Dear Mr. Deputy Minster of Environment, Dear Deputy Minister of Sport and Tourism, Dear Honored Guests, Friends and Colleagues,

I’m glad to be here today to open the ecological centre in the Sporovsky reserve. This opening ceremony crowns a joint effort of UNDP, the Ministry of Environment of Belarus, the local authorities and the local people devoted to conservation and sustainable use of the unique Polesie wetlands. 

The Polesie region is a treasure. It is a treasure not only for Belarus, but for the whole Europe, and one could argue also for the entire world. Pojesie swamps and wetlands produce significant amount of oxygen, and serve as a sink for green house gases. And sometimes, Polesie is called the Lungs of Europe. Polessje wetlands are home to a number of rare and endangered species of animals and plants. And, of course, there are vast areas of picturesque landscapes. I visited Polessje last summer. I was in Turov and Stolin, and I was fascinated by the beauty of this land.

Belarusian people have worked hard to preserve this unique region. The eco–centre that we are opening today is a result of this work. The centre will serve as an educational facility to promote conservation of important ecosystems in the Sporovsky reserve among young people. Children and students will come here to study the Belarusian nature and enhance their awareness on the importance of preserving nature and sustainable use of natural resources.

It will also serve as a centre for ecological tourism development in this region. The Sporovsky reserve has a great potential for attracting eco–tourists from Belarus and from abroad. Eco–tourism can be a good source of income for local people and small industries. However, tourism should be organized in a sustainable way that does not harm the unique Polesie ecosystems. The carrying capacity of the reserve’s ecosystems should be determined to define a number of tourists which can annually visit the reserve without imposing a great pressure on its unique ecosystems; much thought should be given to waste collection and management, and to proper management of the areas adjacent to the reserve.

Let me also take this opportunity to thank the GEF, Small Grant Project and RSPB for their financial support and substantive cooperation in making this project a reality.

We at UNDP Belarus, have been supporting, and will be supporting Belarus in its efforts to protect environment and achieve sustainable development. Now let’s us officially open this centre, which I am sure, will become one of the centres for local sustainable development in the Polessje region. 

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