Geography students have one of the most interesting practical trainings. They work in the most remote corners of Russia where they gain not only professional experience, but a lot of unforgettable impressions as well. One of these trainings takes place every summer not far from Voronezh, in Divnogorie. What do the students do there? You can learn about it in our article.
Associate Professor Olga Bykovskaya spoke about the tasks that students have to perform during their practical training.
“The educational practice is aimed at developing the skills of field landscape research. Among other educational trainings, landscape practice is a special one as since it is specialised and completely corresponds to the profession of a physical geographer and landscape specialist.
This place was chosen for this training for a reason. Divnogorie is a unique place located on the right bank of the River Don in the Liski District of the Voronezh Region. This area is rich in natural and historical interconnected features, such as “classical” nature of the Cretaceous south of the Central Russian Upland, which has preserved its specific relief, relict plants, and forest steppe landscape combined with the sites of ancient people. This is why the architectural and archaeological nature reserve Divnogorie was created here.
The environmental status of the area determines most of the objectives of the practical training. Our motto is “preserve the landscape, the beginning of all beginnings...”. This remarkable statement belongs to the famous Crimean landscape scientist Grigory Grishankov, who completed his PhD programme at the Faculty of Geography, Geoecology, and Tourism. To preserve the landscape, one should understand how it was formed and how it has been developing, and be able to evaluate its current state.
During the field training, students study the natural and landscape features of the area and they also go on reconnaissance routes of up to 15 kilometres. They study the techniques of landscape mapping and profiling, which allows creating maps of natural complexes for the further assessment of their ecological state. They also practice their skills in inventory and compilation of comprehensive descriptions of natural complexes.
Along with traditional methods, the students also apply modern techniques for obtaining special landscape information. At their disposal are quadcopters, modern land surveying equipment (tacheometers, levelling units, GNSS receivers), and tools for measuring environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, wind speed). Acquiring the skills of landscape ecological research gives students a competitive advantage in the future when applying for a job in various environmental organisations (design and expert), nature conservation committees of the regions of the Russian Federation, natural science museums, botanical gardens, landscape design companies, nature reserves and other specialised companies.
Landscape practice in Divnogorie is not only research work, but also real field life: living in tents, cooking over a fire... And at the end of the working day there are natural and archaeological quests and such traditional events as “Night of Geography”, the “Equator of Practice”, initiation into landscape specialists, and singing to the guitar while sitting around the fire.
Still, the students should not forget that their field diaries, reports with maps and profiles, as well as photo and video materials should be ready by the end of the practical training. The educational practice is considered to be completed only after it is presented at the Festival of Practices held every November at the Faculty of Geography, Geoecology, and Tourism. By the way, second year students who won at the Festival of Practices in 2023 were awarded with a trip to Moscow to the International Exhibition and Forum “Russia”.
In recent years, the faculty's social page has traditionally posted field diaries in which students share their daily activities. You can read about them on the social page of the Department of Physical Geography and Landscape Optimisation.
