Internationalization, Trust and Multi-Stakeholder Governance of Natural Resources
International conference
(St. Petersburg, 17-19 April 2009)

Organized by: CISR.
The conference aimed to contribute to the discussion of a series of sociological theories that explain modern-day processes of globalization and localization from various perspectives. The conference brought together social scientists with a wide range of interests in environmental, governance and sustainability issues. The conference's discussion touched upon internationalization in the sphere of natural resource governance, multi-stakeholder governance of natural resources, and resilience and the adaptive possibilities related to institutional changes.
The conference was supported by CISR.

Stakeholders' Participation in Forest Governance
Theoretical and practical conference (Petrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia, 12 March 2008)

Organizers: CISR, NGO SPOK (Petrozavodsk).
The conference was attended by representatives of NGOs, the state forest sector, timber enterprises, and local communities of the Karelian Republic. The participants worked out a declaration specifying necessary measures to be taken by business, state institutions, and NGOs to achieve sustainable forest development.
Supported by EIDHR (European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights).

Citizens' Rights for Forest Governance: Specification and Preservation of High Social Value Forests
Theoretical and practical conference (Tikhvin Leningradskaya oblast, 19 February 2008)

Organizers: CISR, Children's Ecological Center at Tikhvin.
The conference welcomed three big transnational corporations and other stakeholders in forest governance: representatives of local authorities, civil initiatives, forest management units, and expert community. It aimed to initiate an intersectoral dialogue in the issue, to inform the population about its rights as regards forest governance, and to discuss and elaborate the ways of constructive solution of topical problems.
Supported by EIDHR (European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights).

Translation of Global Governance Designs - TheљRole of Civil Society in Transition Countries
International conference (St.љPetersburg, 17-19љSeptember 2006)

Organisers: CISR, SUNY Buffalo Law School and Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy, International Studies Association.
Theљconcept of Global Governance Designs has been discussed at theљconference. Global governance increasingly involves theљdevelopment of governance 'designs' by global actors who then find means for implementing those designs in specific localities. Civil society is central to this local deployment process. Theљpurpose of this conference was to explore how centers of global design are organized, who participates, how theљwork is done, and what discourses are used or created. Some centers of governance design are fixed, as for example theљUnited Nations system or theљEuropean Union, while others are mobile, as for example theљiterative development of international protocols and conventions. Theљtranslation process from centers of global design to national or local context unfolds in through aљvariety of ways: NGOs create networks to support localized action sometimes through funding of local NGOs and sometimes through supporting projects directly; social entrepreneurs draw upon global designs and innovate in their locality; environmental flows of resources open opportunities for translation; information technologies themselves open new spaces for translation, principles of sustainability or social responsibility expand theљaccountability of local business and resource management activities. Illuminating these processes was theљgoal of this international conference.
Supported by theљBaldy Center for Law and Social Policy at theљUniversity at Buffalo and theљCISR.
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Environmental Movements in Russia: Development Trends
(St. Petersburg, 15-16 October 2005)

Organisers: CISR, journal "NZ: Debates on Politics and Culture" (Moscow).
The conference was put together in order to attempt to comprehend theљprocesses of transformation of Russian environmental movements. One of theљtasks of theљconference was to understand theљtactics and strategies developed by environmental activists in theљcurrent situation. In addition, theљconference touched on such themes as theљinternal dynamics and conflicts of environmental movements; theљinteractions between activists from environmental NGOs, state workers from nature-conservation organisations, politicians and different population groups. Theљmaterials from theљdiscussions and theљauthors' reports form theљbasis of aљspecial edition of theљjournal, "NZ: Debates on Politics and Culture" (No 2, 2006), which is dedicated to theљdiscussion of theљRussian environmental movement.
Supported by the Heinrich Boell Foundation and theљJohnљD. and CatherineљT. MacArthur Foundation.

Globalisation, Forest Governance and Forest Certification
International conference (St. Petersburg, 12-13љMay 2005)

Organisers: CISR, Research Committee on Environment and Society (RC24) of theљInternational Sociological Association (ISA).
The aim of this conference was to understand how theљlocalisation of theљglobal forest governance process occurs in Western countries, in Russia and in countries with transitional economies. To what extent can forest certification be used as aљtool to promote sustainable forest management in theљcountries with institutional turbulence? What is theљimpact of forest certification on practices in local forest communities? What is theљrole of non- governmental organisations, governmental agencies and firms in promoting sustainable forest management? Major themes were: forest governance under theљconditions of institutional turbulence; certification and labelling as aљtool in promoting sustainability; role of theљstate and non-state actors in forest governance.
Supported by the CISR, the JohnљD. and CatherineљT. MacArthur Foundation, theљTrust for Mutual Understanding (USA), theљYale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (New Haven, USA), theљWageningen University (theљNetherlands), theљResearch Committee on Environment and Society RC24 of theљInternational Sociological Association (ISA), theљInternational Research and Exchanges Board (IREX).

