Rewilding Europe Concept Presented in Sofia

The Rewilding Europe concept to which the region of the Eastern Rhodopes has a great chance to join, was presented at a special event on May 17 (Friday) at Credo Bonum Gallery in Sofia.

Minister of Environment and Water Julian Popov and Dutch Ambassador Karel van Kesteren attended the event. Both received a copy of the book Wild Wonders of Europe.

Rewilding Europe representatives Frans Schepers and Mattew Mcluckie presented the program and its aims. Both were members of Rewilding Europe mission visited recently the Eastern Rhodopes. Among the audience in Credo Bonum were representatives of ARK Foundation who had a study trip in the region between 12 and 18 May.

One of the programme goals of Rewilding Europe is “by 2020, rewild 1 million ha (10,000 km²) across 10 places in Europe covering different regions”. The rewilding concept was introduced at the “EC Presidency Conference on Wilderness and Large Natural Habitat Areas” in May 2009. As a result, Rewilding Europe received more than 20 nominations of which 5 were selected to serve as the first five model areas: Danube Delta, Eastern Carpathians, Southern Carpathians, Velebit, and Western Iberia. To fulfil its objective, Rewilding Europe aimed “to identify an additional five model areas” and launch them at the forthcoming 10th World Wilderness Congress (WILD10) in Salamanca, Spain in October 2013. The Eastern Rhodopes are in the shortlist.

Organizers of the event at the Credo Bonum Gallery were the foundations "Credo Bonum" and "NTG - Bulgaria". Guests and journalists received the recently issued Crossbill guide to the Eastern Rhodopes (in Bulgaria and Greece) specially made for the keen naturalists and eco-tourists.

Read here more

See here photos

Print this page | Send to friend