site.btaJune 3, 1988: Bulgaria's First Nature Conservation Organization Established to Protect Birds

The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds is the first citizens’ nature conservation organization in the most recent history of Bulgaria. The constituent assembly of the organization took place on June 3, 1988. It was founded by scientists, university professors and bird lovers, led by their desire to take real action for bird conservation, the website of the Society says.

In 1992, the organization became the Bulgarian representative of the oldest international organization for bird conservation, BirdLife International.

The first campaign organized by the Society was against the mass use of rodenticides in 1988, which had led to the demise of thousands of birds of many species, including critically endangered ones.

The organization created the first network of volunteers in Bulgaria. To this day, they participate in the monitoring of biodiversity, with regularly organized mid-winter waterfowl census, common birds monitoring, imperial eagle monitoring, and white stork census. These activities provide the necessary data for the preparation and implementation of policies for sustainable management of natural resources.

The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds has created the first national scheme for the monitoring of biodiversity in Bulgaria and started implementing it with more than 200 volunteers. The Society has published more than 100 books, leaflets and scientific articles about birds, including the first Atlas of the Breeding Birds in Bulgaria.

More than 55,000 people have taken an active part in the nature conservation activities of the Society over the years, the organization says.