On April 28, 2026, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Rotary Club Sofia-Balkan, Rotary Club Pirot (Serbia), and the Forest Research Institute- Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The memorandum establishes a framework for joint implementation of scientific and educational initiatives aimed at children and youth.
Within this partnership, the international scientific and educational project “Green Senses- Discovering Plants Through Experience” has been launched. The main objective of the project is for children from Bulgaria and Serbia to acquire practical knowledge about plants and forest communities through direct contact with nature. A special emphasis is placed on promoting citizen science and reducing the time young people spend in front of screens.
The activities include training in plant identification, preparation of herbariums, educational games, practical workshops, and planting of plants. The project will run from May 1 to September 15, 2026, with a total budget of EUR 10,000.
The project leader is Assoc. Prof. Plamen Glogov, from the Forest Research Institute- BAS.
On September 17 and 18, a meeting of the Core group of COST Action CA21125 Margistar (https://margistar.eu/) was held in Sofia (in the hall of https://soho.bg/). On September 19, the meeting will continue with a site visit and a meeting with interested parties (local farmers, NGOs, mayors and municipal officials) in the village of Gabrene, Southwestern Bulgaria.
The international conference on 95 years of Forest Research Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences took place in the period 19-21 October 2023 at the Grand Hotel Astoria. The conference was held around the theme “Forests Without Borders” and brought together leading scientists, researchers and international experts who shared the latest research, programs and policies in the field of forestry, ecology and ecosystem services.
At the official opening, the heads of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Forestry Executive Agency, the Forestry University, the Nikola Pushkarov Institute of Soil Science, Agrotechnologies and Plant Protection, the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria, etc., gave greetings. Congratulatory addresses were also received from the Scientific Secretary of the Department “Biodiversity, Bioresources and Ecology” at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Space Research and Technologies – BAS, Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy – BAS, Agricultural University, Vitosha Nature Park Directorate, South Central State Enterprise, Smolyan, Rila National Park Directorate.
On May 10, 2023 Assoc. Prof. Dr. Plamen Glogov from the Forest Research Institute – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences presented a lecture on the topic “Youth helping nature” in “Dobri Chintulov-1935” Community Centre. The lecture is a continuation of the activities implemented under the project “For everyone saved a tree” (FOREST) carried out in the period 2019-2021. The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Cross-Border Cooperation Program Interreg-IPA Bulgaria – Serbia 2014-2020. The purpose of the lecture was to familiarize the local community and in particular the youth with the following topics:
Implementation of a Long-term strategy for engaging young people in the implementation of activities related to nature protection.
Demonstration of the Joint Database (for free uploading by young nature lovers of materials (photos, etc.) of plants, animals, fungi and habitats) created under the FOREST project.
This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union through the Interreg-IPA CBC Bulgaria-Serbia Programme, CCI No 2014TC16I5CB007. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Forest Research Institute – BAS and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the Managing Authority of the Programme.
