Description
The project addresses the need for greater public involvement in environment protection activities. The project aims at ensuring greater involvement in the 7th counting of the white stork nest in Europe using crowdsourcing. First, an e-platform for counting, monitoring and data sharing will be set up. The data will include nest inhabitants, started incubation, number of hatched young, number of young who left the nest, the nest type and location and threats. The platform will consist of an Android mobile app and direct online data sharing. Second, a campaign to promote the 7th counting of white stork nests will be launched. Third, competitions for most active counters and friends of the white stork will be held. Fourth, the data will be checked, verified and analyzed by experts. Next, participants will be informed about main threats and risks measures will be taken to secure 35 nests. The project will benefit local communities, ornithologists, experts and relevant NGOs.
Summary of project results
The project aimed at testing a pilot model for public participation in scientific research (citizen science) related to environment protection for the 7th white stork census Europe. In the period 2014–2015 the 7th International White Stork Census was held. During this large-scale environment protection initiative, for the first time in Bulgaria the model of broad public participation in environment protection activities (citizen science) was tested. A special online platform and an application were developed under the project to make it easy for the public to take part in such activities. A large-scale awareness raising campaign was held during the project about the activities and importance of protection of the white stork and biodiversity in general. In addition, a national competition was organized to promote large-scale public participation. More than 300 people provided data about approximately 1000 stork nests using the platform and application of the organization. This is how they got involved and took part in one of the biggest large-scale global environment protection campaigns. The data collected helped the conservation of the white stork as an indicator about the environment status (water, forests, agriculture). In addition, the people raised their environment awareness and believed that they take part in such an important and significant event as biodiversity monitoring. One of the main achievements under the project is the involvement of the Executive Environment Agency as a partner in the initiative. This is a very good example of successful cooperation between NGOs and the state institutions. The partnership achieved will guarantee future joint activities and projects and thus sustainability in the future. The project outputs include: a website; an e-platform for data collection; a guide for participation in the 7th International White Stork Census; a competition for most active participants; a database of stork nests in Bulgaria; platforms for securing stork nests; a book with the results from the 7th International White Stork Census in Bulgaria; an interactive map for the population and habitats of the white stork in Bulgaria.
Summary of bilateral results