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PonesLos! Nornickel's eco-camps make nature clean again

In the summer of 2025, five cities of Nornickel's presence hosted the PonesLos marathon eco-camps for environmental volunteers.

Hundreds of garbage bags, miles of cleaned up shoreline, and dozens of restored eco-trails and infrastructure facilities. 2025 has marked the fifth anniversary eco-camp of the PonesLos: People of the Territory marathon.  As much as stepping out and cleaning up seems plain and easy on the outside, the effort is centered around a deeper conceptual framework. The eco-camps have grown into training grounds for teaching responsibility and rethinking nature. Take the test to find out how volunteers act as role models in shaping the environmental and corporate culture among the residents of their host regions.

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How old has the PonesLos: People of the Territory eco-initiative turn?
2025 marked the fifth anniversary of the PonesLos eco-camps.
This year, the PonesLos eco-marathon celebrated its tenth anniversary. Volunteers participate in social, environmental and development programs. Over this decade, they have been building eco-trails, collecting garbage, restoring cultural heritage, helping the elderly, children and stray animals.

The 10th anniversary event was attended by 173 teams from the Murmansk Region, Trans-Baikal Territory, Norilsk, Moscow, Saratov and Krasnoyarsk and the total of 1500+ people.

For five summers in a row, Nornickel's volunteers have been running eco-camps cleaning up parks and recreational areas on the weekends. In 2025, 160 volunteers cleaned up the eco-trails and upgraded territories in Monchegorsk, Norilsk, Moscow, Chita and Saratov.
This year, the PonesLos eco-marathon celebrated its tenth anniversary. Volunteers participate in social, environmental and development programs. Over this decade, they have been building eco-trails, collecting garbage, restoring cultural heritage, helping the elderly, children and stray animals.

The 10th anniversary event was attended by 173 teams from the Murmansk Region, Trans-Baikal Territory, Norilsk, Moscow, Saratov and Krasnoyarsk and the total of 1500+ people.

For five summers in a row, Nornickel's volunteers have been running eco-camps cleaning up parks and recreational areas on the weekends. In 2025, 160 volunteers cleaned up the eco-trails and upgraded territories in Monchegorsk, Norilsk, Moscow, Chita and Saratov.

This year, the PonesLos eco-marathon celebrated its tenth anniversary. Volunteers participate in social, environmental and development programs. Over this decade, they have been building eco-trails, collecting garbage, restoring cultural heritage, helping the elderly, children and stray animals.

The 10th anniversary event was attended by 173 teams from the Murmansk Region, Trans-Baikal Territory, Norilsk, Moscow, Saratov and Krasnoyarsk and the total of 1500+ people.

For five summers in a row, Nornickel's volunteers have been running eco-camps cleaning up parks and recreational areas on the weekends. In 2025, 160 volunteers cleaned up the eco-trails and upgraded territories in Monchegorsk, Norilsk, Moscow, Chita and Saratov.
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The PonesLos-2025 eco-marathon was won by the teams based in a city where Nornickel has a presence. Which city was it?

Anniversary PonesLos-2025 environmental marathon wrapped up
Both winning teams, Romashkovy Gorod (Camomile City) and Akvatoria Dobra (Basin of Goodness), are based in the port city of Dudinka. They have conducted numerous cleanup campaigns, cleared the Statsionnoye lake, collected 140 bags of household garbage, a whole truck of scrap metal and five trucks of wood waste, and planted 300 seedlings. Both teams received RUB 150k to develop their volunteering initiatives.

The teams ranked second and third got RUB 100k and RUB 75k, respectively.
Both winning teams, Romashkovy Gorod (Camomile City) and Akvatoria Dobra (Basin of Goodness), are based in the port city of Dudinka. They have conducted numerous cleanup campaigns, cleared the Statsionnoye lake, collected 140 bags of household garbage, a whole truck of scrap metal and five trucks of wood waste, and planted 300 seedlings. Both teams received RUB 150k to develop their volunteering initiatives.

