Learned how villagers live in the center of the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve
Along the central street with... a raccoon dog
– Domzheritsy, with a population of 370 people, is located in the very center of the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve. It is this circumstance that imposes a huge imprint on the way of life and mindset of the people living here, – emphasized Veronika Khomback, Deputy Chairman of the Lepel District Executive Committee.
– Tourists come to us from all over to set up tents in nature, to go down the Berezina River on kayaks. There are many Belarusians and Russians. Last year, the reserve was visited by more than 100,000 people, – said Stanislav Popovsky, an inspector of the nature protection service of the biosphere reserve, whom we met at the Domzheritsky rural executive committee.
– Are there poachers in the protected areas? – I inquired.
– There are practically no malicious violations, – said the inspector. – Local residents know perfectly well how much illegal hunting or fishing costs. If a fisherman is caught with nets, he will have to pay up to 16 base units for one small fish, and during the spawning season, the same amount multiplied by six.
– So, if deer, roe deer, and raccoon dogs stroll along the central street of Domzheritsy early in the morning (and this is not uncommon), we simply observe them. Wild animals are not frightened and feel perfectly comfortable around people, – noted Anatoly Yankovsky, chairman of the rural executive committee, who himself worked in the biosphere reserve until recently.
To confirm this, the head of the rural executive committee showed a video: on the outskirts of the village, he captured a huge bear that calmly looked in his direction and then headed into the forest.
The population of the "village of the future" knows that tractors, motorcycles, and mopeds are not allowed on forest roads. Therefore, the most common mode of transport in the protected area is an electric bicycle.
Children's Laughter Warms the Soul
– Everything revolves around the scientific, ecological, and cultural center, – Anatoly Yankovsky continued. – Not only local residents work at the reserve; 40 people come from Lepel, and 20 from Begoml. There is enough work for everyone. There is an ecological center, a hotel, a restaurant, and museums – a local history museum and a mead museum. This is in addition to the kindergarten, the basic school, the library, the club, the music school, the FAP (feldsher-midwife point), and two shops. Housing is allocated for young families and specialists. A 24-apartment building is planned, where half of the apartments will go to the Berezinsky Reserve, and the other half will be managed by the district executive committee, providing housing for educators, social and medical workers, and teachers.
– If a village is full of voices, it is alive, – Tatyana Golovashko, the office manager, joined the conversation. – Domzheritsy is promising in this regard. There are 42 children studying at the basic school, and 21 toddlers attend kindergarten. There are quite a few families raising three or more children. What is noteworthy is that there are no dysfunctional families. This is all because people have housing, work, decent wages, and prospects for growth. There are places to relax: there is a gym, a rope park, and an ecological trail.
– I have been living in the village since 2003; my husband and I bought our own home here. Our elder son, Alexander, is graduating from the Lepel Agrarian-Technical College with a specialization in gas and electric welding and plans to return to Domzheritsy after his internship. Our younger daughter is studying at school. So, all our plans and our children's plans are connected with our small homeland, – shared Yulia Padabed, who dropped by the FAP during her lunch break to measure her blood pressure and get a prescription.
Yulia Mashkevich, the head of the FAP, emphasized that young mothers with children, students, and pupils come to her for appointments. Tests can be taken at the point. There are usually five calls per week, and the FAP serves 10 villages with a population of almost 700 people.
Head of postal services, Valentina Muravitskaya, reported that residents of the "village of the future" are also avid readers: almost every second villager subscribes to a periodical.
Transformations are coming
Bringing the village of Domzheritsy closer to urban living conditions is a real prospect. Today, most residents of the settlement have housing with central water supply, and hot water is available in six apartment buildings. By July, fiber optic cable will be laid, which will increase internet speed. Funds have been allocated from the regional and local budgets for these purposes. Reconstruction of power supply networks is underway, and new substations are being installed. Residents will have the opportunity to receive more kilowatts for their private households, which can be heated with electric boilers. A large volume of work is planned for improvement. After the mythological festival "Shlyakham Tsmoka," local authorities will closely address the issues of replacing the heating main on central streets and repairing the school. Asphalt will be laid on the last three of the ten existing streets, and the facades of apartment buildings will acquire a bright appearance. A well-equipped forest park area will be a great gift for local residents, especially families with children. A network of paths and walkways with modern street lighting will appear, and the park will be decorated with gazebos and original small architectural forms. All these transformations are timed to coincide with the upcoming 100th anniversary of the reserve, which is to be celebrated in 2025.