News

Dec. 04, 2013

Photo contest The Incredible Belasitsa Winners

Finally we have the winners of the photo contest The Incredible Belasitsa announced.
Total of 50 participants from Bulgaria, FYR Macedonia and Greece took part in the contest submitting 259 pictures.
The jury members have the unique opportunity to enjoy all these beautiful pictures as well as a tough task to choose the best among them. The photos were evaluated based on the following criteria:
1. Representativeness of the region of Belasitsa/Belles Mountains.
2. Attractiveness;
3. Creativity;
4. Photographic composition and quality.

And the winners are:

Details

Nov. 08, 2013

The government continues to stay idle, while the Seventh Rila Lakes disappear

As in recent months no action are taken by the government on the issue of the destruction of the Seven Rila Lakes, which could lead to their extinction, the coalition of NGOs and civic groups “Let the NATURE remain in Bulgaria” demands:
- The state to remove the illegal lift from Pionerska Hut to Rila Lakes Hut, built in the Rila National Park without any valid environmental impact assessment, as well as in violation of the State Property Act.
- The state to sanction the Sapareva Banya Municipality for its illegal expansion of the road to the lift and the parking lot next to it.
- The state to destroy the feudal symbiosis between the municipality and opportunists with jeeps and horses that continue illegally to upload tourists and turned the hiking trails in the Rila National Park into a dusty road.

Details

Oct. 31, 2013

Bulgarian government announced new marine protected areas, but again missed Low Rila protected area

Coalition of NGOs and civic groups “Let the NATURE remain in Bulgaria” welcomes the widening of the Natura 2000 network in its aquatic part, approved yesterday by the Council of Ministers. The announcement of the marine protected areas is part of the obligation of each EU member state on the Habitats Directive and a chance to preserve a number of aquatic species in the Black Sea, where protected areas are fully missing.

However, the delay of the announcement of the “Lower Rila” protected area continues, although the term for it expired at the end of this September.

Details

Oct. 23, 2013

New construction in Yailata, although the European Commission sues Bulgaria for Kaliakra

The coalition of NGOs and civic groups “Let the NATURE remain in Bulgaria” express it strong disagreement with the project for upgrade of the medieval fortress in the Yailata protected area.

The latter belongs to the protected area of Kaliakra, part of the European ecological network Natura 2000. Currently Bulgaria is facing a trial in the Court of Justice of the European Union because of the excessive construction of wind farms near Kaliakra.

Details

Oct. 22, 2013

Mayors urge the government to breach European Directives, in Order to Build Ski Resorts and Golf Courses

The coalition of NGOs and civil groups "Let the Nature Remain in Bulgaria" received a copy of a letter, signed by the mayors of several municipalities in South-Western Bulgaria. It requests from the Parliament and the Government to breach a number of European directives, related to the protection of the environment. Their objective is to ensure an opportunity for bypassing the rules, in order to build without any control ski-runs, golf courses and spa centres in their municipalities. The letter is dated 12th September 2013, but it is still not clear if it has actually been sent to the chairman of the parliament – member of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the Prime Minister and several other ministers. It has been signed by the mayors of Samokov, Dolna Banya, Kyustendil, Sapareva Banya, Rila, Kocherinovo, Boboshevo, Dupnitsa, Bankso, Razlog etc.

Details

Oct. 02, 2013

STUDENT EXCHANGE BELASITSA – AN INSIGHT TO NATURE PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

The final term for participation registration for the International Student Exchange– AN INSIGHT TO NATURE PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM is approaching.

Are you ready to discover Belasitsa/Belles Mountain travelling in three different countries?

Take part in the Student Exchange and you will learn about the Mountain the culture and the history of the region. The four day exchange will take place in Bulgaria, Greece and FYR Macedonia offering the participants a chance to experience and explore Belasitsa in all of them. The students will get acquainted with the nature values of the area and get an insight into the administration responsibilities of Belasitsa Nature Park and Lake Kerkini National Park. Presentations on biodiversity protection, nature protected areas management, and tourism opportunities in the region will contribute to the experience.

The time is running out! The final term for participation registration is October 15th 2013.

