Model River Project Starts its Operation

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On the 25th of January the meeting of Model River Project Working group took place. This meeting actually marked the start-up of the project. The main objective of the project is to show how to implement sustainable management of fish resources on the example of the river Mezen.

The project plan for 3 years as well as a detailed plan for the year 2011 were submitted for consideration of the Working group members. Among the members of the Working group there were representatives of the local population, administration of the Udora region, government agencies in charge of water and fish resources and other stakeholders. The meeting was also devoted to discussion of possible implementation periods, responsible parties and executors, expected results in different project directions, and relationship with stakeholders, including the stakeholders in Arkhangelsk region. The project partners have confirmed their high interest in the project and willingness to cooperate.

The main directions of the project activity in the year 2011 will be related to:

  • supplying of information about the project to the local population,
  • provision of information and methodological support in organization of fish farms to the tenants of the river Mezen sections,
  • improvement in protection of the most vulnerable parts of the river Mezen and its tributaries against poaching,
  • commence of the detaiedl monitoring of the “zero level” population of major fish species in the river Mezen,
  • organization of interaction between all the partners involved in the river management, including Komirybvod, Komirybnadzor, administration of the Udora region, tenants of the river lands, local population, members of agricultural cooperative “Agro-Udora”.

Obviously, it’s impossible to solve all the long-standing problems related to the fish resources depletion in the Mezen during a short period of time, for this reason the Model River Project is planned for 12 years, but detailed plans are made only for three years so far.

Territorial Public Self-Administration as the Basis for Local Growth

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Irina Andriyevskaya, the head of Voldino settlement, took part in a civil forum “Territorial public self-administration as the basis for local growth”, which was held last week in Koryazhma, Arkhangelsk region.

Nikolai Anufriyev, the delegate from Izhma district and the part-time student of Komi Academy of Public Administration and Management, also took part in the forum together with Irina Andriyevskaya. The trip was organized within the framework of the Forest Village project to develop the recommendations that were reached at the Forests Dialogue in October 2009, Syktyvkar, devoted to self-government problem. The participants of the Dialogue mentioned that such promising and necessary form of administration as territorial public self-administration (TPSA) isn’t used in Komi at all. Meanwhile, the real improvement of village life is impossible without advanced local self-administration, first of all at the bottom-up level. Lack of self-administration, initiative, and cooperation within local community (village or small settlement) is the reason for many local problems which are not solved for

Water of Life project in Irta village

Water of Life project in Irta village

At the same time territorial public self-administration exists in other Russian regions, including the neighbouring Arkhangelsk region. Why don’t we study their experience and adapt it to our “forest villages” for not discovering the continents again?

According to Irina Andriyevskaya, such questions as “The role of TPSA in solving social problems of the territory”, “The peculiarities of TPSA development and progress in rural area”, “TPSA as means of people’s participation in territory management” urgent for the settlements of the Forest Village project were discussed during the forum in Koryazhma. The head of the settlement admitted, that these questions are also urgent for Voldino including its three villages. In one of the villages, Puzla, there is an informal public self-administration – village committee that involves the population into discussion of the most vital topics. However, the public committee in Puzla is unofficial and can’t be called TPSA because of the fact, that TPSA has no support for development in Komi.

Meanwhile, this form of self-administration is legislated in federal law №131, as well as its financing. Therefore, TPSA could help to solve many problems with village accomplishment, creating new vacancies, organization of children leisure time, etc.

Bridge (Water crossing) project in Yarenga village

Bridge (Water crossing) project in Yarenga village

This is the way it goes in Arkhangelsk region, where TPSA is supported by the government, incentive and stimulating system of TPSA is developed, and annual TPSA developing activities and social project contests are held. In 2006 56 TPSA projects took part in the contest and 35 of them were financed. This year there are 182 projects already, and 123 of them were supported by financing. The priority TPSA activities are the village accomplishment, preservation and exploitation of local historical and cultural heritage, development of domestic and incoming tourism, creation of fitness and sports grounds and facilities.

In the coming 2011-2013 years 42 million rubles from region budget will be spent on supporting TPSA in settlements and the same sum – for TPSA in urban districts. This is only for realization of people’s initiatives. Besides, the region budget will provide money for conferences between TPSA for experience interchange, training TPSA members, and stimulating TPSA activities.

As we see, it would be good to learn from our neighbours.

Conference in Koryazhma, work at sections “TPSA Legal Foundation”, “Innovation-based Development of Small Territories”, and “Organization and conduction of social project contests” provide insight into practical part of TPSA work in the settlements of Arkhangelsk region. The received information is useful for village deputies and activists of “forest villages”, and for adaptation of neighbouring region experience in Komi.

Guidelines for Conservation of Biodiversity during Logging in the Komi Republic

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PDF version of the booklet “Guidelines for conservation of biodiversity during logging in the Komi Republic” is available among the project documents (in Russian).

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Mushroom and Berry Industry in Tomsk is Developing for the Villagers’ Benefit

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Within the framework of Forest Village Project a group of businessmen and village deputies visited Tomsk region to get acquainted with successful experience of its residents in development of mushroom and berry economics.

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The Village Koni is Expecting Guests

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Within the framework of Forest Village project a touristic route called “Following Pitirim Sorokin” was developed. The guest house in the village Koni, which belongs to this route, is already functioning.

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Practical Self-Administration is the Main Factor of the Village Development

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A course of educational workshops for the members of Deputy Councils from rural settlements was held within the framework of Forest Village project in Knyazhpogostsky district. It was aimed at self-administration development and cooperation within the local community.

The progress of the project implementation showed that undeveloped self-administration of the villages is the main reason of local problems which are not solved for years.

If there is no any practical self-administration on the bottom-up level, there would be no practical change for the better in our settlements. This conclusion was formulated by the residents of Komi settlements on the thematic Forests Dialogue in Syktyvkar a year ago. To fulfill the recommendations of the Dialogue educational seminars for the members of Deputy Councils from rural settlements were held within Forest Village project. At first they took place in Priluzje, and recently – in Emva (Knyazhpogostsky district).

During first two workshops specialists from Komi Academy of State Service and Management acquainted the members of Deputy Councils with the theoretical basis of local administration, legislated functions and authority of both levels in local administration ( district – settlement), possible forms of cooperation between the levels, methods of municipal unit development, and budgeting.

The third workshop was totally devoted to project activities. The participants learned about logic of design thinking, rules of social project planning, writing an application for grants competitions, examples of successful realization of social projects by civil organizations and local administration on the territory of our Republic. During the practical part of the workshop the deputies and administration of the settlements practiced in local project development.

The workshops were interesting for deputies from villages not only as possibility to improve the knowledge, but also as the basis for cooperative discussion of problems and experience interchange.