Description
The project addresses the need to ensure the conservation of valuable mountain meadows and pastures in Troyan Municipality by weed control, bracken in particular. The project aims at conserving mountain pastures by engaging the local community in bracken control initiatives. First, 15 of the stakeholders (farmers, cattle-breeders, informal civil groups, citizens) will attend a 2-day training on weed control and restoring biodiversity. Second, the 15 trainees will also attend training on composting bracken including a demonstration visit. The project will benefit local farmers, cattle-breeders, the business and the local community in general. The partner will support the project with its extensive expertise in bracken control.
Summary of project results
Meadows and pastures are typical of the Stara Planina Mountain landscape. They are very important for local livestock breeding and biodiversity conservation. During the transition these areas were hardly used. Thus highly aggressive species as eagle fern could propagate unhindered. The project aimed at enhancing the development of the civil society and raising its contribution to the sustainable development of the territory of Troyan Municipality through the introduction of environmentally-friendly ways for the restoration of maintenance of the biodiversity of the meadows and pastures. The implemented project increased the contribution of the NGOs to the protection of biodiversity and threatened species. The implemented project also had favourable impact on all stakeholders through the educational seminars held which were attended by the local communities, young people, the Roma, farmers, civil servants and NGOs. 45 participants were trained, 6 publications were prepared, 6 shows were broadcast by the local media and 300 educational leaflets were published. A 20-minute-long movie was filmed and 100 reports were prepared. These activities helped raise the awareness of the local communities and young people about environmentally-friendly ways to restore and maintain the biodiversity of the meadows and pastures and composting eagle fern. The implemented project increased the contribution of the NGOs to the protection of biodiversity and threatened species; the Centre for Regional Development and Initiatives Association and the Research Institute of Mountain Stockbreeding and Agriculture raised their capacity for project management and the foundations of successful future cooperation between the two organizations were laid. The project outcomes will be multiplied in the coming years, as the meadows and pastures overgrown with eagle fern are widespread in the region and the restoration of biodiversity is significant for the area covered by the project.
Summary of bilateral results