Dmitry Kaygorodov Biography

At first, D. first curiosity, and then a steady interest in all living and non -living in nature began to show in childhood, making the first "discoveries" in the father’s garden, fishing and hunting. Many years later, he wrote: “Here Dmitry graduated from the cadet corps, the school of military technicians specialized in chemistry and began to serve in horse artillery. However, the young man entailed another.

Having met the books of A. Brem and other zoologists, he begins to perceive the observed in the surrounding forests, fields, in swamps and seriously engaged in biologies. Petersburg on the Okhtinsky Powder Plant does not change its solutions. Factory chemical laboratory under a microscope of plant samples happens at lectures by famous specialists in botany, mineralogy, meteorology, physics and chemistry.

As a free -lister, a full course of the St. Petersburg Agricultural Institute is now successfully passing in three years now. Soon he leaves military service, and in the year defends his thesis "on the extraction of acetic acid as the subject of small factory industry." The institute drew attention to a capable student, headquarters captain and candidate of sciences and offered a two-year-old foreign business trip to a more complete study of wood processing technology and preparation for the leadership of the newly created department.

Upon returning to his homeland, Dmitry Nikiforovich becomes the head of the department of forest technology, and later - the department of forest engineering.

He heads the department for 30 years, receives the title of honorary professor and becomes an assistant director. He writes articles on the rational and economic use of forest wealth, draws up a "forest trade dictionary". In the year, Kaygorodov begins to conduct constant observations of seasonal natural phenomena. Nothing escapes his inquisitive gaze.

For decades, he analyzes the results, takes them to the system and, like a chronicler, publishes in the form of ballots, diaries and calendars. Understanding how such information is needed, it involves dozens, hundreds, thousands of correspondents - nature lovers from different regions of Russia in long and painstaking work - and becomes a universally recognized "storyteller" of the seasons.

Kaygorodov with assistants for the first time create a domestic phenological network, which is today his name. Dmitry Nikiforovich became not only a major scientist, but also an outstanding popularizer. His main work on this path is the book "Conversations of the Forest." He admits to the readers: "I passionately fell in love with the forest since I recognized it closer, and the more I recognize it, the more I love it." A person who read this book will not be able to remain indifferent to the forest "Kingdom".

By the way, as illustrations, the author picked up copies of the works of the great singer of Russian forests - Ivanovich Shishkin. The circle of those of the other nature -presented books of Kaygorodov is very wide: “From the Green Kingdom: Popular Essays from the World of Plants”, “From the Kingdom of Perennoye: Popular Essays from the World of Russian Birds”, “Our Spring Flowers” ​​and “Our Summer Flowers”, “Wood and its Life”, “Our Spring butterflies”, “Mushroom Collector”.

Many of these books have been repeatedly reprinted. It was printed in many magazines. Critics put the scientific and enforcement work of Kaigorodov on a par with Brem, Fabra and other corizes of popularization. Dmitry Nikiforovich not only selflessly loved his native nature, but also defended it in every way. Being one of the leading forestry specialists, he constantly called for the careful use of forest treasures.

He is one of the initiators to establish the spring holiday “Bird Day” and the author of articles in mass publications: “In defense of storks”, “In defense of the chogles”, “Pity the birds in winter! Kaygorodov was convinced that nature must be protected, first of all, because it is a source of human joy and admiration, peace and rest, as a source of inspiration for composers, writers, artists.

It is no coincidence that his first lecture was called "about the flower as a source of pleasure"; he spoke about his beloved composer in another lecture - "Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Nature, he painted well, loved classical music and played on the piano. In front of his house, he created a marvelous rosary. For forty years, D. Kaygorodov introduced to the nature of schoolchildren, students, teaching television.

He conducted a variety of biological excursions, arranging classes in the unusual "audience" - in the forest or in the field, on the lawn or near the swamp, in the garden or in the forest park, published original methodological guidelines and fascinating textbooks, wrote a wonderful software article "Nature in a future school."We offer readers an essay with editorial changes from the book of D.

Kaigorodov "Native Nature".