The teams ranked second and third got RUB 100k and RUB 75k, respectively.

Both winning teams, Romashkovy Gorod (Camomile City) and Akvatoria Dobra (Basin of Goodness), are based in the port city of Dudinka. They have conducted numerous cleanup campaigns, cleared the Statsionnoye lake, collected 140 bags of household garbage, a whole truck of scrap metal and five trucks of wood waste, and planted 300 seedlings. Both teams received RUB 150k to develop their volunteering initiatives.

The teams ranked second and third got RUB 100k and RUB 75k, respectively.
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During the ecocamp, volunteers have visited the cave of a famous 16th-century robber in the village of Lokh, Saratov Region. What was his name?

The cave of robber Kudeyar in the village of Lokh, Saratov Region.

An attraction in the village of Lokh, 80 km from Saratov, is the cave of the legendary robber Kudeyar, who lived during the time of Ivan the Terrible (claimed by some to have been his half-brother). To get in the cave, one has to climb a very steep slope which is pretty hard. Not for Nornickel's volunteers, however. During their stay in the village of Lokh, volunteers got to clean up the church territory, paint benches, collect wild seeds, hear the legends and tales, and hike to the cave in Kudeyarova Mountain. And even though they found no treasure, they got to enjoy the magnificent view!

An attraction in the village of Lokh, 80 km from Saratov, is the cave of the legendary robber Kudeyar, who lived during the time of Ivan the Terrible (claimed by some to have been his half-brother). To get in the cave, one has to climb a very steep slope which is pretty hard. Not for Nornickel's volunteers, however. During their stay in the village of Lokh, volunteers got to clean up the church territory, paint benches, collect wild seeds, hear the legends and tales, and hike to the cave in Kudeyarova Mountain. And even though they found no treasure, they got to enjoy the magnificent view!

An attraction in the village of Lokh, 80 km from Saratov, is the cave of the legendary robber Kudeyar, who lived during the time of Ivan the Terrible (claimed by some to have been his half-brother). To get in the cave, one has to climb a very steep slope which is pretty hard. Not for Nornickel's volunteers, however. During their stay in the village of Lokh, volunteers got to clean up the church territory, paint benches, collect wild seeds, hear the legends and tales, and hike to the cave in Kudeyarova Mountain. And even though they found no treasure, they got to enjoy the magnificent view!
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What useful skill did the ecocampers from Monchegorsk acquire?

During the ecocamps, volunteers have gained many useful skills.
This year, volunteers from Monchegorsk worked in the Lapark ski resort, where they had to do a lot of painting. Volunteer Elena Pastushenko noted that whenever she had to paint something in her garden, she would inevitably stain her clothes. But now she has learned how to carefully remove old paint and rust and reapply fresh paint without any stains.

Along with painting, volunteers have cleared the roller track and set up signs in Lapark that indicate distance to the cities of Nornickel's presence.
This year, volunteers from Monchegorsk worked in the Lapark ski resort, where they had to do a lot of painting. Volunteer Elena Pastushenko noted that whenever she had to paint something in her garden, she would inevitably stain her clothes. But now she has learned how to carefully remove old paint and rust and reapply fresh paint without any stains.

Along with painting, volunteers have cleared the roller track and set up signs in Lapark that indicate distance to the cities of Nornickel's presence.

This year, volunteers from Monchegorsk worked in the Lapark ski resort, where they had to do a lot of painting. Volunteer Elena Pastushenko noted that whenever she had to paint something in her garden, she would inevitably stain her clothes. But now she has learned how to carefully remove old paint and rust and reapply fresh paint without any stains.

