natural area. The Kumysnaya Polyana Nature Park serves as an enormous air filter providing city of Saratov with clean air.
The implementation of environmental activities within its area directed at raising environmental awareness of the population would facilitate preserving the Nature Park ecosystems experiencing heavy impact of human activities.
REFERENCES:
1. Palmer J.A. Environmental Education in the 21st Century: Theory, Practice, Progress, and Promise. London: Routledge, 1998. - 284 pp.
2. Protected natural areas [Electronic resource]. - Access link: http://www.zapoved.ru/main/missions. -Accessed on 07.04.19.
3. Stepanitskiy V. Environmental education activities at nature reserves and national parks [Electronic resource]. - Access link: http://www.ecoeth-ics.ru/old/b53/10.html. - Accessed on 08.04.19.
4. Demidov V.A. Theoretical grounds and practical implementation of the Environmental Education
Nature Trail Project [Electronic resource]. - Access link: https://sites.google.com/site/blokalkany/teoreti-ceskoe-obosnovanie-i-prakticeskaa-realizacia-proekta-ekologiceskaa-tropa. - Accessed on 10.04.19.
WATER BALANCE THEORY IS MORE THAN 340 YEARS OLD
Iofin Z.
Doctor of technical sciences, Ph.D., Professor, Institute of Mathematics and Rational usage of natural resources,
Vologda State University
Abstract
Since Pierre Perrault's publications (1674) and till nowadays water balance equation was used despite it resulted to serious errors in calculation, due to one of its terms absence. This article provides linear-correlation model, which does not have this drawback.
Keywords: linear correlation model, infiltration capacity, depth of absorption into the soil, water balance equation, soil water storage, soil moisture, capillary fringe.
Introduction
Water balance is the basis for assessment of water resources in different river basins and territories. It is one of the parameters for hydroeconomic calculations. The results of such calculations determine the capacity of reservoirs, the required water inflow from rivers and reservoirs, irrigation regime evaluation, assessment of water resources of the territories and so on. The attempt is made in this article to acquaint the professional community of hydrologists and specialists in related fields of knowledge with a new approach to water balance theory and water balance equation.
The suggested approach differs from the existing one in the running value of the regression coefficient of the correlation between the runoff depth and precipitation depth. The variable regression coefficient is included in all the calculation formulae within the linearcorrelation model introduced by the author. In fact it regulates all the correlations in the model.
The existing water balance equation by Pierre Perrault (1674) can calculate only one water balance parameter. The suggested approach based on the dependence between the river runoff depth and precipitation depth is a guarantee of calculating more than ten water balance parameters (Iofin 2013). They are: Rt- depth of absorption into the soil before water formation, Ro -depth of surface detention, Rz - depth of absorption into the soil during flood recession, E= Rt+ Ro+ Rt - depth of potential natural water loss, Eb - depth of free-water-surface evaporation, Ep - transpiration depth for the river basin as a whole, U - infiltration capacity into the ground water, Vd - soil moisture, h - soil water storage, Kv - layer of capillary fringe,2b^ - depth of the subsurface runoff, Uy - layer of surface water exchange and Ud - layer of underground water exchange between neighboring river basins.
Such a difference in the number of calculated water balance parameters is not accidental. This is primarily due to the constant regression coefficient in the equation by Pierre Perrault (1674). In this equation the regression coefficient of the dependence between the
river runoff depth and precipitation depth is equal to unity. This is the equation by Pierre Perrault:
P = Y + E (1),
or
Y = P - E (2)
In equation (1) the regression coefficient for Y is equal to unity, k =1.
The situation is not so clear in case of the constant coefficient of regression of the straight line correlation (2). It happens that the same amount of precipitation falls in the catchment areas, but they may be different in size. As the coefficient of regression is equal to unity, river runoff depths in these catchment areas turn out to be equal too. However, they cannot be the same. On any surface there are unconditional precipitation losses which result in the real regression coefficient and in different river runoff depths as well. Also, equation (1) does not include the parameter of extensive underground basin. Therefore, equation (1) cannot be called the equation of water balance. It does not show precipitation loss by all the components of water balance. The serious error in equation (1) may occur due to the lack of precipitation loss by groundwater recharge.
Many scientists (Voeikov 1884; Oldekop 1911; Velikanov 1940; Alekseev 1962; Befany 1989) were aware of the fact that the structure of equation (1) must be changed. A large group of hydrologists and hydroeconomic specialists (Budyko 1956; Andreyanov 1960; Mezentsev 1969; Bulavko 1971; Babkin 1982; Koronkevich 1990) studied the problems of water balance equation. They suggested various types of water balance equations, but all the scientists returned to equation (1) regardless of their differences. These attempts were unsuccessful due to the fact that there was no common way to calculate infiltration in different catchment areas in the absence of hydrogeological regime observations. Hence, it became impossible to prove the comprehensive structure of the water balance equation and improve the accuracy of calculation with the help of equation (1).
Materials and methods