Problems of Forest Relationships in Russia: Global, Regional and Local Contexts
(St. Petersburg, 21-22 November 2004)

Organiser: CISR.
Goal - to share research results on forest relations between scientists and practitioners. Theљdiscussion was devoted to illegal logging problems, FSC certification, challengers of theљnew Forest Code of theљRussian Federation. Theљconference's conclusions were sent to theљRussian Ministry of Natural Resources, theљState Duma, President Putin, and forest companies.
Supported by theљAlumni Local Initiative Grant Program (LIGP) administrated by ACTR/ACCELS (American Councils for International Education).

Protection of Forests and Sustainable Forestry Practices
Conference (Kadnikov, Vologda oblast, 21-22 August 2003)

Organisers: CISR, Natural Resources and Environment Protection Committee (Sokol), Sokol Branch of theљAll-Russian Society for Nature Protection (VOOP), NGO "Kadnikov School Forestry", Kadnikov City Library.
Participants: regional EcoNGO leaders, scientists, students, school children, representatives of state nature-protection agencies and local governments, forestry businesses. Theљconference was devoted to theљdiscussion of sustainable forestry practices in Russia, theљrole of NGOs and communities in this process, and analysis of opportunities for organising sustainable forest management in Vologda oblast.
Supported by theљInternational Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) and theљSmall Grants Program for Alumni of theљBureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (U.S.љDepartment of State).

Preconditions for Ecological Modernization in Sokol (Vologda Oblast) and Svetogorsk (Leningrad Oblast)
Russian-Finnish seminar (St.љPetersburg, 29-30 January 2003)

Organisers: CISR, University of Joensuu (Finland).
Participants: scientists from CISR and theљUniversity of Joensuu. Theљexperts shared opinions based on theљfield research of theљcase study project "Preconditions for Ecological Modernization in Russian Mill Towns" (2001-2003). Special attention was given to theљopportunity to test and develop theљecological modernisation theory.
Supported by theљAcademy of Sciences (Finland).

REPRODUCTION OF LESSONS LEARNED IN BUILDING STREAMS VOLUNTEER MONITORING NETWORKS
(conferences, seminars and trainings)

Read more on theљsite http://www.ecocisr.spb.ru.

Conference
(St.љPetersburg, 29-30 March 2003)

Organisers: CISR, NGO "Nature School 'Ostrov'" and House of theљYouth Creativity of Petrogradskij district (St.љPetersburg).
Participants: EcoNGO leaders, scientists, students, representatives of theљstate nature- protection agencies and local governments. Theљconference was devoted to sizing-up participation of EcoNGOs from St.љPetersburg, Volodga, Pskov and Karelia regions in theљCISR project "Reproduction of Lessons Learned in Building Streams Volunteer Monitoring Networks" (2002-2003) and to planning their further activity in theљregions and their joint activity as participants of theљNorth-West Russia Streams Volunteer Monitoring Networks. It was decided to set up eight resource-information centres for support of Streams Volunteer Monitoring Networks in theљNorth-West Russia and to provide them with eight field laboratories along with other equipment from CISR.
Supported by theљ"Replication of Lessons Learned" program (ROLL) of theљInstitute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) and theљU.S.љAgency for International Development (USAID).

Seminars and trainings
(Vologda, 23 January 2003; Sokol of Volodga oblast, 15љMarch 2003)

Participants: regional EcoNGO leaders, representatives of theљstate nature-protection agencies and local governments. Theљexperts in sociology and ecology provided consultations on theљopportunities to use theљsocial potential of volunteers involved in public ecological monitoring with theљaim of improving theљsocial and natural environment.
Supported by theљ"Replication of Lessons Learned" program (ROLL) of theљInstitute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) and theљU.S.љAgency for International Development (USAID).

Seminars and trainings
(Vartemiaki, Vsevologsk region of Leningrad oblast, 4-6љJuly 2002; Sosnovij Bor, Sebezhsk region of Pskov oblast, 23-25љJuly 2002; Zarevo, Totemsk region of Vologda oblast, 18- 21љAugust 2002; Kirovsk of Leningrad oblast, 19-21љSeptember 2002)

Organisers: CISR and regional EcoNGOs.
Participants: NGO leaders, school children, students, representatives of theљstate nature- protection agencies and local governments. Theљexperts in sociology, ecology, biology and chemistry conducted set of trainings on streams volunteer monitoring.
Supported by theљ"Replication of Lessons Learned" program (ROLL) of theљInstitute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) and theљU.S.љAgency for International Development (USAID).

