Vedomosti has signed a cooperation agreement on the project "Together for Wildlife"

On the sidelines of the XI Eastern Economic Forum, Vedomosti, together with the Botchinsky State Nature Reserve, signed an agreement on cooperation and cooperation within the framework of the Together for Wildlife project.

The document was signed by Ignaty Pavlov, General Director of the Vedomosti business publication, and Sergey Kostomarov, Director of the Botchinsky State Nature Reserve.

The agreement was concluded for the purpose of joint information and expedition work on the study of the fish owl population in the reserve.

The "Together for Wildlife" project is being implemented by the Vedomosti business publication together with the Agency for Economic Transformation and Development (APRE) with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund. The aim of the project is to popularize knowledge about the Red Book species of Russia among the population, as well as to involve Russians in environmental issues through the All–Russian voting tool. As part of the Vedomosti Project, an internal survey was conducted among the organization's employees to select a red book animal from the voting list in order to provide targeted support to the population of this animal in Russia. The winner of the corporate vote was the fish owl.

It is scientifically known that several pairs of this bird live within the boundaries of the reserve. However, no one has previously assessed the population on the ground, including studying the state of the population, its habitats, food supply and offspring. In the winter of 2027, Vedomosti and the reserve staff, together with a group of ornithologists, will conduct an expedition to find out how many pairs of birds live in the reserve and whether it is possible to increase this population.

"Modern business media cannot be limited to covering business events and trends. It is important for us to play an active role in solving the socio-economic problems of the country and to involve the business community in this process. That is why we have taken the initiative to take custody of one of the Red Book species. We sincerely want to help researchers and support this endangered bird. The future expedition is important both for the conservation of the fish owl population in Russia and from a scientific point of view," said Ignaty Pavlov, General Director of the Vedomosti business publication.

The fish owl is the largest owl on the planet. In Russia, the owl is found in the Far East, the population is estimated at 300 - 650 pairs. The bird is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Island populations are more stable, partly due to the construction of artificial nesting sites, but in some regions the bird has probably already disappeared. The owl demonstrates a unique evolutionary adaptation to fishing and is known for its deep, long-drawn cry, which can be heard along rivers.

The fish owl is the only owl that forages not only at night, but also during the day, especially in cloudy weather.

The key threat to the bird is the cutting down of old floodplain forests, which deprive the owl of hollow trees necessary for nesting. Poaching, deaths in fishing nets, and climate change also cause serious damage: frequent typhoons destroy nests, and abnormal snowfalls can fill hollows. Extinction will be an irreparable loss for the world's biodiversity.

The Eastern Economic Forum is a leading platform for developing the economy of the Far East and expanding international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. The Forum brings together representatives of government, business, and the expert community from Russia and abroad to work out joint solutions, develop partnerships, and launch new projects. The main theme of the Eastern Economic Forum in 2026 is "The Far East — development for the benefit of people." The WEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation.