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In commemoration of Prof. Tadas Ivanauskas…

  
On December 16, 2008 a lot of guests visited Čepkeliai state nature reservation on two occasions: to commemorate Professor Tadas Ivanauskas’ 126th birthday anniversary and at the same time to mark the 90th anniversary of Musteika school which was founded by the professor.Čepkeliai state nature reservation and Dzukija national park administration and their staff, Musteika village representatives, Varena municipality senior specialist Antanas Labanauskas, the schoolchildren from Marcinkonys main and Varėna ,,Ąžuolas” secondary schools took part in the event.
The director of Čepkeliai state reservation Jonas Klimavičius and the Director of Dzukija national park Eimutis Gudelevičius gave keynote speeches.


Foto Saulius Tamošiūnas

   Mr. Mindaugas Lapelė the head of the nature heritage division spoke about Prof. Tadas Ivanauskas’ life and activities. A lot of interesting facts of the professor parents’ life were mentioned. Mr. Lapelė spoke about all Leonardas and Jadvyga Ivanauskai children, their interests and fates.   
   Mr. M.Lapelė told everybody about the professor’s birthpace Lebiodka and the Obelynė barton with the garden and dendropark near Kaunas founded by Mr.Tadas Ivanauskas. It was interesting to find out how professor together with his wife Honorata established the first Lithuanian school in that part of the country in Musteika village,which functioned just one winter because after the Polish occupied the place Tadas Ivanauskas had to withdraw from Musteika to Kaunas and since then they both devoted all their life to Lithuania.His studies were very important in preserving the unique Žuvintas and Čepkeliai nature swamps.He also engaged the youth in educative environmental activities .Moreover, he initiated the observing Birds Days. Thanks to him the zoo and zoo museum were founded in Kaunas.He was the author of many books and publications about nature.At the end of the speech Mr. M.Lapelė said, “It’s a pity that no professor’s real biography has been written yet and it would be great while commemorating Prof. T Ivanauskas 130th anniversary in 2012 to have it published because there are lots of facts which still are not known to the public”.
   Mr.Giedrius Valentukevičius the head of the landscape management division of Dzukija national park presented the project ,, Prof. Tadas Ivanauskas and his activity in Lithuania and Belarus”.He said that the group of 18 people visited Prof. Tadas Ivanauskas birthplace Lebiodka in August 7-9, 2008. He talked about the visit to Belarus and the life and traditions of our neighbours. Mr.G.Valentukevičius mentioned that the future of the project would depend on how the Belarus partners would communicate with Lithuania’s naturalists in order to immortalize Prof. T. Ivanauskas memento and introduce the professor’s life and his work to Lithuania and Belarus societies in Varėna and Gardinas districts.


Foto Saulius Tamošiūnas

   After the meeting the participants arrived in the village of Pagarenda where one could see the garden planted by the forester who was Prof. T. Ivanauskas’s friend. Whenever the professor arrived he used to bring different species of apple- trees, pear- trees etc.The members had a lot to do.They cut old and dry fruit tree branches and deracinated the deadwoods. 
   The Lithuanian frontier troops soldiers took an active part in the bee.The refreshed garden will remind eveybody that once there was a village where Prof. T. Ivanauskas used to come and have a rest in the forester’s cottage.


Foto Saulius Tamošiūnas

   After the bee all the participants went to Musteika where the deputy director of Dzukija national park E. Drobelis gave everybody a lesson in the lodgment of the first school established by Tadas Ivanauskas. Ms.Onutė Grigaitė the senior ecologist of Čepkeliai state nature reservation recollected how she used to look forward to meeting the professor when she was a primary school pupil. She said that the professor was a very simple and sincere man who loved children a lot. 
   We believe that all Prof. Tadas Ivanauskas work and activities will be preserved and cherished. 


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