The Lazovsky Nature Reserve (Zapovednik), located in the southeast of the Primorsky region in the Southern Russian Far East on the Sea of Japan, was established in 1935. Since 1995, Lazovsky Zapovednik has been considered one of the best in Russia on the basis of their protection, education and outreach activities. However, it is a state organization and the federal funding is not sufficient for efficient protection of the unique biodiversity there. Therefore, in 2005 the Phoenix Fund decided to support one of the reserve’s teams. The team supported by Phoenix consists of nine experienced rangers. They conduct regular anti-poaching patrols in the zapovednik and its buffer zone and extinguish forest fires. They carry out patrols on foot and by car, set up ambushes for poachers and follow the tracks of poachers. The rangers spend 20 days per month in the field.
