The training included topics like basics of nature conservation, ecosystem services and environment economy, management of protected territories, inclusion of stakeholders, environment policies and legislation, international conventions, etc. Important part of the curriculum was building up of presentation skills, team management, leadership, negotiating, strategic planning and project drawing up. Last but not least the program contributed to experience exchange and building up of international network of professionals and friends.
Each of the participants in the program worked under a transfer project by which to implement in practice part of the learnt. The topic on which Yordanka worked concerned the biosphere parks in Bulgaria. She analyzed the challenges in their establishment and management, as well as the opportunity to be applied in a conflict environment – for example “Strandja” Nature Park. The biosphere parks are internationally recognized places which demonstrate the harmonic co-existence and the dependence of man and nature. Mandatory element in the contemporary biosphere parks is the joint territory management with all stakeholders, which could serve as a tool for dialogue and mutual planning between the parts. “Strandja” Nature Park as a territory with exceptional biodiversity, cultural heritage, and live traditions has exceptional potential to turn into one of the most vivid examples for ecological tourism and sustainable usage of natural and cultural resources.
Summary of the transfer project of Yordanka Dineva
The biosphere reserves within the UNESCO Man and Nature Programme are aimed at being model places in which innovative approaches of harmonic co-existence with nature are demonstrated (UNESCO, 2008). Although there are 16 biosphere reserves in Bulgaria at the moment, they do not correspond to the modern conceptions, which entered into force with the adoption of the Seville strategy in 1995. All of them are strictly protected areas, where no human activity and use of natural resources is allowed, they are small in size and practically are strict reserves (MAB, 2002). Because of this they should be reexamined and be considered the possibility for enlargement of their area, allowing and regulating of human activity by zoning in which the now existing strict reserves would form core zone for nature protection.
One of the existing biosphere reserves of old generation (before Seville) – Uzunbudjak is placed in the region of “Strandja” Nature Park. Due to the efforts of BBF its reconsideration is already underway and establishment of modern biosphere reserve, which would encompass the territory of the whole nature park. Nevertheless, conflicts exist regarding the future development plans of the Black Sea coast within the Park. Besides the attitude of the local community to nature preservation often changes during the years, probably because of difficulties in the economic welfare of the local communities and strongly expressed dependency on local authorities (BBF, 2010).
The objective of this transfer project within the German training programme for young environmentalists “Klaus Toepfer” (BfN, 2015) is to contribute to preservation of the rich biodiversity, cultural heritage, traditions and characteristic landscape of “Strandja” Nature Park for the future generations. The project is aimed at testing the applicability of UNESCO biosphere reserves as a tool for promoting nature conservation and sustainable development of regions with rich biodiversity but confronting interests.
My preparatory work included situational analysis, preliminary analysis of stakeholders and communication strategy. The main activities could be classified in three groups. The first group of activities concerns the popularization of the modern perceiving of biosphere reserves and the opportunity Strandja to be nominated and to receive recognition for sustainable development by the prestigious and world distinguishable UNESCO Man and Nature Programme. Related to this I gave a series of presentations and held discussions among nature lovers and students. The second group of activities was pointed at the stakeholders with the main local and national authorities. The third group of activities contributed to the elaboration of analysis for the challenges in nomination and management of biosphere reserves and studied the possibility the biosphere reserves to foster preservation and sustainable usage of the natural resources. I looked for concrete examples from 4 European biosphere reserves for overcoming of similar difficulties as those in Strandja. Additionally, I carried out more exhaustive analysis of the stakeholders and review of the invested efforts of Biodiversity Foundation and the achieved results in Strandja. This analysis is a summary of my work during the project and actually is one of my results.
The second basic result is the elaboration of a proposal for expert support, building up of capacity and knowledge transfer for revision of the network of biosphere reserves in Bulgaria. This proposal was formulated as a project named “A new look to the biosphere reserves in Bulgaria” with which Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation applies for funding to the Programme for expert support of the countries from Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Caucus to the German Federal Ministry of Environment. The project proposal has been drawn up jointly with the Ministry of Environment and Waters, UNESCO Man and Nature Programme and the German NGO EuroNatur.
Main partners for implementation of the transfer project are the Ministry of Environment and Waters, UNESCO Man and Nature Programme and the Directorate of “Strandja” nature Park.
The biosphere parks search the opportunities for development of sustainable practices which to demonstrate the relation between the nature conservation, sustainable use of biodiversity, reduction and adaption to climate change, as well as the social-economic and cultural welfare of the human communities which use and are linked to nature (UNESCO, 2008). They are in accord with the international agreements such as the Biodiversity Convention. On account of this reason, serious though the efforts, skills and resources required for their establishment are, I consider them justified. The biosphere reserves follow the newest tendencies in the management of natural resources and look for the recovery of the lost link and dependency between man and nature. Dependency which lately we forget and neglect and from which it depends the future of humanity.
Graduation of young environmentalists under a training program in Germany
