May 16, Crimea — the Karadag Nature Reserve hosted the annual Small Academy of Sciences conference (Feodosia City Branch) for Crimean students “Iskatel”.

Children presented their research projects devoted to various topics such as the benefits of mosquitoes, positive impact of birds on human health, home wind power projects, etc. The event was supported by the “MAMA-86-Feodosia” City Environmental NGO and the “Ecologia i Mir” Crimean Republican Association. The main value of the students’ research projects lies in their practical importance for the city and the region as well, said Antonina Kovalchuk, Head of “MAMA-86-Feodosia”.

According to her, research projects of Alexey Golovanov (grade10, school No 8), Daniel Zahar’yev (grade 11, school No 1) and Nicky Barabash (grade 9, school No 5), who have been interested in dendrology for many years, can be of great help in improvement of landscaping design for the city of Feodosia. Daniel is going to continue his studies next year at the Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Taurida National V.I. Vernadsky University.

Another researcher, Ioahn Voloshin shared his secret family technology on fast, efficient & low costing way of growing grapes without losses. “His project drew great interest of the audience, as well as the work of Alexander Rybin (grade 8, school No 13) who presented a model of home wind power plant,” — A. Kovalchuk noted.

The youngest participant, fourth grade student Vika Miroshnichenko devoted her research to beneficial mosquitoes. Anna Lazareva (grade 10, school No 1) has been interested in veterinary medicine for many years in a row, and dedicated her project to the specifics of wild birds surgery during the treatment process in nature study corners. Lada Belozorova has chosen ornitho-therapy impact on human psychophysiology as a theme for the project.

During the conference, the participants also briefed the audience on the Opukskyi Nature Reserve’s areas of unique interest (Boris Ponomarev, grade 8, school No12), methods of increasing the number of birds of prey by hanging artificial nests (Sergey Dotsenko, grade 8, school No 14). Alina Gorodotska (grade 8, school No 12) brought up an environmental issue as well by raising the problem of solid waste accumulation in Bolshaya Feodosia. Oleg Opanasyuk (grade 8, school No 13) and Illya Illyushko (grade 7, school No 12) presented their research projects on the Feodosia water and mineral water sources.

The participants were awarded with certificates, books and booklets of Karadag Nature Reserve’s flora and fauna along with movie CDs about the Black Sea deep mysteries.