Open World alumnus Aleksandr Vrishch’s typical day in the office includes fighting poachers and defending endangered species. From saving the Siberian tiger population to combating illegal wildlife trade, Vrishch, through his Vladivostok-based Phoenix Foundation, is taking on urgent environmental issues facing the Russian Federation. His mission as coordinator of educational programs also involves helping support and coordinate biodiversity conservation projects in the Russian Far East and teaching youth about the region’s endangered wildlife.

When Open World announced a competition to participate in an ecology-focused conference in Khabarovsk, Russia, Vrishch immediately entered. One of 27 successful applicants, Vrishch was selected to speak about his efforts to educate the public on the region’s unique flora and fauna and to defend the region’s wildlife. In his presentation to Open World alumni, Vrishch shared his ideas on raising awareness about the environment — both its beauty and its frailness — among the general population, and children in particular. He spoke not just as an activist but as an educator, as he also teaches biology at Far Eastern State University’s college of pre-university education.

Vrishch traveled to Alaska in late March 2003 on an Open World exchange hosted by Pacific Environment, a California-based nonprofit that works with grass-roots environmental organizations on both sides of the Pacific. Vrishch and the other delegates headed to the former gold-mining town of Girdwood to take part in an international conference entitled "Sustaining the Bering Sea." An excursion to the Alaskan coast and a visit to a local fish processing facility stood out as especially worthwhile experiences. "I valued the opportunity to speak with the directors of the fishery and fishermen," commented Vrishch. "They were so open and honest, very specific and detailed in our exchange of ideas."

Vrishch bought books in the United States that help him with his current environmental work. "Now we are using the materials I brought back to Russia. These books have been included in a zoo exposition organized recently by my colleagues, and are also important resources for a book I am writing about the Ussuri taiga," the dense forest of the Primorye region.

Vrishch in turn educated his U.S. counterparts about the great environmental dangers facing the Primorye region. "Increased ocean traffic near Sakhalin in connection with oil and gas development there is threatening the environment. This could potentially result in devastating ecological damage," he said.

Jennifer Castner Eyres, Russian Program Officer at Pacific Environment, noted that "based on his experience fighting poachers in the Russian Far East, Aleksandr Vrishch brought a unique perspective to the discussion about ways of combating the illegal fishing that plagues the Russian side of the Bering Sea. Aleksandr stood out among participants for his high-energy, enthusiastic participation in every aspect of the Alaska trip — he even climbed a tree at one point to snap a picture of a porcupine sleeping in a nearby tree."

Currently, Vrishch is working with other participants from the Open World ecology conference in Khabarovsk to create a network for program alumni interested in ecological issues; develop strategic plans for the upcoming year; and create a website to house information about all their projects.

Vera DeBuchananne, manager for alumni coordination at the Open World Leadership Center, said, "From the Khabarovsk conference, we learned that the Open World network has a wealth of resources that can be pooled and shared. We are working on a databank for environmental resources within this network and look forward to hearing from our alumni and hosts on what environmental information resources are needed or can be offered. Our hope is that our Open World alumni will build this excellent resource for the future."

Published by The PBN Company for the Open World Leadership Center, whose Open World Program has hosted nearly 9,000 citizens from Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan since its inception in 1999. The Center is an independent legislative branch agency that works cooperatively with the U.S. Department of State and other U.S. executive and judicial branch agencies. For additional information, please visit the Open World Leadership Center's website at www.openworld.gov or contact the office at +1 202-707-8943.