History

photo of a young owlThe Altai Project began as a program of Sacred Earth Network in the late 1990s.

In 2004, we narrowed our focus from Russia-wide environmental assistance to concentrate on this one unique region and moved operations to the Center for Safe Energy (also an EII project), where we remained until 2006. In that year, former Director Susan Cutting transitioned to our Advisory Board. Alyson Ewald became our Director, and we were joined by new Altai Project Coordinator Jennifer Castner, formerly Russia Program Director at Pacific Environment. That same year, we felt ready to move beyond CSE’s sheltering wings, and in January 2007, we became a full-fledged project of Earth Island Institute.

In spring 2009, Alyson left The Altai Project to spend more time with her family and to pursue projects closer to home. Jennifer Castner is now TAP's Project Director and she continues to work actively toward achieving our organizational mission.