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You are here: Backpacker Resources > Travel Tips > Ethical Travel - Lake Baikal

Ethical Travel - Lake Baikal

It’s deep, old, clear and cold but don’t let that scare you. It’s tucked away in a remote corner of a vast country ‐ but don’t let that spook you! It’s not easy to get to ‐ but don’t let that put you off! This is a journey worth making and a cause worth saving. In other words be good to Mother Russia and lend your support to Lake Baikal as we go on a trail‐blazing trip to preserve the world’s oldest and deepest lake!

Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal can be found thousands of miles east of Moscow and it’s a popular stopping point for travellers on the Trans‐Siberian Railway. So what’s the attraction I hear you ask? Well let’s break it down. At 25 million‐years‐old and 1,700 metres deep, it’s the world’s oldest and deepest lake. Furthermore it contains almost 20% of the Earth’s unfrozen freshwater reserve, and holds a whopping 80% of Russia’s freshwater supply. Is there more? Yes! Baikal was formed by the drifting of Earth’s tectonic plates, which means it’s still growing today!

The lake is also home to a unique ecosystem. Tiny crustaceans called epishura keep the lake’s water pure and the world’s only freshwater seal (nerpa) and its favourite food (a fish called golomyanka – not Wanda) also call the lake home. In total there are more than 100 species of plants and animals living here.

Challenges for the Pearl of Siberia

Lake Baikal is so remote it must be untouched ‐ right? No. Under the Soviet regime production quotas (not the environment) were the order of the day. In the 1960s a paper pulp factory was built on the shores of the lake and became the force behind Russia’s green movement. The factory still exists today and it isn’t the only threat to Lake Baikal.

Today the lake is threatened by pollution flowing into it from the surrounding area and the proximity of the Eastern Siberia oil pipeline. Just as Soviet production quotas affected the lake in the past, today’s living standards, the demand for energy and car access to the area, all mean an increase in waste in the area. Legislation to protect the lake does exist but it’s not enforced.

Support the Great Baikal Trail Association

Now we know why Lake Baikal is special but how can we keep it that way? Well for a start you can grab those boots and make some tracks with the Great Baikal Trail Association!

Founded in 2002, the Great Baikal Trail Association (GBTA) is in the process of creating Russia’s first system of hiking trails around Lake Baikal. Over 500km of track have already been built, but GBTA’s goal doesn’t end there. The association wants to create a sustainable economy for the region ‐ an alternative to heavy industry and something that will protect Lake Baikal. In partnership with the GBTA, the locals who live in the area are employed as interpreters, programme leaders or promoters for local businesses ‐ all catering to ethically minded travellers.

There’s also a lot of volunteer work with the GBTA which in the summertime means outdoor work such as trail building and in the winter, volunteering in the communities around Lake Baikal. So what’s the catch? Unfortunately the GBTA doesn’t receive any government support so everything comes down to the fees paid by members. Furthermore the travel costs aren’t covered ‐ so volunteers need to make their own way to meeting points.

Even if you can’t make it to the lake for some hands on fun, the GBTA are always on the look out for donations of money and tools, along with books, toys and DVDs for the local children. Of course warm words are also always welcome and they’re free to send! This column is only a taste of what the GBTA is doing so to find out more, visit the website and contact the Great Baikal Trail Association at greatbaikaltrail.org.

‐ Jackie Reddy