Description
The project addresses the exploration and conservation caves. The project aims at collecting data about the biospeleological diversity in the area of Godech Municipality and promoting its conservation. First, the available information about explored karst features (maps, description, GPS coordinates) will be collected and analyzed and 20 priority caves will be selected. Second, 20 young cavers will be trained to explore the cave flora and fauna, take samples and map caves and chasms. Third, biospeleological studies will be done of cave-residing bats, samples of algae and fungi. Fourth, 20 caves will be mapped and described. Next, the project will be presented to the local community and people will help with a clean-up campaign. Finally, the collected information will be presented at the Children’s Museum and National Museum of Natural History in Sofia. The project will benefit the local community, children, students,cavers, NGOs and research institutes.
Summary of project results
This project aimed at bringing together experts from different areas to create as comprehensive map as possible of the underground resources of Godech Municipality Karst Region. Samples from the cave soil and the walls were tested for algae and fungi at the Faculty of Biology of Sofia University. The invertebrate gathered from field trips were identified at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH). Specialists from the Bat Research and Conservation Centre (BRCC) with NMNH contributed with accurate data about number and species of flying mammals. The results were published online and in an atlas called Speleological Research of Caves in Godech Municipality, published (incl. in English), as well as promoted among the public through participation in radio and TV shows. A significant contribution of this project is that the published book is the first one of its kind following Neno Atanasov’s book to sum up the modern-day research in this region in Bulgaria. Meetings with the local community, information signs and initiatives to clean the region helped draw the attention to caves and their importance as natural sites, clean water sources and habitats of unique biodiversity. Many of the target group members were children and young people. In addition, the project helped build good relations of partnership with the local institutions and communities. 20 young speleologists, members of one of the target group, were trained in taking bio-speleological samples and mapping and helped the team do the field work. Some of the trainees had particular success in the field with the identification of cave-inhabiting bats and started submitting accurate data to BRCC with NMNH. Other trainees succeeded in the use of the new methodology of e-mapping and prepared their own maps. The discoveries made were used in educational workshops for children frequently delivered in schools and museums: workshops for children aged 6-12 at NMNH; Sofia Festival of Science for children aged 5-13; Painting competition which was particularly popular (56 drawings of children aged 4-15). The project helped develop a methodology for interdisciplinary research of the Karst region which was welcomed by the speleological community and recognized by the Bulgarian Federation of Speleology (BFS). In fact, the training of young people was added to the curriculum for the training course Young Speleologist organized by BFS during the national qualification courses for human resources.
Summary of bilateral results