On May 28, 2008, the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Geotourism Challenge” and would like to pass on this feedback for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of sustainable tourism innovators. We wish you continued luck with your sustainable, innovative, and socially impactful initiatives.

All the best, The Changemakers Team

“The combination of outdoor exploration, environmental conservation, and harnessing a mass volunteer base to create a network of trails in Russia is truly innovative. What are the recruiting techniques to keep up a viable volunteer base to support the initiative?”

-Changemakers Geotourism Judges: National Geographic Society, Past President the Ford Foundation, whl.travel - World Hotel Link, ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth.

I spent some time volunteering on the GBT with a group from the Tahoe-Baikal institute - what an incredible network you are building there! Go GBT!

I am proud to place at the top of my life adventures that in 2005 I visited the Lake Baikal region and walked the partially finished Great Baikal Trail (GBT). In a group of multinational ecotourists, representing a wide range of ages and physical abilities, we ultimately all fell in love with this deep, beautiful and ancient lake. A short distance in kilometers on the trail can take the hiker through three to four distinct plant communties, each illustrating canopy cover, soil layers, and tempering influence of the lake. Then there's the hot springs.

The GBT volunteers we met along the trail were just like us in several ways: They were multinational and in love with Lake Baikal. Unlike us they were all young and strong, full of energy, ready to take on the next task, looking forward to the next big meal, and grateful for anything chocolate.

Mining and logging enterprises extract value from the region. This project ADDS VALUE to the region. I am very pleased to support this GBT project.

I have been at the Baikal during March 2008. This Winterproject has been a suuuper expression of Baikal/Siberia to me.

Rolf Sieber, Switzerland

The aspect of volunteerism in this application makes it stand out from the crowd. the sense of ownership that that will engender will be overwhelmingly important in embedding the GBT in the hearts of Siberians and making it part of their environment, its right to existence no longer questioned.
A very impressive venture.

Dear GBT-team!

Since 2002, when your initiative was initiated, could you register success in boosting local geotourism? Are there any official statistics which show this success?

Nice Greetings,
Sebastian Riedel

Dear friends
The idea to make approachable to all people of our Global Community the area of Baical by hiking is very innovative. I could not imagine it myself, so I must congratulate you. Here it is now an affordable reality available to all of us, a very attractive idea of tourism. One more reason to visit an area out of the traditional roads and destinations of tourism.
I find it as a unique idea, especially since it is materialised in Russia a country where the interest for the protection of the environment was zero just a few years ago.

Apostolis Papageorgiou, Environmental Protection Consultant, Athens Greece

Great Baikal Trail is a really effective organization, it contributes a lot to developing the ecoligical tourism in the region, and it's a platform for meeting and collaborating people from all parts of the world.

I participated in the GBT project just once, but it was an unforgettable experience. I wish everyone could take part in the GBT projects and see a wonderful Baikal lake!

Sincerely yours,
Tatiana Isaeva

I think, GBT is the great organization. It’s a new idea for our region and it helps people to understand, how it is important, when you work without money for the lake, for nature and for all us! To save Lake Baikal is not just necessary, it is vitally important. GBT is one of all organizations, who make great work for it.

We build trails and we save life of our children!

I can think of few not-for-profit organizations that take on the bredth of work that the GBT does; from environmental conservation and restoration to cultural exchange and working with children. They provide a unique and invaluable opportunity for people not just in their part of the world, but on an international scale. I question whether there are many organizations in the world that get as much done with such a small resource base.
There is a pressing need for the work that the GBT performs. They are working to preserve one of the world's most valuable natural resources, promoting cultural understanding worldwide, improving the quality of life for the people of the region, and building a sustainable local economy, which is based on a participative rather than explotative labor base and use of natural resources. They are setting an example that much of the world could learn from.
My experience working with the GBT was highly educational and inspiring. I cannot stress enough the value this organization has not just for Russia, but for environmental conservation and cultural exchange world wide. The beauty and spiritual presense of lake Baikal is incomparable and is something that must be experienced to be understood. Long live GBT.

Sorry for my English.
At GBT I hit accidentally. wanted simply to relax on Baikal in summer. There was a little shocked that my 15 years and will have to work! But then even liked:) I do not imagine his life without volunteering. I met with many interesting people, travelled in protected corners of nature. I'm just happy that GBT there! Thanks to organizers and Maryasovoy Alene, GBT projects coordinator in the north of Lake Baikal, personally for the work.
I believe that GBT projects together people from different countries, help in mastering other languages, participants are introduced to the culture of different countries. The more projects - the better.
GBT also volunteers engaged in environmental education. It is just excellent! This means that their children will we be able to convey a clean planet, and they will continue our cause.

GBT doesn't only build trails. GBT runs diffrent projekts, including educational projekts with children. I study at the linguistic university and my future profession is teacher. Taking part in such projekts i get a great expierence at work with children! As a GBT volunteer i also have an opportunity to improve my languages. And GBT gives us much more! GBT helps us to develop ourselves!

hello!
We build a network of trails which could be composed of different leveled trails for various social groups. We are thinking about trails for wheelchairs too but unfortunately do not have enough materials now. And there should be appropriate infrastructure for such kind of people to get there. And this issue has risen only recently.
About sort of business you were right. Bed&breakfast houses, sale of handmade souvenirs, provision local guides could be appropriate locals. Big hotels and resorts all around the lake will be harmful for fragile ecosystem and since this business is usually started by wealthy people from big cities, it would worsen life of locals.
Thank you for your questions and your interest. I am experienced GBT volunteer and team leader. I answer because all GBT stuff have been extremely busy during past 1,5 month with organizing upcoming season of projects.
regards,
Nadya

There are not too many good trails around Lake Baikal… and GBT does important thing – it draws our attention to this problem. Good trail – means safety, availability, and beautiful views. Trail attracts people to place and reduces negative influence of visitors at environment. Also trail allows people to visit remote villages and use service of locals so as bed&beakfast houses, buy handmade souvenirs etc…

GBT is cool. My brother has taken part in the project in 2005, and my wife and I will go to Siberian Great Baikal Lake to join them in July.

