ПсковГУ Environmental Knowledge and Policy Innovation between East and West: Lessons Learned and not? Excursion

Excursion

On the May 30, we are planning field trip.

This day-long field excursion goes to the most beautiful corner of the Nalibockaja Pušča, that is a National Landscape Reserve and the oldest well-preserved primeval forest in Central Belarus. Nalibockaja Pušča has a rich history of tight interconnections between people’s lives and nature. The excursion there will start from a historical town of Lubča known for its Romanesque castle on the bank of the Neman River. Afterwards a guided hiking tour will lead us to the western part of the Pušča with primeval broad-leaved forests and overgrown old peateries. The excursion will be dedicated to landscape and biological diversity, mode of life of local people, local history and tales. We will try to see wild animals such as beavers, wolves, different ungulates, various birds and insects. We will also have a chance to see the most well-known indigenous animal of Belarus – the European Bison.

NOTE: This excursion involves a 3-5 km walk over the course of 2 hours.

What to wear and bring along for the Pušča trip: Since this is a walking tour and you will be exploring various sites, it is recommended that participants wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes. Participants may also want to bring along a hat, sunglasses, and/or an umbrella in case of rain. Also it is strongly recommended to wear long trousers and have long socks to prevent tick biting.

After the field excursion we will go back to Lubča for a lunch. On our way back to Minsk we will make short stops to visit Lauryšhava Monastery, Ščorsy Estate and Mir Castle. Lauryšhava Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Belarus founded in the 13th century by the Grand Duke Vojšalk. Ščorsy Estate is an 18th century palace complex with a vast park built for Jauhim Chraptovič the last Grand Chancellor of Lithuania. Mir Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site constructed in 16th century in Gothic style by Duke Juryj Illinič.

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