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The need for education and raising public awareness about large carnivores has been clearly determined in many countries in Europe, North America and Asia.  This largely stems from attitudes towards predators that have arisen where there has been human/carnivore conflict.  For example, where carnivores prey on domestic livestock or where there is competition for the harvesting of prey species.  Education is one of the key conservation strategies which aims to encourage the sustainable use of natural resources and thus help to conserve or protect biological diversity.

 

Vlahi is a small village, 10 km from the nearest town of Kresna, and in the lower parts of West Pirin Mts. The village is a gateway to Pirin National Park, one of the three National Parks in Bulgaria and the only one which is a UNESCO site. The West part of Pirin is the most preserved from mass tourism. There is a high density of wolves, bears, large herbivores and other wild mammals. For the past three years, the Wolf Study and Conservation Programme (WSCP) team, co-ordinated by Balkani Wildlife Society, has already carried out field research, been involved in conservation strategies to decrease human/carnivore conflict (for example, livestock protection methods), and has undertaken education and public awareness in the area. One of the two study areas of the WSCP is the west part of Pirin. The building of the LCEC would attract visitors to the region, which would in turn have a positive impact on the local economy.  Local crafts and gifts will be sold at the centre, providing a sustainable source of income for local people.  E4C, an internet-based resource, also has the facility to provide a further source of income through the sale of locally produced merchandise.

 

The Balkani Wildlife Society would be responsible for the development and operational functioning of the Centre.

E4C would primarily provide support, practical assistance and any relevant expertise required to the project in the

E4C staff with Project Leader and volunteers from Balkani Wildlife Society

host country.  There is a wide skill-base within the E4C management structure to provide mentoring, guidance, support and practical advice.  E4C will also organise training of host country staff through attendance at seminars and workshops in the UK. (Links with the Universities of Nottingham, Coventry and Oxford have already been established to this end, with initial seminar and conference programme details being discussed).  

By focusing on large carnivores, and helping to raise general awareness, the project will be contributing to the host country’s capacity to meet its biodiversity obligations in the future through collaboration, conservation strategy coherence, and education.

 

The LCEC can be used as a model for other developing countries.  Already there is a link established with a project in southern Kazakhstan, which is about to embark on the type of education work already carried out in Bulgaria and the future education that is being planned as part of this project.

 

 

BALKANI Wildlife Society  - 8 Dragan Tzankov Blvd., BG - 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria  -  Balkani Wildlife Society is a non-governmental, nature protection organisation founded in 1992 and is the lead partner in Bulgaria.  The organisation has already delivered education programmes to schools in the region under their Wolf Conservation Programme (WCP).  The programme reached a total of 13,000 children over a two year period.

 

BBPS – SEMPERVIVA – kv. “Tvurdi livadi” 51/90, BG – 2300 Pernik, Bulgaria -    Semperviva, another NGO founded in 1997, already works in close partnership with Balkani Wildlife Society.  Their project house in Vlahi has provided BWS with a base from which to undertake biological field research, and has, and will continue to provide, accommodation for volunteers.