1.2. Improving the capacity for nature protection, sustainable use and management of common natural resources through cooperation initiatives in the cross-border area

The overall objective of the project is to determine the coordinates of the sea meadows in Igneada and Pomorie bays and make them accessible for everyone via a mobile application, to prevent the extinction of sea meadows because of the wrong fishery methods, to raise awareness among fishermen via giving information about sea meadows.
The project envisages two sea surveys – one in Turkey and one in Bulgaria including scanning of the seacoast and locating the sea meadows. Mobile Application will be developed providing access for everyone to the coordinates of the identified sea meadows. Seminar of Sea ecosystems presenting both surveys results will be presented. At the Alamana Festival a declaration for future cooperation will be signed.
As a result of the implementation of the project, the coordinates of the sea meadows in Igneada and Pomorie bays will be determined and access to them via a mobile application will be made, as well the awareness among fishermen via giving information about sea meadows will be raised. The fish breathing and breeding by protecting their living areas will be enabled.

Status of the project: completed

Seagrasses, the basis of marine ecosystems that currently produce 70% of the oxygen in the atmosphere, are endangered due to global warming, pollution and unconscious hunting methods. The main axis of our project is to determine by partners the spread and position of seagrasses on the coasts of Igneada (TR) and Pomorie (BG) so that give contributions to EU “Water Framework Directive”, “Marine Strategy Framework Directive” and “Interreg Ipa CBC BG-TR 2014-2020 Programme” Priority axis 1 “Environment” etc. As a result of sea surveys, maps were produced and determined the locations of seagrasses. Produced with the maps, off-line mobile phone applications published on the market with in trilingual.  Fishermen took a seminar by Academic Consultant on seagrasses and marine ecosystems, both side trainings provided in the seminars contributed to sustainable fisheries. The Festival Meeting developed a dialogue with fishermen of the two countries, visibility ensured with media publications, mobile applications, press-conferences, interviews with project website. Signed declaration at the end of Festival is part of institutional and political sustainability as well, because connects representatives of both cross-border regions on policy level and guarantees future cooperation between them.

All project outputs were published on the project website. https://commonvalueblacksea.org/

The project will tackle the challenges in the area of the capacity and efficiency of preservation of marine and coastal environment in the cross border region of Bulgaria and Turkey by initiating integrated and coordinated approaches to provide protection in cases of spills caused by ships collisions, accidents, marine and coastal pollution from ships, boats and coastal sources.
The activities planned within the project include establishment of a Steering committee and Joint Emergency Squad for marine pollution prevention. Specialized equipment will be delivered such as mobile emergency container, boat and equipment for oil pollution control and spills and litters cleaning and collecting, in accordance with the characteristics of the coast in the region of Burgas and Demirkoy. The preparation of Join Intervention Plan and Standard Operation Procedures is envisaged. An Action Plan and Standard Operating Procedures will be developed as well as joint practical exercises of the established Emergency Squad for marine pollution prevention will be conducted.
The implementation of the project will improve the coordination between the institutions from the cross border region of Bulgaria and Turkey in cases of spills caused by ships collisions, accidents, marine and coastal pollution from ships, boats and coastal sources. Another important project result will be enhancing the environmental knowledge of the fishermen, seamen, local population, and visitors of the region, on the issues related to the protection of the marine and coastal environment from plastic and domestic waste and the pollution in the Black Sea will be reduced.

The overall objective is to transfer successfully of the experience from a Bulgarian NGO on preparation and promotion of the process of development of European Ecological Network "Natura 2000" to Turkish stakeholders in the model region of Istranca Mountain and to increase the local capacity for the implementation of NATURA 2000 requirements through strong dialogue and exchange of best practices between Bulgarian and Turkish NGOs.

The project envisages preparation of documentation for designation of three NATURA 2000 sites in the Turkish part of Strandja/Istranca and on-site training for joint data collection for NATURA 2000. In order to transfer the European experience in establishment of NATURA 2000 a four – days study visit for 20 Turkish experts will be organized in Bulgaria. During the project implementation two local workshops on NATURA 2000 with representatives of environmental non-governmental organizations, institutions and citizens will be organized aiming to raise local awareness.

