Field research at the Sikhote-Alin research center

Darya Alexandrovna Maximova

The overall goal of this internship is to introduce the intern to the world of conservation research and to allow her to gain experience, leadership skills, and an understanding of how to plan and implement conservation research projects. The intern will work in the village of Terney at the Sikhote-Alin Research Center, which is a facility whose mission is to train and mentor young Russian and international conservation biologists.  For the duration of the internship she will participate in and gradually take responsibility for implementation of a conservation research project on habitat selection and the impact of logging on musk deer – a species of concern in the Russian Federation that is under intense pressure from poaching and logging activities. The intern will help develop a work plan for this project and will, by the end of the internship, be leading the project activities. Additionally, the intern will participate in other ongoing projects at the Sikhote-Alin Research Center, including the Siberian Tiger Project, Improving Law Enforcement in Protected areas, and Improving Management of Logging Roads in the Russian Far East.  Collectively, participation in these programs will give the intern a clearer picture of the role of research in defining conservation priorities, and in how to design and implement conservation research projects.