One of the things that makes our work so special is spending time in communities — in the small villages that tie together the North Pacific, in China, Russia, Alaska, and stretching down to California.  Especially in Russia, many of these communities struggle to survive and have seen hard times over the last 15 years.

The work we do in these communities is often not sexy, doesn’t result in big conservation victories, and is often hard to explain.  At times, it is excruciating to experience the reality of these small villages.  But our outreach in these villages is also some of the most rewarding — working with people who are trying to assert control over the way their natural resources are used and trying to make sure that the resources are used sustainably and for their local benefit.

Click here to read some writing by one of our field staff that paints a picture of the conditions in rural villages in the Russian Far East.  Our field staff wrote this piece in response to a basic question:  “How do people survive in Russia’s forgotten villages?” I hope you enjoy the writing