Project implementation coincided with dynamic changes which took place due to singular incidents involving people and brown bear (Ursus Arctos) individuals, which led to a campaign for legislative changes. The latter was obviously inspired by the economic interests of the new owners of private hunting grounds connected with the political elite.

The campaign under the project actively counteracted the lobbyist interests of a minor part of the society, which harm Bulgarian environment, valuable species and the country’s long-term interests. It was not by chance that the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism responded to the request and insistent invitation of the project team and demonstrated interest in diversifying the Bulgarian tourist product with services, including studying and observation of the brown bear.

Project activities targeted at the local communities in the regions with brown bear populations played a significant role, as well as the mass positive information campaign targeting the public. All stakeholders received easy and up-to-date access to information about the brown bear (through an internet site and a multimedia product with popular and useful information). Many of the information activities involved dissemination of knowledge about the EU policy for conservation of this valuable species, good European practices and active EU financial instruments to all stakeholders.

Project implementation was carried out in close cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) and its units. The Environmental Committee with the National Assembly also cooperated. The local government in the project region provided support in the implementation of activities with the local population and actively assisted in the organization of the Fest of the Bear in Belitza.

Although this was not originally planned under the project, some of the activities also included Smolyan region. More than 25 people from the region participated in the trainings for tourist entrepreneurs, agricultural producers and hunters. Later, one of the participants - an entrepreneur from Solishta village, Smolyan region - took part in the Fest of the Bear and also became the main active mechanism in a donor campaign for the purchase of electric fences under a Life+ project of Balkani Wildlife Society and MoEW.

 The implementation of the project was successful thanks to the good interaction with other NGOs. Representatives of sub-section of the Bulgarian Hunting and Fishing Union also participated. Experts from Balkani Wildlife Society took part in key moments of the implementation and the organization of events and press conferences for the media, the production of the multimedia product, trainings and the Fest of the Bear.

A well-targeted mass information campaign was carried out under the project. It included various components and succeeded in raising the public awareness and securing support for the preservation of a species of value for the Bulgarian and international wildlife. This established a successful model for working with the public, media and stakeholders – a model, which would be disseminated.

The timely funding and project implementation contributed for:

1.           Multifold quantitative and qualitative increase in the number of positive and useful publications in the regional and national media, focusing on the co-habitation of human beings and the protected species;

2.           Responsible participation of the stakeholders (national and local administration, representatives of the local government) aiming to find informed and contemporary solutions for the future co-habitation of man and the brown bear, in compliance with the EU policy;

3.           Making the first steps towards a change in the attitude towards the brown bear, i.e. mainly changing the situation of recent years of insufficient and consciously manipulated information about the species.

The results proved that the selection of the main target group of the project was appropriate, i.e. the legislative and executive power, regional units of MoEW and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Unfortunately, the undertaken legislative changes demonstrated typical non-compliance with sound management reasoning and the realities and problems related to the conservation of valuable species of Bulgarian wildlife.

Motivation for dissemination of the results was created. This can be seen from the follow-up project activities: “Information and Nature Conservation” Foundation developed its capacity and is seeking opportunities for implementing similar projects for other species. The local communities and authorities in Belitza, with the leading role of the town community centre, intend to turn the Fest of the Bear into a tradition for the region. The Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water-Smolyan is currently preparing a project proposal under OP Environment with an educational and awareness component to replicate the results of this project.

Contact information

Svetlana Isak Aladgem

Mailing address: 1111 Sofia, h.e Iavorov, bl. 29, entr. V, apt 5

еmail: [email protected], [email protected] 

tel/fax: + 359 2 872 14 83;

GSM: +359 899 817 204