Ilsur Metshin: “A natural eco-park will be created at the Russian-German Switzerland”

In the center of Kazan, on an area of 317 hectares, the natural park “Russian-German Switzerland” will be developed. It will be designed on the principle of least possible interference into the landscape and ecosystem. Today, the Mayor of the city Ilsur Metshin shared plans for the implementation of this project with Insta-bloggers. The walk was attended by the bloggers Zulfiya Taktashova, Alina Safina, Timur Yeskaraev and others.

The concept of the natural park “Russian-German Switzerlan” was developed by a creative group under the Kazan Mayor’s Office headed by the Deputy chief architect Daria Tolovenkova. The main goal of the project is to preserve the Russian-German Switzerland as a huge eco-park, and to increase the borders of its specially protected natural territories.

The Russian-German Switzerland is a unique territory according to its natural and archaeological features. Many rare plants grow here, and the Red book bird species live there. In accordance with the development Strategy of Kazan, this territory will become part of a large ecosystem of 12 parks that are planned to be created in the city.

The new General plan of Kazan, the entire park is assigned to functional area 400- natural areas and included in the Natural - recreational complex of Kazan. “The General plan of the city has a separate section “Ecology”. This is a scientific document, where all factors are taken into account when developing green sites, - the head of the city told bloggers at the beginning of the meeting. “On this site, we want to preserve this natural area as much as possible pristine”.

Participants of the tour started their journey from the Novatorov railway station towards the spring that flows on the territory of the Russian-German Switzerland.

The head of the city together with bloggers examined a spring with clear water. I. Metshin drew the attention of the participants of the walk to the fact that the entire territory is kept clean and thanked the citizens for this. “There is no garbage, no plastic. This is the merit of local citizens and eco-activists who protect this site”, - he said.

Then, the Mayor escorted the bloggers deep into the park. Fences, steps – everything here is made by the citizens from wood, and during the creation of the park, according to the Mayor, will remain in the same appearance.

On the coastal zone of Kazanka, the concept of the future park was presented to bloggers in more detail. The main task is to increase the area of the specially protected natural territory and thus preserve the unique natural landscape in its original appearance, the Mayor emphasized.

The concept of a natural park involves the preservation of the natural landscape and natural paths. On the territory where valuable and rare plant species grow, access will be restricted.

In the floodplain part of Kazanka, it is planned to build wooden bridges with piers, and plant special grass and shrubs. The park will get an incubation center for particularly valuable species of plants, as well as a tower for bird watching. On the territory of the former young naturalists’ station near the Millennium bridge, it is planned to create an urban eco-center similar to the one that works in the Gorkinsko-Ometyevsk forest.

The tour ended on Podluzhnaya street. The bloggers thanked the head of the city for the opportunity to get acquainted with the concept of eco-park and suggested to hold such activities regularly.