The results of the open international competition for the best architectural and urban planning projects for the integrated development of territories in the center of the municipality were announced on March 19. As a result of the vote, the Russian consortium Citymakers, which included the Faculty of Biology of Saratov University, shared the victory with another finalist, the Dutch consortium Karres en Brands. The summing up was attended by the Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of Russia M.B. Egorov.
It was decided that "Citymakers" will deal with the construction of Pokrovsky Sands Island, Green Island and Victory Park in Saratov. Karres en Brands will develop the territory of the Glebuchev Ravine and the old airport. More information about the projects can be found on the competition website.
A working group of three people was sent from the Faculty of Biology of SSU to participate in the competition. It included an assistant and a leading engineer of the Department of Botanics and Ecology Mikhail Lavrentyev and associate professors of the Department of Animal Morphology and Ecology Maksim Voronin and Ekaterina Mosolova. They were engaged in the development of recommendations on the ecology of animals and plants and landscape design, guaranteeing the observance of environmental protection measures during the construction and reconstruction of facilities. The work of the group was coordinated by Dean of the faculty Olga Yudakova.
“In the modern realities of the development of society, it is especially important that our project complies with environmental principles. This was reflected in all the projected territories: we selected plant species that, on the one hand, would objectively correspond to the nature of the Saratov region, and on the other, could be a variety of ecological niches for many species of animals. This will allow not only to bring city residents closer to nature, to increase their ecological education and understanding of the fragility of natural ecosystems, but also to conduct excursions and field studies with schoolchildren and students in these places, ”said M.V. Lavrentyev.
According to him, all the work of the staff of the Faculty of Biology is still ahead - it is planned for several years in advance. The best specialists of the university in the fields of ecology, botany and zoology will be involved in the implementation of the project.