Specialists at the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery (NPZ), part of the Samara Rosneft group, have rolled out ECOpath63, a mobile ecotourism application designed for virtual tours of the Samarskaya Luka National Park. The update was announced by Rosneft’s press service and marks a notable step in the company’s ongoing environmental program.
The initiative sits at the core of Rosneft’s environmental development efforts, blending technology with conservation and public engagement. ECOpath63 leverages augmented reality to map and visualize routes, cultural landmarks, natural monuments, and habitats of rare wildlife, enabling users to explore and understand the park’s landscapes from afar while keeping a personal log of places they wish to visit.
Looking ahead, Rosneft’s Samara facilities, in collaboration with Samarskaya Luka National Park, plan to expand the project by studying the reserve’s Red Book animal populations. A focused program on the white-tailed eagle, a rare bird of prey, has been designed to monitor its status and to inform a broader set of conservation actions aimed at protecting endangered species within the park’s boundaries.
In addition to technical monitoring, the project engages the scientific community along with eco-volunteers, environmental students, and schoolchildren. Special environmental classes are being established to introduce visitors to the region’s unique ecosystem and biodiversity, while also fostering environmental responsibility among residents and visitors alike.
Samarskaya Luka National Park is designated as a UNESCO Middle Volga Biosphere Reserve, reflecting its global ecological importance. For several years, the Novokuibyshevsk Refinery has supported the park’s environmental initiatives focused on biodiversity conservation and preservation, underscoring a long-standing partnership between the energy sector and protected areas in the region.