DIALOGUES FOR NUCLEAR AND CHEMICAL SAFETY
(set of events)

International workshop
(Chelyabinsk, 23-25 August 2002)

Organisers: CISR and Movement for Nuclear Safety (Chelyabinsk).
Theљrepresentatives of EcoNGOs from Chelyabinsk, Zlatoust, Ozersk, Snezhinsk, and Muslumovo (Chelyabinsk oblast) looked at theљrole of social movements and NGOs in solving theљproblems of environmental pollution in Russia and theљUS. American experts presented their experience in theљUS and acquainted theљparticipants with most effective actions of American activists in this sphere. Russian sociologists submitted theљresults of applied research and new theoretical approaches which could help to conceptualise their work and to reveal theљpotential of social movements.
Supported by theљTrust for Mutual Understanding (USA).

International summer school
(St.љPetersburg, 8-10 August 2002)

Organisers: CISR, Ramapo College of New Jersey (USA).
Within theљframework of the school, Russian and American sociologists, psychologists and activists of environmental movement exchanged their experience, and worked out mechanisms for rendering help to Russian cities with adverse ecological situations. Initiatives of environmental public organisations in Kirishi and Chelyabinsk were thoroughly elaborated. Theљexperience generated in improving theљsituation in theљregions of ecological disaster in theљUS was presented by American researchers.
Supported by theљTrust for Mutual Understanding (USA).

PROMOTING PARTNERSHIPS TO TRAIN RESIDENTS IN STREAM RESTORATION AND SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY PRACTICES IN RUSSIAN MILL TOWNS (set of events)

International round table
(Kizhi, Karelia, 15 June 2002)

Organisers: CISR, "Kizhi Island" Museum, Dickinson College (USA).
The representatives of NGOs, museums and research organisations of Russia and theљUS discussed environmental problems, including those of preserving both natural and cultural monuments. Theљdiscussion focused on theљexchange of experience with their protection, and theљdevelopment of educational programs.
Supported by the Trust for Mutual Understanding (USA).

International workshop
(Sokol, Vologda region, 10 June 2002; v.љShilykovo, Vologda oblast, 11-13љJune 2002)

Organisers: CISR, Sokol Branch of theљAll-Russian Society for Nature Protection, "Culture of New Age" Society, Dickinson College (USA).
The workshop was attended by theљrepresentatives of NGOs, research institutes, theљstate environmental organisations of Russia (Vologda, Sokol, Nizhnij Novgorod, Petrozavodsk, and St.љPetersburg), theљUS (Baltimore, Annapolis, Towson, Carlisle), and Finland (Joensuu). Theљproblems of watershed protection were discussed, solutions were considered based on theљexperience of theљUS and Finland. Special attention was given to theљproblem of theљimpact of pulp-and-paper mills on forests and rivers. Possible ways of solving problems were discussed. Possibilities and methods of building streams volunteer monitoring networks in theљVologda region were discussed. Within theљworkshop, theљmethodological training on monitoring was conducted; theљparticipants looked at theљpossibilities of cooperation between theљrepresentatives of state structures and those of NGOs.
Supported by the Trust for Mutual Understanding (USA).

International workshop
(St.љPetersburg, 7-8 June 2002)

Organiser: CISR.
Scientists and representatives of environmental NGOs from Russia (St.љPetersburg, Kadnikov, Kazan, Moscow, Novomoskovsk, Vladivostok), Ukraine (Dnepropetrovsk), Kazakhstan (Alma-Ata), US (Maryland: Baltimore, Annapolis, Towson, Carlisle), and Finland (Joensuu) participated. Special attention was given to theљpossibilities of interaction between institutions of higher education and EcoNGOs.
Supported by the Trust for Mutual Understanding (USA).

International round table
(Moscow, 5 June 2002)

Organisers: CISR, Greenpeace Russia.
Representatives of NGOs and scientists from Russia, and theљUS participated. Theљproblems of theљinfluence of developed international and national environmental EcoNGOs on legislation in theљsphere of forestry were theљmain topics of theљdiscussion. Special attention was given to theљRussian and American experience of projects dealing with modeling forests, and to theљRussian experience of forest certification within international FSC system.
Supported by the Trust for Mutual Understanding (USA).

Democracy in Action: Building Sustainable Communities in Russia and theљUnited States
International workshop (St.љPetersburg, 26-28љAugust 1998)

Organisers: CISR, International Interdisciplinary Environmental Association (IEA).
Interdisciplinary environmental scientists and practitioners from theљUS, Scotland, and Russia (St.љPetersburg, Moscow) discussed different aspects of sustainable development worldwide and theљrole of NGOs in promoting AgendaљXXI in Russia, theљUS and theљUK. Theљmaterials of the workshop were published both in English and Russian.
Supported by the Trust for Mutual Understanding (USA).

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