Research Workshop at Muraviovka Nature Park, 9-13 September 1998. Simba Chan Crane Flyway Officer About Muraviovka Park: Muraviovka Nature Park is located at the Amur Region of Russia. It is about 90 minutes’ drive from the city of Blagoveshchensk. It is an important breeding and migration stop-over site for Red-crowned Crane, White-naped Crane, Oriental Stork, and many other waterbirds. In 1994 the Pop Group Corporation (Japan) granted financial support to Russian conservationists and about 5,200 hectares of wetland and arable was signed a 50-year lease. In 1996 the Park (Muraviovka Park of Sustainable Land Use) was established as the first private, non-commercial protected area in Russia since 1917. For more information of the Muraviovka Park, please contact Dr. Sergei Smirenskii: amur@glas.apc.org elena.icf@baraboo.com Research Workshop The workshop was participated by about 30 researchers from Russia, China, Korea, Japan and USA. Participants exchanged information on crane sites and experience in census and research. A joint census of wintering cranes in North East Asia will be held in January 1999. A research handbook will be drafted and published in 1999. Many suggestions had also been made for the activities of the Crane Network. The first Working Group meeting for the Crane Network was also held during the workshop. Details of the workshop will be published on the second issue of the Newsletter. This Research Workshop is financially supported by the Japan Fund for Global Environment. Photo gallery of the workshop: Muraviovka Park Children art exhibition Participants of the Workshop