Bulgaria is a beautiful country with diverse landscapes ranging from snow-capped mountains to white-fringed beaches, sub tropical rivers and fertile plains. It is rich in wildlife, nature, archaeology and folklore. Eagles and vultures soar in the heights; brown bears and wolves roam mountain forests; butterflies and wild flowers throng the meadows. The earth yields up secrets of the past, revealing stunning archaeological treasures and Thracian gold fit for the gods.

This cultural and natural wealth has been taken for granted but over the past decade social upheaval, economic hardship and past government policies have combined to put some of it at risk.

The aim of this page is to help build constructive environmental and cultural links between people in Britain and Bulgaria.  You will find information here about selected issues in Bulgaria, which rarely make the news in the UK. There is also info about particular conservation projects and other initiatives in which people in the UK can become involved with Bulgarians to preserve Bulgaria's rich heritage and to benefit us all.

See also The Landscape of Bulgarian Myth & Folklore

Environment: Green Balkans

Photo: Green Balkans

Green Balkans is Bulgaria's biggest non-governmental nature conservation organisation, working on a wide range of projects to protect the country's nature, wildlife and habitats.

It has established the only Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Centre in Bulgaria where it is doing a fantastic job to preserve rare and endangered bird species.

Moni and Ivor from A Spell In Time visited the Centre in summer 2005 and were shown round by Ivailo Klisurov. We were impressed by the Centre's care for injured rare birds, including an Imperial Eagle, Griffon Vulture, Eagle Owl and a Pelican. Other birds were being prepared for release into the wild but some were too badly injured to survive independently and so had become permanent Centre residents.

Green Balkans' other work includes campaigning to protect Bulgaria's forests which are being destroyed at an alarming rate. According to the organisation, this is the most serious environmental problem in Bulgaria. Visit their website for details of their many activities.

Adopt an Animal
If you would like to support the work of Green Balkans, the organisation runs an Adopt An Animal scheme for the care, feeding and medical treatment of birds brought to the Centre, or the care of permanent bird residents. Birds currently seeking adoptive parents include: the Red-breasted Goose, White Pelican, Kestrel, White Stork, Black Kite, Booted Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Griffon Vulture, Eagle Owl and Honey Buzzard.

Nature Conservation working holidays
For a different type of holiday experience, you could try joining a nature conservation working holiday in Bulgaria organised annually by Green Balkans in partnership with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers.

Green Balkans also welcomes donations. See their website at www.greenbalkans.org

Twin Towns

A twinning link is a friendship agreement for co-operation between two communities in different countries, endorsed by both local authorities. The two twinned communities organise projects and activities around a range of issues and develop an understanding of historical, cultural and lifestyle similarities and differences. These activities involve a wide range of community members. The European Commission has a grant scheme to support exchange activities between twinned European towns.

Barely a handful of British towns are twinned with towns in Bulgaria and in some cases the link is inactive.

East Staffordshire Borough Council twinning link with Kurdjali, Bulgaria

This has the distinction of being England's only functional twinning link with Bulgaria. East Staffordshire Borough Council and its twin, Kurdjali in the Rhodopi Mountains, have developed quite an active programme. This includes exchange visits between Belvedere Junior and the Kyril and Methodii Schools, and between the Abbot Beyne and Hristo Botev high schools. Burton College and Queens Hospital are involved in other projects.

So if you live in the area, contact East Staffordshire Borough Council for details of twinning activities and how you can become involved.