RIP Vladimir Flint, author of Birds in the USSR. The following is a
wonderfully written piece on the work of Dr. Flint.


Tom Schooley
Sheila McCartan
Olympia, WA
Bucephala at comcast.net or

Please send personal responses to:
schooleymccartan at comcast.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jevgeni Shergalin" <zoolit at hotmail.com>
To: <BirdsinRussia at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2004 7:40 AM
Subject: [BirdsinRussia] Good-bye Vladoka !


> Dear All,
>
> With permission of Author I am circulating this sad letter among all of
us.
> Photo of Prof. Flint is at:
> http://www.rbcu.ru/
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Dear Jevgeni Shergalin,
>
> I prepared the following essay which I hope can be translated into Russian
> and read at the funeral service of Professor Vladimir Flint this Friday.
It
> ?s a very personal essay written by a close friend who loved this man very
> much.
>
> Thank you very much for your kind consideration.
>
> Sincerely yours,
>
> George Archibald.
> ------
>
> Dasvedanya, Vladoka.
>
> March 23, having just celebrated his 80th birthday, one of the great
people
> in crane research and conservation, Professor Vladimir Flint, passed away
in
> the company of his beloved family at their home in Moscow after suffering
a
> brief illness. For three decades, he was one of International Crane
> Foundation?s staunches allies. To the late co-founder of ICF, Ron Sauey
and
> to me, Vladoka (my nickname for Dr. Flint) was like both a father and a
> brother. Our close friendship spanned a generation and penetrated the Cold
> War between the USA and the former USSR, as we joined forces to help the
> Siberian Cranes.
>
> Our work began with the import to the USA of hatching eggs collected from
> the wild Siberian Cranes in east Asia, 10,000 miles away from Wisconsin.
> Vladoka, Ron and I worked with the governments to sanction the project and
> facilitate the export under the auspices of the US-USSR Environment
> Agreement. Of the seven viable eggs imported, all hatched, and six
> survived ? three males and three females, a success that inspired Flint
and
> his colleagues to establish a captive population at the Oka State Nature
> Reserve near Moscow. With Flint securing hatching eggs from the wild
> Siberian Cranes and the late Dr. Vladimir Panchenko and his colleagues
> lovingly attending to the needs of the captive cranes, the world?s
foremost
> center for the propagation of Siberian Cranes was established in the heart
> of Mother Russia. In 2000 when a middle-aged and productive Dr. Panchenko
> passed away after battle with cancer, Vladoka was deeply grieved and his
> eyes often filled with tears when we recounted fond memories with our dear
> friend.
>
> Flint had a remarkable sense of humor. He called the Environment
Agreement,
> the ?engine? that plowed through many barriers. After an excellent
graduate
> thesis was written about the project, Flint lamented that although the
> author has described with precision the various meetings and agreements
that
> resulted in those successful hatches in Wisconsin, the main point had been
> missed. He asserted, ?The reasons for our success, was because of our
> friendship!?
>
> When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, relations froze and almost
all
> collaborative programs were cancelled. With the hope that relations might
> improve, a few projects within the Environment Agreement were continued as
> tiny tendrils of life between the nuclear giants. When I asked Flint about
> his opinion about the Afghanistan situation, he inhaled deeply and
releasing
> a great cloud of smoke, looked me in the eye and retorted, ?They didn?t
ask
> me.?
>
> During the Cold War, the tension in the USSR was palpable. It was illegal
> to visit the homes of Russian friends and without permission; it was
illegal
> for Russian to even speak with foreigners. But Vladimir and Tatiana Flint
?s
> home was always a haven for me. We evaded the KBG by taking the subway or
> by providing our consort with a healthy portion of vodka. The Flints were
> reared during Stalin?s the reign of terror. Once he confided, ?Sometimes
I
> take chances. One day I will make a mistake and you will never hear from
me
> again.?
>
> Vladoka and I dreamed of studying cranes together in the wilds of Siberia.
> But until the collapse of the USSR in 1989, most areas were absolutely
> closed to foreigners. Then the sky opened.
>
> Perhaps the happiest month of my life was shared with Vladoka in June of
> 1990 at a camp in the wilds of western Siberia near the nest of a pair of
> Siberian Cranes. That delicious stillness of the wilderness, the plethora
> of wildlife, nearby indigenous people living as they have for thousands of
> years and the fellowship of beloved friends blended, despite frequent
storms
> and millions of mosquitoes, to create a bit of heaven on earth. Vladoka
and
> I took long walks searching for birds and their nests. He demanded
silence
> while we walked slowly, looked and listened. Finding a comfortable place
to
> rest with a lovely view, with spiritual batteries recharged by nature,
we
> would make a small fire, boil water, then sit back drink tea and share
> simple (language was sometimes limited), humorous and yet profound
> conversations. He was a man of great class and perfect timing.
>
> The Siberian Crane Project was ICF?s first major project. Lessons learned
> helped prepare us for other major initiatives. Vladimir Flint was the
father
> of the Siberian Crane Project and through it, an inspiration for other
> programs around the world. Through his about 500 books and other
> publications, he is immortal in the world of literature. Through his close
> personal friendship, he will always be a part of my life, a sentiment I am
> certain is shared by many.
>
>
> George Archibald Assistant, Julie Zajicek
> Co-founder 608-356-9462 ext. 156
> International Crane Foundation
> E11376 Shady Lane Rd.
> P.O. Box 447
> Baraboo, WI 53913
> Tel: 608-356-3454
> Fax: 608-356-9465
> Mobile: 608-201-4082
> savingcranes at aol.com
>
>
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