The project will contribute to increasing knowledge and mutual understanding of European strategies and methods for announcement of important natural areas as Natura 2000 sites, and to establish good partnerships between Turkish and European civil society organizations.

The project implementation will support the Turkish European integration process in the field of environmental protection.

Project status: Finished

NATURA 2000 has key significance for the EU policy for nature and biodiversity conservation. It consists of a network of protected areas across Europe, created in correspondence with the Directive on natural habitats from 1992 and the Directive on the conservation of wild birds from 1979. The objective of the network is to guarantee the conservation of the most valuable and most threatened by extinction naturally occurring species as well as the sites which they inhabit.

On the threshold of the European Union, the Republic of Turkey is about to build NATURA 2000, which will become a part of the common European Ecological Network. This network consists of list of protected areas with accompanying documentation, including a description of the flora and fauna and map material.Bulgaria has been an EU member state for more than 10 years and can pass its positive experience in this field to its neighbouring country. In the first part of the project pilot activities for exploration and identification of potential NATURA 2000 sites in Turkey were presented to the Turkish partner and other stakeholders. Field studies were held with experts from Green Balkans, Bulgaria and the Thracian University in Edirne, Turkey. During the studies three potential NATURA 2000 sites in the region of Turkish part of Strandzha: two of them are ‘Habitats Directive’ (92/43/EEC) in 1992 - Igneada Forests and Wetlands – pSCI and Dupnisa Cave (Dupnisa magara sistemi) – pSCI and one is ‘Birds Directive’ (79/402/EEC later 2009/147/EC) - Igneada Wetlands -  SPA were identified.  Series of on-site site training for join data collection at NATURA 2000 in Bulgaria were organised. Lecturers from Istanbul University, students from University of Kikrlareli, environmentalists and youth organizations from Turkey attended the trainings.

As a result a Completed Pilot Standard Data Form (SDF) for the three potential NATURA 2000 sites and a case study with the threats to NATURA 2000 sites in Bulgaria, which pose a potential threat to NATURA 2000 sites in Turkey were developed. Two DVD films “NATURA 2000 and the Green Belt in the Bulgaria and Turkey cross-border region” and “Strandzha – Border Mountain”, all promotional and information materials are available for the general public on the project’s website: http://natura-sakar.org/.   

Accordingly the implemented project increased the readiness and capacity of Turkish experts, NGOs, citizens and other stakeholders to actively participate in the process of the future development of NATURA 2000 in Turkey.

There are so many people on both sides of the border willing to preserve the natural wealth of the neighboring countries.

Project website:

http://natura-sakar.org

Materials from the project:

The project banner is available HERE.

Calendar for 2018 is available HERE.

Fact sheet (Turkish version) is available HERE.

Fact sheet (Bulgarian version) is available HERE.

Leaflet developed under the project is available HERE.

Map of Stradzha region is available HERE.

Stickers designed under the project are available HERE.

Project products:

The Booklet developed under the project is available HERE.

A Case study developed under the project (Bulgarian version) is available HERE.

A Case study developed under the project (English version) is available HERE.

Presentation for Activity 1 "Structure and data of the SDF form for the NATURA 2000 sites" is available HERE.

Presentation for Activity 1 "Designation of pilot NATURA 2000 sites in the target area and practical filling in of the SDF" is available HERE.

Presentation for Activity 1 "Establishing and development of NATURA 2000 in Bulgaria" is available HERE.

Presentation for Activity 1 "What is NATURA 2000, concept and structures" is available HERE.

Standart Data Form for Igneada Ormanlari - Igneada Wetlands is available HERE.

Standart Data Form for Dupnisa Cave is avilable HERE.

Standart Data Form for Igneada Longoz Ormanlari Milli is available HERE.

NATURA 2000 and the GREEN BELT in the Bulgaria-Turkey Cross-border Region DOCUMENTARY is available on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3b7tDrLr0c&index=15&list=PLwe1R4BMZjDsodEAMWnG6_lawYFnf4qtw&t=0s.

The videofilm "Strandzha - Border Mountain" is available on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQAINPMspuo&list=PLwe1R4BMZjDsodEAMWnG6_lawYFnf4qtw&index=19.