Press releases

MINSK, 20 November (BelTA) – New books on environmental protection that came out in the Year of Science in Belarus were presented by Vladimir Andriyevich, Director of the Petrus Brovka Belarusian Encyclopedia publishing house, at a press conference in Minsk on 20 November, BelTA has learned.

Here are some of the books that can draw the interest of a wide audience: 50 Unique Protected Areas of Belarus, Aggressive Plants: Invasive Species in Belarus, Big Encyclopedia of the Little Professor: Flowers of the Homeland, and also books from the series Belarusian Children’s Encyclopedia (Protected Plants of Belarus, Protected Animals of Belarus, and Trees of Belarus).

The book 50 Unique Protected Areas of Belarus holds a special place, Vladimir Andriyevich said. The large-format artwork is dedicated to the most valuable protected areas in Belarus, including the biosphere reserve, national parks, national and local game reserves. The publication was prepared on request of and with financial support of Belarus’ Information Ministry.

The 400-page album is published in Russian and English, added Larisa Yazykovich, editor-in-chief of the Petrus Brovka Belarusian Encyclopedia publishing house. It features numerous photos made using cutting-edge technologies, which have never been released and circulated before. Virtually every site mentioned in the book has an international protection status. The book provides detailed maps to each of them alongside complete lists of plants and animals included in the Belarus Red Book and registered in these protected areas.

The book is intended for a wide readership. It is of interest in terms of environmental education, tourism, and recreation. It was written by Belarusian scientists, specialists of the R&D Center of Belarus’ National Academy of Sciences Natalia Yurgenson, Vladimir Ustin, Yelena Shushkova, and Dmitry Grummo.

The series of books on Belarus’ natural heritage can be continued, said Nikolai Svidinsky, head of the department for biological and landscape diversity of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry. As of 1 January 2017, the system of Belarus’ protected areas comprises over 1,300 sites.