On June 15, 2026, the young naturalist movement of Russia celebrates its 108th birthday. It was on June 15, 1918, in the Moscow park "Sokolniki," that staff of the newly established Youth Nature Lovers Station conducted the first organized excursion, which became the starting point of the history of this unique children's movement, unparalleled in the world. Over a century of existence, the young naturalists have made a huge contribution to science and have raised not one generation of scientists-biologists, ecologists, and simply people who love nature. Today, the traditions laid down in the distant 1918 continue to live and develop, finding new forms and attracting thousands of schoolchildren across the country.

How it all began: the idea and its realization

By 1918, despite revolutionary events and the Civil War, the young Soviet republic understood the importance of nurturing the younger generation in harmony with the surrounding world. The founders of the first Youth Nature Lovers Station were two enthusiasts: a pediatrician, Chairman of the Sokolnichesky District Council Ivan Vasilevich Rusakov, and a young biology teacher Boris Vasilevich Vsesvятский. Rusakov's idea was to create a place for urban children where they could combine school studies with the study of the secrets of nature, and Vsesvятский, who became the first director of the station, took on the practical organization of work. The station was housed in a requisitioned merchant's dacha, known as the "Blue Dacha," located on Rostokino Street, near the forest massif of Pogonno-Losinny Ostrov. The initial staff of the bio-station consisted of only three people, but this did not prevent them from sparking a spark of love for nature in the hearts of children. In May 1918, an announcement appeared in Sokolniki inviting children and working youth to become permanent practitioners at the Youth Nature Lovers Station. Seventeen boys and girls responded, ready to learn the secrets of the forest for free. It was for them that the very first organized excursion took place on June 15, marking the birth of the young naturalist movement.

First steps and precepts of the young naturalist

In the first year of operation, four interest groups were formed at the station: "Gardeners" (botany), "Birdwatchers" (ornithology), "Insectivores" (entomology), and "Aquatics" (hydrobiology). The activities of the young naturalists were based on the principle of unity with nature. Special "Precepts of the Young Naturalist" were developed for them, still relevant today. They stated: observe everything around you; accurately record and sketch all your observations; accurately indicate the place, time, and conditions of observation; be impartial and truthful in describing observations; note only such observations in which you are not in doubt; do not make hasty conclusions without verifying them repeatedly or conducting a carefully designed experiment. These simple and wise rules laid the foundation for the scientific research work of the young naturalists, which was carried out under the motto "Closer to Nature!"

Development of the movement and its widespread recognition

The creation of the first station laid the foundation for a mass children's movement that quickly spread across the country. Within a few years, youth nature stations began to open in other Soviet cities. In 1924, the first All-Russian meeting of young naturalists was convened, and in 1928, on the initiative of B.V. Vsesvятский, the first issue of the magazine "Young Naturalist" (originally named "Leaflets of the Youth Nature Lovers Station") began to appear, which became the mouthpiece of the movement. By 1975, there were already more than 500 regional, краевых, and republican stations in the USSR. The former station in Sokolniki was transformed into the Central Youth Nature Lovers Bio-station named after K.A. Timiryazev — a methodological center for the entire country. The young naturalists conducted observations of natural phenomena, carried out experimental and research work, actively participated in nature conservation actions, helped kolkhozes and sovkhozes, planted shelterbelts and school gardens. Slings of young naturalists, Days of the Forest, and Harvest Festivals became traditional mass events, and clubs at stations and schools instilled in children a love for work and an investigative spirit.

Today: traditions and innovations

In 2026, the young naturalist movement, celebrating its 108th birthday, continues to actively develop, finding new forms of work and attracting more and more schoolchildren. Today, young naturalists not only keep traditional observation diaries but also use modern digital technologies: digitizing their research, participating in online conferences and forums, and maintaining ecological blogs. The main coordinator of the movement in the country is the Federal Children's Ecological-Biological Center. Under its auspices, more than 477 youth nature stations and ecological-biological centers operate, where over 300,000 schoolchildren are involved. Work is carried out in dozens of areas: the children participate in the work of scientific societies, school forestries, profile ecological camps, conduct extensive experimental and research work, and become active participants in nature conservation actions and scientific and practical conferences. Traditional popular nationwide competitions such as "Youth," "My Native Land," "Mirror of Nature," meetings of young ecologists, olympiads, and profile schools help young talents reveal their potential.

Prospects: fostering an ecological elite

Over 108 years of existence, the young naturalist movement has raised many outstanding scientists: selectors, agronomists, biologists of a broad profile, ecologists, many of whom have glorified Russian science worldwide. The prospects for the movement in the near future are connected with the introduction of new technologies into the educational process: the use of sensors for monitoring the environment, the use of GIS technologies for cartography, the development of distance learning forms, and the expansion of network interaction between regions. Special attention is paid to vocational guidance work: many young naturalists determine their future profession in school and continue their education at biological and ecological faculties of leading universities in the country. The young naturalist movement remains an important link in the system of extracurricular education for children, shaping a responsible attitude to nature, love for the Motherland, and a scientific world view in the younger generation. It is precisely these qualities, laid in childhood, that help raise true citizens of their country capable of preserving its natural wealth.

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