Field trip

Course objectives

This field trip aims at providing practical knowledge on the protection and management of rare plant and animal species, and to explain the different categories of protected areas. Upon completion of the field trip, participants will be able to thoroughly understand the relationship between traditional land management and nature conservation, to recommend management measures and to assess the quality of visitor management and recreation infrastructure in nature reserves.

Course contents

Day 1 - Day 3: We plan to visit a nature reserve in the west of Bulgaria, which in recent years has seen substantial investments in rural development and in the vitalization of nature-oriented tourism. We will not only explore the nature reserve, but also analyze the local situation from our point of view. We will broaden our perspective through discussions with conservationists, tourism experts, farmers, mayors and site managers.
Day 4 - Day 6: The second part takes us to a large wetland area on the Danube River, where the agriculturally valuable and scenically beautiful land is largely protected. For years there has been a cooperation project with local fishermen to avoid illegal forms of exploitation. We will discuss the opportunities and problems of this large wetland area with local NGOs, experts, fishermen, and other stakeholders.

We will be working on the following issues in the two regions:

How do we perceive the current situation of the landscape and its users and inhabitants?
What trends are to be expected in the region?
What ideas to we have for a positive development of the region in terms of nature conservation?