Specialists of the Environment Department of the Municipality of Sliven have always thought that announcing the environmental state of the municipal territory is of great importance for the population safety, as well as for formation of high ecology culture and building trust between citizens and local authorities. Better awareness of the ecology problems would lead to higher responsibility, sharpening of the ecology sensitivity and increased engagement in solving the environmental problems. In 1993, the municipal schools have started organization of student environmental clubs, actively partnering with the Environment Department. The student clubs and the local Boy Scout organization are members of the Expert group at the newly formed Environment Municipal Council. Members of the Scientists Association participate in the Scientific Group of the Environment Council.

The Municipality of Sliven is firmly convinced that public activity in the area of ecology is a vital precondition for achievement of good results in preserving nature. Hence, the specialists of the Environment Department work in continuous connection with local media, ecology clubs, NGOs, as well as citizens. Informing citizens about the ecology state of the municipal territory and the various activities ecology celebrations, clean up actions, discussions, debates, and meetings is one of the important tasks of the municipal press center and media. Environment Department often organizes river expeditions during weekends, visits of natural monuments and territories with misbalance of the ecology state. Main partners in those activities are town and villages student ecology clubs, Nature preservation Organization Ekoglasnost , Birds preservation association , OZON , and Ekoproekt Sliven.

Partnering organizations produced a series of movies about the environment condition at the territory of the Municipality of Sliven that were broadcast on the local TV channels in special ecology emissions. Students and representatives of the municipal administration are frequent quests at local media. Together they have realized a series of radio emissions. The experience proved that involving young people in environment preserving activities is the shortest way to formation of ecology problem awareness among citizens. Young environmentalists are very persistent in their work and constantly insist on explanation from the Municipality about particular results in the area of environment preservation. In the same time, they realize their own participation, which forces the municipal environmentalists to be more persistent in their own work in order to respond to the large public requirements. In joint discussions, meetings and debates, all environmental organizations reach common suggestions and decisions. In this way they form unified opinion about the direction of the municipal and national environmental policies. Recently, the team sent propositions that could be included in the Management plan of Tundja River.

Another joint activity is publishing information materials brochures and folders that inform the publicity about the environment state of the municipality and the activity of the Environment Department. The Department disseminates various environmental literature and films of Bulgarian and world nature. Students often use the materials in environment classes, as well as to enrich their ecology culture. Here especially important contributions give Sliven sister-cities: Alba Uilia Romania, Val D Adur France, and Bekerij-Redanj Luxembourg. Newly bought mobile laboratory for surface and drinking water analysis made express analysis in the presence of citizens possible. Citizens often refer to the Environment Department for information about the condition of Tundja River and its feeders. In cooperation with non-government organizations, the environment clubs often check for illegal actions around the rivers that would lead to their contamination. As a result of this practice, any violations are significantly reduced.

Main results of the work of the Environment Department are the following:

- Association of the environmental clubs of Sliven in the United Clubs Organization with more than 300 members who work on common yearly programs;

- Association of the natural sciences teachers in Ekoproekt Association Sliven with the participation of Municipality of Sliven. Main task of the Association is working on projects;

- Computerization of all student environmental clubs of Sliven and the villages along Tundja River;

- Development of two multimedia role-play modules in environmental education;

- Establishment of Municipal Environment Center a place where citizens could share their problems and concerns, make suggestions and recommendations, hold debates and discussions, and talk about environmental law projects.