Korenskie Rodniki

The settlement is situated near the Gremyachij farmstead, within the Belgorod Oblast (Federal Subject of Russia).

We purchased 40 hectares of arable fields in the picturesque district of Shebekinskiy. For 5 years up until that point the land had been leased out for farming.

The Surroundings
From an ecological perspective, our settlement is located in one of the best points in the area, far from the iron quarries (the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly) and chemical plants. It is near the largest forest in the Belgorod region. It is stunningly beautiful - as one geographer from the Belgorod State University said, it is "the most picturesque part of the region". Our settlement is in a field adjoining the Gremyachij farmstead (previously known as “Korenskaya dacha”, now unofficially known as “Olshanec”). The village of Polyana is 1 km from the settlement. The Museum of Craft is located a few kilometres from the settlement across the river, in the village of Kupino.

Water
There are 2 springs at the border of the field. They form two small lakes. River Koren’ flows near the settlement. There are wells here.

Roads
Distance from the oblast (regional) centre: 28 km on asphalt road or 18 km on rough track.
Distance from the Belgorod-Shebekino highway – 8 km.

Electricity
There is a step-down transformer in the adjoining field to Gremvachij. Whether this will be enough to power 30 new homes is not yet known.
In 2005 we conducted a geodetic survey and separated the field into individual plots. We made the settlement plan to our own design, having first consulting the district architect. The plans were made in concordance with official building practice. The field is divided into 24 plots of 1 or 2 hectares each. In June 2006 we celebrated the first birthday of the settlement. In 2007 we received verbal agreement from the regional and district administrations for construction on the premises.

Now we are considering joining of our land to the neighbouring Gremyachij farmstead.

Since 2006 we have planted more than 10 thousand woodland plants, laid foundations or erected houses on the 12 plots, and cleaned up the "Korenskoy" spring.

We implement measures to conserve the nature in our area:
• We carry out checks for illegal logging and poaching in adjacent forests (we have identified and stopped 5 cases of illegal logging and 2 cases of poaching);
• We have posted warning signs at the entrance to the woods;
• The settlers extinguish spring fires on the fields and in the forests;
• We conducted a survey of the surrounding forests to identify and protect of rare plant species (20 species detected);

We are currently undergoing preparatory work for the creation of protected natural areas (a Natural Park on a regional scale) which will recognise the territory as an area of great botanic diversity including rare and valuable species.

Settlement “Korenskie rodniki”, Belgorod Oblast