Letter to our allies: we are closing some of our wild nature protection projects

I think it is no secret to anyone why protecting nature is becoming practically impossible today. Enormous pressure, social media blockings, political and social collapses that divert society’s attention from real problems to systemic conflicts. At the same time, lobbying groups within the authorities, which for years have tried to legalize both the destruction of nature reserves and the shooting of animals listed in the Red Book, seeing no opposing force, are simply “hammering” at the protected area system, pushing through truly criminal legislative bills. These things are confirmed not only by a vigilant public and environmental organizations, but also by many of our country’s leading scientists. In other words, we are not even talking about international organizations or groups of scientists, whom no one wants to listen to amid political conflicts, but about our own domestic academicians.

The struggle becomes far more difficult when it is independent. Today, we do not place any advertising at all, do not engage in business, do not lobby for the interests of commercial actors, and certainly not for groups within the authorities. This independence protects society from pressure, makes it possible to endure even in the most difficult times, and allows us to act impartially.

In the current conditions, we are among the very few who continue to defend nature on this scale without giving up our positions. Even while predatory groups are literally tearing apart all the remnants of the country’s protected area system without any regard for common sense.

But unfortunately, it will no longer be possible to sustain all the areas of work that we are carrying forward together. The first difficulties appeared in December 2025, when the projects were on the verge of closure, though we managed to stabilize operations. Now we physically cannot cope with everything, but we also cannot stop the struggle — this is our Mission, the path that we chose together: to dedicate our lives to something truly important and necessary.

WE ARE MAKING A DECISION

Starting today, for an indefinite period, the directions that brought together tens of thousands of people across the country every year will be suspended. This includes the “Russian Taiga” project and seasonal projects involving direct work “on the ground.” This means that large-scale social work in particular will be completely halted. For me, this is the most painful part — we built this work over a very long time, we led in activity, and such tasks should be expanded and strengthened, not stopped. But in the conditions of the ongoing chaos, we will have to step back.

In addition, we are suspending the development of educational programs for the protection of wild nature, work with the younger generation, and the launch of independent modern services for analyzing and monitoring environmental problems, which we had been developing for a long time. Many things have simply become impossible to do — just as we finish development and create something modern and necessary, new restrictive laws are adopted, or access to essential infrastructure solutions is blocked because of political conflicts.

We are not going to liquidate these projects completely; they will be closed until better times. All the experience, groundwork, and social infrastructure will be preserved and relaunched in a Russian or international format as soon as we understand that there is both funding and an opportunity to continue the struggle.

Earlier, expeditions in defense of nature, the review of appeals from residents of the regions (direct field visits), and other critically important areas of activity had also been suspended.

STRATEGY OF THE STRUGGLE

Let us now try to unite our efforts against the greatest threat to wild nature — the defense of the protected area system, which is already being ruthlessly torn apart, as well as the implementation of the project to change the system of wild nature protection: our Concept of the Territories of Full Ecological Tranquility (TFET). By freeing resources, time, and energy from other directions, I propose that we focus more intensely on implementing the Concept.

In addition, within the framework of the Concept, it is necessary to conduct full-scale research, expeditions to study the territories of future TFET areas, and the creation of an interactive map of the protected area system of the future. We already have the entire infrastructure deployed, the Concept has been developed, and the methodology for determining the boundaries of the Territories of Tranquility has been prepared. But the research itself is currently at a complete standstill — it is very difficult, very expensive, and in some places impossible to implement under current conditions. Because of the political and social chaos.

And yet, let us not shut down this work. On the contrary, even if slowly, methodically, step by step, let us keep moving forward. Because this is exactly what is most fundamental and critically important for the Earth’s Biosphere, for the whole world, and therefore for humanity.

I will begin saving funds for conducting the research. I hope everything works out and that we will gradually be able to take on the necessary tasks.

Right now, however, our main forces must be directed toward defending the existing protected area system, the refuges of wild nature. Work on all our public initiatives will continue; we will also expand them, launch new ones, and respond to threats to wild nature. This includes work on appeals from residents of the regions: the public reception office will not be closed, this is critically important, many people need support, and they cannot cope on their own. We are ready to assist in resolving environmental problems.

This means that I propose acting on a broader scale: by freeing resources from other directions, we will begin fighting more actively for the things that are important to change here and now. In the conditions in which we find ourselves today, this is the best strategy for action.

NEW DIRECTIONS

In the winter of 2026, I announced plans to launch separate directions: the “Knowledge Base” service to address the gap in public knowledge, as well as projects to protect Russia’s key apex predators (wolves, bears, tigers). The problems are serious, and work on them is necessary — not only to respond to local crimes, but also to try to change predator protection at the legislative level.

In addition, quite recently, because of large-scale internet and social media blockings, practically everyone fighting for nature has faced a loss of momentum. In other words, we are simply losing our positions and our ability to influence problems. For this reason, it was decided to launch a separate direction called the “Green Shield” to protect our people — our own communication app-channel will be developed, along with other steps to ensure communication security.

This work also requires very large expenditures, time, and effort.

Let us try to preserve these plans and carry out the tasks in full. I very much hope that we will cope and that everything will succeed. But if there are no more resources for the struggle, if new difficulties and pressure arise, we will have to “cut off” projects step by step.

WE CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE

I thank you, allies, for making it possible to fight for Life beside you and achieve change. These are difficult times, the pressure is enormous, but we must continue the Mission. There is no other way.

Everything that is being closed now — we will be ready to restore it as soon as we understand that there are resources for the struggle and an opportunity to act. But, apparently, the pressure will only continue to grow, and the world is only at the beginning of its descent into global chaos.

At this moment, however, we are stepping back from large-scale social work in order to direct our efforts toward defending the protected area system. Because if the remaining refuges of wild nature are destroyed, there will be nothing left to protect. Let us not allow that to happen.

© PAVEL PASHKOV