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The article deals with the social construction of environmental problems in the representations of student youth whose professional activity will later be associated with their solution. The struggle of discourses of ecological and technogenic development modeling is deeply studied on the basis of constructional and sociological approaches and through the concept of the war of images within the framework of the article. Qualitative discursive analysis is conducted on the basis of a survey of bachelors of two leading universities in the city of Kazan in the areas of state and municipal management, as well as environmental management and water use.The results of the survey allow us to determine the preferences and representations of student youth, their degree of readiness for the future profession, their ability to make difficult decisions and make difficult choices in complex managerial situations. It is shown that in the respondents' views there are two contradictory discourses: ecological and technogenic development of a city. Discursive and sociological analysis of responses to open questions of the questionnaire revealed that almost all interviewees carry out problematization of pollution, contamination by debris, lack of green and water zones in modern urban ecology of Kazan. The construction of the image of the future in the answers of respondents includes the mandatory elimination of these problems. Virtually all students (and at the same time, future specialists in these fields) express a clear desire for changes in the urban environment in favor of increasing the number of green spaces and reservoirs. At the same time, many demonstrate the desire to develop and expand the large city technogenic infrastructure related with a large number of vehicles.On the whole, it can be stated that in the confrontation between the two discourses and images, the urboecological model confidently wins with the formation of a green and aquatic environment. The absolute majority of respondents in the situations of choice and being a "victim" demonstrated their determination to abandon the benefits and advantages of technogenic development for the sake of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in an appropriate ecological environment.

This article presents the results of studies the biological diversity of terrestrial vertebrates within five valuable natural areas in Kazan. Works were carried out by the Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Management of Kazan University during three field seasons. Such works duration allows to fix the maximum number of species, using the standard methods of research. In the process of study, it was found that the examined areas are characterized by high species diversity of terrestrial vertebrates. This allows to consider these areas as valuable for a large city. Presented and discussed in the article materials, allow to identify the main scientific and practical directions of activities to implement the optimal relationship between the man and terrestrial vertebrate species under condition of intensive anthropogenic impact on natural systems.

This paper presents the results of research, aimed at assessing the level of satisfaction of environmental education in the Republic of Tatarstan. Objective of the research was to determine the state and development trends of environmental education and awareness in the Republic of Tatarstan. The analysis was conducted on the basis of results of long-term sociological research. The authors applied both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative methods involved selective study of the environmental interests and values of the population. We formed the random, repetition-free, zoned, and quota samples. Qualitative methods were based on texts proposed to the students of Tatarstan schools and institutes on the stated subject. The responses to the questionnaires revealed dissatisfaction of the youth with the level of environmental education in the republic. For example, 88% of respondents are interested in information on environmental issues, and only 8% consider this information to be sufficient. 44.7% of respondents received environmental knowledge during their study, 40.8% - did not received; only 7.2% of respondents noted that the education system gave attention to the environmental knowledge. 27.9% of respondents consider necessary to study special subjects in the secondary school, as they contribute to the distribution of environmental knowledge among young people. Our findings indicate a mismatch in the needs of the population and the younger generation for environmental knowledge and the opportunities to obtain it at secondary school and additional education system. The results confirm the existing contradiction between the demands of the youth in the field of environmental education and the real state of teaching of environmental knowledge.