Training course, held in Forest Research Institute – BAS, for working with Joint Data Base on the FOREST Project
On the 20th of February, 2020 in Forest Research Institute was held an educational course for the Institute’s employees for working with the Joint Database on the project “For everyone saved a tree” (FOREST), co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg-IPA Bulgaria-Serbia Cross-Border Cooperation Program 2014-2020. The course contained three modules:
Module 1. Getting acquainted with the FOREST Project
Assoc. Prof. Margarita Georgieva, FOREST Project Coordinator, introduced the project goals and activities to the participants in the course. She stressed on the important role of the created website https://cbc-forest.org/ in the implementation of publicity measures and the need to promote it to young people. Dr. Georgieva, PhD, explained the social and scientific benefits of developing a Joint Database and the strategy of engaging young people in environmental activities, which are a responsibility of the Forest Research Institute as a project partner. She expressed confidence that the results of these two activities will be used in future research and project initiatives involving young people.
Module 2. Presentation of the FOREST project website
Chief Assist. Plamen Glogov, PhD, FOREST Project Technical Assistant and Chief Assist. Mira Georgieva, Web site and Joint Database Administrator, explained the concept of the website as a “face of the project” and the opportunities it provides for promoting results, publishing texts, photos and films. The FOREST website is available for publication, both by the young people involved in the project and by anyone interested and attracted to the idea and the cause of the project.
The technical features, related to the capabilities and functionalities provided by the site, were presented by Eng. Hristo Georgiev, representative of SmartEksMedia, contractor for FOREST 1 / 27.09.2019 of the website and the database development. Eng. Georgiev explained the procedures for participants’ registration in the site and the publication of the materials prepared by them. He shared that the site is gaining popularity in searching the world’s databases and urged the course participants to actively use its capabilities.
Module 3. Presentation of the Joint Database
After the website presentation, the focus turned on the related to the website Joint Database. Dr. Plamen Glogov, PhD, introduced it as a platform that works with real-time information. Its purpose is to collect, organize and analyze publications related to specific species, habitats and ecosystems, made by young people, nature lovers and conservationists. By publishing this data, non-specialists will assist scientists in identifying new species and monitoring the status of populations and natural habitats in the cross-border region. Eng. Georgiev explained the difference between a contributor to a website publication and a collaborator on a joint database. He demonstrated how to form and send information from users to the joint database and highlighted the importance of the administrator in processing and publishing the received data.
Following the presentation of the individual modules, a discussion was held. The participants in the course expressed their appreciation of the idea, the vision and the implementation of the website. They also expressed their willingness to assist as collaborators in completing the Joint Database. They made some suggestions considering the work improvement and the promotion of the website and its joint database in the social media and the scientific circles.
Project “For Everybody Saves a Tree” No.CB007.2.32.170 is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg-IPA Bulgaria-Serbia Cross-Border Cooperation Program 2014-2020. This publication is made with the support of the European Union through the Interreg-IPA Bulgaria-Serbia Cross-Border Cooperation Program 2014-2020, CCI No 2014TC16I5CB007. The contents of this publication are sole responsibility of the FRI-BAS and should in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the Managing Authority of the Program.
