THE STORKS’ NEST
Life & Love in the Russian Countryside
Conservation activist and nature writer Laura Lynne Williams shares the true story of her life-changing move to the tiny, remote Russian village of Chukhrai. The Storks’ Nest follows Laura, a young American, as she travels to Russia to establish a presence for the World Wildlife Fund then moves to a remote nature reserve to work on public outreach. There she meets and falls in love with the reserve’s director, award-winning nature photographer Igor Shpilenok. Together they explore the wilderness in the Bryansk Forest surrounding their village. Through the long winter, they cope with hardships, which Laura learns are nothing compared to those the villagers have experienced in the past century.
Conservation activist and nature writer Laura Lynne Williams shares the true story of her life-changing move to the tiny, remote Russian village of Chukhrai. The Storks’ Nest follows Laura, a young American, as she travels to Russia to establish a presence for the World Wildlife Fund then moves to a remote nature reserve to work on public outreach. There she meets and falls in love with the reserve’s director, award-winning nature photographer Igor Shpilenok. Together they explore the wilderness in the Bryansk Forest surrounding their village. Through the long winter, they cope with hardships, which Laura learns are nothing compared to those the villagers have experienced in the past century. The Storks’ Nest describes Laura’s fascinating transformation from an urban American into a woman immersed in the natural world.
- Fulcrum Publishing
- Paperback
- February 2008
- 9781555916299
Buy the Book
About Laura Lynne Williams (Author) & Igor Shpilenok (Photographer)
Laura Lynne Williams and Igor Shpilenok met in Russia and connected over a shared interest in nature and the environment. Williams grew up in Colorado, and earned a bachelor’s degree in international environmental policy from Cornell University and a master’s degree in conservation biology from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Shpilenok is recognized as a world-class photographer, especially having won an award in the 2006 BBC Wildlife Nature Photography Competition. He is also a member of an elite group of photographers committed to nature conservation-the International League of Conservation Photographers. Today, Williams and Shpilenok live in the remote Russian village of Chukhrai, whose population swelled to 21 in 200