The mysterious Sommers Island

Sommers Island. Photo by Nikolay Razuvaev
Sommers Island. Photo by Nikolay Razuvaev

The 28th of June the video bridge Moscow-Beijing was held, it was dedicated to the results of joint Russian-Chinese studies within the frames of complex expedition of the Russian Geographical Society «Hogland». The participants of the environmental watch, which took place from the 5th to the 15th of June of 2017 on the Sommers Island, told about the received scientific results and shared their impressions about the trip.

The object of study of the «Hogland» expedition from 2013 are being the Outer islands of the Gulf of Finland, recognized as the real Тerra Incognita of the North-West of Russia. The islands, located within a radius of only 200 km from St. Petersburg, at different times belonged to Sweden, Finland and Russia, but they had never been a subject of systematic scientific research. This opened up unique prospects for modern researchers in the field of geography, geology, flora and fauna, historical and cultural heritage.

The expedition has been presented by the project coordinator, advisor to the editor-in-chief of the MIA «Russia Today» Alexey Savitskiy, the head of the research group, geographer Anton Yurmanov, a photographer, bild-editor of the Russian Geographical Society Nikolay Razuvaev and correspondent of MIA «Russia Today» Tatiana Zhirova. The Secretary-General of the Geographical Society of China, Zhang Goyu, the head of international cooperation of the secretariat of the Geographical Society of China Zhang Xuanzi, the representatives of the Institute of Geography and Natural Resources of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Liu Xiaoqian and Zhu He and a staff member of Peking University Wu Xutong took part in the video bridge from Beijing. 

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The photo is provided by MIA «Russia Today»
The photo is provided by MIA «Russia Today»

-This year the expedition includes three islands: Big Tyuters, Hogland and Sommers. Now there is still being held the shift on the Big Tyuters Island and Hogland. Our part on Sommers was over the 15th of June. This year we chose the island which had not been involved in the expedition before. It is inhabited, there is no constant population on the island, - the participants of the expedition tell.

Sommers is not a big island a little less than a kilometer in length and 450 meters width, the island is being a part of the outer islands of the Gulf of Finland.

The head of scientific research team Anton Uyrmanov noted, that during the work of the expedition there was executed complex ecological study of the Sommers Island.

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Sommers Island. Photo by Nikolay Razuvaev
Sommers Island. Photo by Nikolay Razuvaev

- In spite of the small territory there are various types of natural systems presented on the island: forest communities, swamp, freshwater reservoirs, meadows, - Anton tells.

According to the words of the geographer, the scientists recorded about 150 species of higher plants on Sommers, 25 species of birds, two species of mammals (Northern leatherskin and gray seal), Two species of amphibians (common triton and gray toad), reptile as well, - a snake. Besides, the island is located in the area of East Atlantic migration route, and there are possible concentrations of birds in the migration period. 

Thus, according to the opinion of the scientists, there is every reason to create a specially protected natural area on Sommers.

Besides the environmental studies the members of the expedition studied military objects of the Great Patriotic War preserved there, and also cleared Sommers of garbage.

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Sommers Island. Photo by Nikolay Razuvaev
Sommers Island. Photo by Nikolay Razuvaev

Concluding the space bridge, the representative of the Middle Kingdom Zhang Goyu noted, that back in the 20th century the Russian and the Chinese geographical societies implemented joint projects. And in the 2014 there was signed cooperation agreement between the organizations, within the frames of which there are being held the expeditions and exhibitions. Chinese geographers are planning to invite colleagues from Russia for participation in joint expeditions, on the territory of the Middle Kingdom this time.

The expedition is being conducted with the participation of the Expeditionary Center of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, MIA «Russia Today» and the Leningrad State University named after A.S.Pushkin with the support of the Administration of the Leningrad Region, FGC UES and other organizations.