Along with painting, volunteers have cleared the roller track and set up signs in Lapark that indicate distance to the cities of Nornickel's presence.
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What type of terrain does the boardwalk ecotrail built by Moscow volunteers run through in the Losiny Ostrov National Park?
Birdwatching tower in Losiny Ostrov National Park
The boardwalk birdwatching ecotrail runs through the Verkhneyauzsky wetland zone in the Losiny Ostrov National Park. The trail is a structurally stable arrangement of wooden planks capable of holding a person in the center of the swamp without disturbing its fragile ecosystem and of course safe enough to prevent a fall. During the spring and summer, the swamp becomes a nesting site for a plethora of birds that can be observed both up close and from a 12-meter observation tower.

In 2025, Nornickel volunteers cleared the boardwalk trail, updated information signs about birds and their habitats, and repaired the winter house at the biological research station.
The boardwalk birdwatching ecotrail runs through the Verkhneyauzsky wetland zone in the Losiny Ostrov National Park. The trail is a structurally stable arrangement of wooden planks capable of holding a person in the center of the swamp without disturbing its fragile ecosystem and of course safe enough to prevent a fall. During the spring and summer, the swamp becomes a nesting site for a plethora of birds that can be observed both up close and from a 12-meter observation tower.

In 2025, Nornickel volunteers cleared the boardwalk trail, updated information signs about birds and their habitats, and repaired the winter house at the biological research station.

The boardwalk birdwatching ecotrail runs through the Verkhneyauzsky wetland zone in the Losiny Ostrov National Park. The trail is a structurally stable arrangement of wooden planks capable of holding a person in the center of the swamp without disturbing its fragile ecosystem and of course safe enough to prevent a fall. During the spring and summer, the swamp becomes a nesting site for a plethora of birds that can be observed both up close and from a 12-meter observation tower.

In 2025, Nornickel volunteers cleared the boardwalk trail, updated information signs about birds and their habitats, and repaired the winter house at the biological research station.
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What materials did eco-volunteers from Norilsk use to create comfortable recreational areas on the banks of the Kharayelakh River?
Ecocamp in Norilsk on the right bank of the Kharayelakh River.
Sixty eco-volunteers from Nornickel and concerned Norilsk residents arrived at the favorite recreational spot of the city's residents, the Kharayelakh River bank. They painted old pallets to make benches ideal for both sitting and lying down.

They also collected 60 bags of trash and ran an environmental quest to get better insight into the local fauna.
Sixty eco-volunteers from Nornickel and concerned Norilsk residents arrived at the favorite recreational spot of the city's residents, the Kharayelakh River bank. They painted old pallets to make benches ideal for both sitting and lying down.

They also collected 60 bags of trash and ran an environmental quest to get better insight into the local fauna.

Sixty eco-volunteers from Nornickel and concerned Norilsk residents arrived at the favorite recreational spot of the city's residents, the Kharayelakh River bank. They painted old pallets to make benches ideal for both sitting and lying down.

They also collected 60 bags of trash and ran an environmental quest to get better insight into the local fauna.
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Are you new to volunteering?

Not everyone will understand why a person would do unpaid work for the benefit of nature and community in their free time. However, statistics show that the number of volunteers only goes up every year meaning that the reason is comprehensible. And the PonesLos: People of the Territory eco-marathon proves this. Read the article on the emergence and development of the initiative which grew into Russia's largest environmental movement ran by a business.

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You are no stranger to volunteering

Many volunteers say they first joined out of curiosity but got 'hooked' quickly as good deeds motivated them. Another upside of such activities is great company at all times. Nornickel's volunteers take part not only in environmental projects but other initiatives as well. Read the interview with Mikhail Sobolev who found his devotion in helping children.

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You are quite well-versed in volunteering

It is obvious to you that good deeds require public initiative, and the list of such deeds is constantly expanding. Help is needed by people, animals and nature. The range of volunteer opportunities in the PonesLos: People of the Territory eco-marathon has gotten much wider, adding, in particular, assistance to research workers in specially protected natural areas.

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Photos by Nornickel

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