Russia

The Russian "Father"

Name: Igor Nicolarvith Nadeliaev
Age: 56 years old

Igor Nicolarvith Nadeliaev

I grew up in forests not too far from Lake Baikal. My friends and I would always go to the forest to play cowboys and indians. We would camp out in the forest for days, living in homemade shelters. We'd go fishing and swimming, pick berries and mushrooms. At that time the forest was just 500 metres from my home.

Today my village is smaller than it used to be, as many young people are moving to the city. The farm collectives have also been closed, so many people have nothing to do. When I go back to visit it looks almost the same as it did when I was young. The forest around the town is still full of Siberian birch and pine trees. However, some species in the forest near my village have disappeared. For example, it is now more difficult to find mushrooms, pine nuts and berries. It is also very difficult to find the vine leaves we used to use for making tea.

The first time I came to Lake Baikal was in 1961. Since then I have always been excited by the huge expanse of water. I didn't expect that my life would be connected to the lake.

I worked as a soil scientist and pollution specialist when I finished university. I think that although the water in the lake is in a good condition we are still at risk of polluting it. When I was studying we found that effluent from a local paper mill was flowing into the lake. We found that some fish and plant species declined in the areas where the water was discharged. I'm worried that pollution discharged into the lake might enter the food chain.

I think I am very lucky, as I am able to return time and time again to Lake Baikal and do the same things I have always done. I love that you can just fill your glass from the lake and drink such pure water. I hope that in the future my grandchildren can do the same, as I think that the waters of Baikal are much more valuable than other commodities such as gasoline.