SIBUR to sponsor a birding rally race in Tobolsk

26 august 2022

On September 10, Tobolsk will be hosting a birding rally race held as part of the Land of the Lapwing project implemented within the framework of SIBUR's social investment program, the Formula for Good Deeds, in cooperation with Birds and People, a non-profit partnership.

A birding rally race is a team competition involving the use of automobiles. At the tournament, its contestants will be required to drive along a certain route within a set timeframe while taking pictures of birds following which they will have to correctly identify as many species of birds they will have snapped as possible.

Participation in the event is open to all, with no special training required! The route of the rally race will be about 120 kilometers long, running along public roads accessible to any motorcar.

Tobolsk hosted its first-ever birding rally race last year, and we saw that it had sparked great interest among the local residents who enjoyed the event’s educational and recreational format. The rally race is a great opportunity for attracting the attention of Tobolsk’s residents to bird conservation and environmental protection, and for all the participants it is a chance to explore the amazing world of birds living in our region by means of taking part in this special tournament. I am certain that this year’s turnout for the birding rally race will be even higher, Elena Snezhko, Chief Expert, Head of the Formula for Good Deeds Social Investment Program, commented.

In addition to testing their map-reading and orienteering skills, the participants will also have to compete in their powers of observation. There are more than 80 bird species to be seen on the outskirts of and around Tobolsk in September!

The route of the rally race was specially charted in such a way so as to enable the competitors to encounter forest, meadow, aquatic, and semi-aquatic birds. For those who are novices in ornithology, the most probable bird sighting spots will be marked on their maps.

In addition to exciting encounters with the feathered inhabitants of Tyumen Oblast, all contestant will be treated to a free hot lunch and amazing souvenirs.

This year, we tried to build the route of the birding rally race in such a way so as to enable all of our contestants to visit our local natural landmarks of regional importance including "Panin Bugor", "Kiselevskaya Mountain with the Chuvash Cape", "The vicinity of Tobolsky Resort", and "Medyanskaya Grove". A greater part of the route passes through Abalaksky Nature and Historical Estate, a regional nature reserve. An important part of the birding rally race is associated with its ornithological results: based on these results, we will get a list of bird species encountered by the participants. These results are important for researchers conducting continuous long-term bird species monitoring in the vicinity of Tobolsk, Yulia Gorelova, director of the non-profit partnership Birds and People, commented.

Those wishing to participate in the rally race need to organize a team of 2 to 5 people and register by 11:59 p.m. on September 8 on the event’s dedicated page. Participation in the rally race is free.

Should you have any questions about the birding rally race, please do not hesitate to email us at eco@formula-hd.ru.

We look forward to seeing you at the birding rally!