'Volunteer Alley' Opens at the BNRU Botanical Garden

50 of our students volunteered to plant the bushes in the latest Alley, which has been a theme in the Garden started to coincide with our 140^th anniversary in 2016, when volunteers and workers planted an Alley in honour of 1^st Year students. The latest project is dedicated to volunteers, this being the 'Year of the Volunteer'. The bushes have a practical purpose, as they will become sources of scientific samples for our scientists working in the Lilac Cultivation Centre, and in Biology and Organic Chemistry. Professor Svetlana Ostrikova, Vice-Rector for Cultural and Academic Affairs, addressed the students and guests, saying,

“Volunteers have been instrumental in commemorating an establishing many of the traditions in our University. They have taken part in environmental clean-ups and planted parks and alleys, alongside their other tasks, through membership of the University's Volunteer Organisations. This is a valuable part of our culture at the University. Today sees the planting of an extraordinary shrub known as the Astrakhan Lilac, which is significant as the latest addition to the fund of plants available to our Lilac Cultivation Centre.”

Ksenia Pavlenko, Chair of the 'Land for Life' Youth Environmental Society, thanked the 'Warm Hearts' voluntary group for their continued participation in these events and their positive attitude to life in general.