It was preety hard to be a volunteer in Russia several years ago and it is so even now, but the situation becomes better. In our region (Siberia) it's (to some degree) due to the GBT. When I became a GBT volunteer, I had to explain almost to every person I met on the way to the project what volunteer is. Now at different exhibitions or project presentation (at schools, universities) there are more and more people who know what GBT and Volunteerism mean. I'm glad to be GBT volunteer. It makes my life meaningful and colorful.

Dear Mrs. Luzhkova,

The Great Baikal Trail seems like a good project.. Internationals get to visit the legendary Siberia and help build a network of trails around a great lake.

You say there is not a culture of volunteering in Russia. How does the Great Baikal Trail attract Russian volunteers?

Thank you.

William B. (Nick) Niccolls <> wbniccolls@msn.com <> O: 206-527-9645 <> Seattle

OVERALL: A remarkable national/global endeavor connecting cultural exchange, preservation, & enjoyment to a pristine environmental resource

GBT’S STATED GOAL: Protect & Advocate. Add “Educate”?

EDUCATION:

onsite or online education? visitors’ center/s? Consider: http://www.parks.wa.gov/mountsthelens.asp; http://www.nps.gov/band/planyourvisit/b&elier-visitor-center.htm

VOLUNTEERS:

Describe or link your volunteer info. You provide a life-changing experience.

“HOW DO YOU MEASURE QUANTITATIVE & QUALITATIVE IMPACT”;

How do you measure over time:

(1) Protection of the environment to which you provide global access

(2) Protection from surrounding uses.

BAIKAL ACCESS: “a barrier & a blessing”. Transportation: Mode? Cost? Travel time? Now? Planned? Protect the resource which draws the crowds?

“SUPPLY” of access vs “DEMAND” of visitors

Add related links. Provide an educational gateway: http://trg.ucdavis.edu/research/annualreport/contents/intro/article1.html;

Yosemite: PLAN http://www.nps.gov/archive/yose/planning/yvp/about.html;

Yosemite: ANALYSIS http://www.yosemite.org/newsroom/clips2002/january/01602.htm

Amazonia; Mediterranean Sea; Halong Bay Vietnam

FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH BAIKAL: COMPARE BAIKAL TO OTHER PLACES

Add links

http://www.globalnature.org/bausteine.net/file/showfile.aspx?downdaid=6347&sp=E&domid=1011&fd=2

http://www.ceres.ca.gov/tcsf/PresidentialEvent/tourism.html

Add comparative data

Tahoe & Baikal http://wwwac.tahoebaikal.org/lakeinfo/

BAIKAL

Area: 31,471 square kilometers

Volume: 23,000 cubic kilometers

Length: 636 kilometers

Width: 79.4 kilometers

Depth: 1,637 meters

Age: 20 million years

TAHOE

Area: 499 square kilometers

Volume: 156 cubic kilometers

Length: 34.7 kilometers

Width: 19.3 kilometers

Depth: 505 meters

Age: 2 million years

ANNOTATE THE WEBLINKS USED AS REFERENCE

Paste “Mission” or “About us” from Links:

Tahoe Baikal Institute (TBI) - http://www.tahoebaikal.org - Located: - Established: - Purpose: Help preserve Lake Tahoe in California & Lake Baikal in Siberia. & other lake ecosystems. - Participants: Experts, Students, & Laypeople - etc.

John Muir Institute - http://johnmuir.ucdavis.edu/ - Purpose: - etc.

Global Nature Fund (GNF). - http://www.globalnature.org/docs/01_vorlage_news_neu.asp?id=11093&sp=E&m1=11089&m2=11093&m3=&domid=1011 - Purpose: The Living Lakes network …. - etc.

A USEFUL WEBSITE DEVICE: “Click Here to view …”

Example: Tahoe Baikal Institute (TBI) http://www.tahoebaikal.org/lakeinfo/othergroups.shtml:

- Click here to view TBI's 2004 Tahoe Reader that explores …

LINKING OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO THE GBT WEBSITE

Provide a GBT contact hyperlink.

Hi Natasha,

As an aspiring long-distance hiker, I found myself becoming very excited as I read your entry - what a terrific project!

I have two questions for you.

The first is that as I read, I wondered how you would balance access (especially for the wheelchair-bound, as that has been a big part of the discussion for this competition) with aesthetic, as in the desire of backpackers to have a rustic, backcountry, back-to-nature kind of experience. I found myself hoping you were not planning on paving the trail, although I of course also want those who may not have the same physical capabilities to be able to access it - so how will you balance those sometimes conflicting interests?

Second, I was interested in what you said about locals looking to start small business enterprises along the route. I know that here in the US, the Appalachian Trail has given rise to many small lodges, small businesses like food stores and hiking gear stores, and festivals - is that the kind of business enterprise you're thinking of, or would this be on a larger scale?

Thanks for entering the geotourism challenge - I'm so excited about this project, I may just come volunteer, myself!