Details

Sep. 02, 2013

THE INCREDIBLE BELASITSA PHOTO CONTEST

The Incredible Belastisa Photo Contest starts on 1st September 2013. The main goal of the Contest is to select photos presenting the beauty of the region of Belasitsa/Belles Mountain situated in three countries (Bulgaria, Greece and FYR Macedonia).
Everyone is welcome to take part does not matter if you are a professional photographer or just a nature lover with a camera. The only requirement is to have pictures from Belasitsa Mountain or its surrounding.
The 45 best photos selected from the contest will be used for elaboration of a traveling exhibition promoting Belasitsa as an eco-tourism destination and will be published on the web portal www.belasitsa.com.
Photographs will be accepted under three major categories: Nature, People and Culture via email in an electronic format. Submission e-mail address: vladimir.milushev@biodiversity.bg.

Details

Aug. 14, 2013

Mountain Adventures for young people on the territory of Belasitsa Nature Park in Bulgaria

The final term for participation registration for the International Youth Camp Belasitsa Nature Park – a refuge for biodiversity and nature lovers is approaching

Are you ready for mountain adventures in one the most beautiful and least known mountains in Bulgaria?
If it is so take part in the International Youth Camp Belasitsa Nature Park – a refuge for biodiversity and nature lovers.

The time is running out! The final term for participation registration is September 10th 2013.

Details

Aug. 02, 2013

SALT OF LIFE FESTIVAL AT ATANASOVSKO LAKE

The first edition of the Festival in 2013 is dedicated to the main product of the lagoon – salt and its different usage as food, for health, entertainment, in cosmetics and even for art. What is salt and why it is so important to continue its extraction from the lake, how salt is connected with birds- this will understand the participants in the Festival.

 

Follow the detailed information about the Festival in the web site of Salt of Life Project, LIFE+ www.saltoflife.biodiversity.bg

Details

Jul 20, 2013

Threatened African Grey Parrots returned to the wild after three-year intercontinental odyssey

Seventeen African Grey Parrots were returned to the wild this week, ending their harrowing three‐year journey in the international illegal wildlife trade.
Noted conservation leader Dr.Jane Goodall enthusiastically liberated the group into a forested island in Lake Victoria, which is a protected chimpanzee sanctuary. Following their confiscation in 2010 in Bulgaria, repatriation in March of this year, and months of Rehabilitation in Uganda, these threatened parrots are now free, marking the first time that parrots confiscated in the EU have been returned to the wild in Africa.

Details

Jul 15, 2013

BELASITSA NATURE PARK – A REFUGE FOR BIODIVERSITY AND NATURE LOVERS

It’s time for mountain adventures!
We would like to announce the first International Youth Camp in the frame of the project “Belasitsa Beyond Borders – Transboundary Cooperation along the Balkan Green Belt”.
The camp will gather young people from Bulgaria, Greece and FYR Macedonia on the territory of the newest Nature Park in Bulgaria – Belasitsa Nature Park.

Details

Jun 26, 2013

Training in applying the Adaptive Management method 'Open Standards'

From June 25 – 27 the workshop to learn about and get hands-on Experience in applying the Adaptive Management method 'Open Standards' (OS), developed by the Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP). The workshop will be a mix of presentations, group exercises, peer review and reflection.
During the week, we will work on a real case, namely component C1 of the
Program 'Linking Nature Protection and Sustainable Rural Development'.
Mr. Vladimir Milushev from the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation (BBF)
will offer a short introduction to the program, component C1 and the project site on the first day of the workshop.

Jun 22, 2013

Prezentation for Adaptive management in Sofia

You are welcome on June 24th at 18.30 in the Biology Faculty of Sofiisky University "St.Kliment Ohridski"at the presentation for Adaptive management and Open standards in the nature conservation. Lectorer will be Albertien Perdok from the Foundation of Success, Europe.

Jun 07, 2013

Nature academy in Uzana

Municipality Gabrovo became a partner of Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation to build children's nature education center within the project "Linking nature conservation with sustainable rural development".

 

Details

Jun 06, 2013

Catalog for Strandja Trademark

It is already uploaded to the website of BBF in section NATURE and BUSINESS, the Catalog of the certified objects with the Strandja Regional Brand. The catalog was published in 2012 in the framework of the Project "Cooperation for biodiversity conservation and sustainable local development in Strandja Mountain" implemented by BBF with the financial support of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein through the EEA Financial Mechanism.

It is available for download both in English and Bulgarian.

http://www.bbf.biodiversity.bg/indexdetail.php?id=20&lang=EN

http://www.bbf.biodiversity.bg/indexdetail.php?id=20

 

Mar 14, 2013

First dig to clean the bypass channel of the Atanasovsko lake (video)

See the event here: www.youtube.com/watch