The project is part of the LIFE program of the European Union (EU) and will be implemented jointly with the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB)
Today in the city of Varna, the electricity distribution company serving North-Eastern Bulgaria, EDN North, together with its partner BSPB, presented to the interested parties the project that won funding from the EU at the end of last year - LIFE21-NAT-BG-LIFE NE BG Safe Sky. Its main objective is to prevent mortality among globally threatened bird species caused by electrocution and collision with overhead power lines by applying the best practices among modern solutions for their protection.
During the seminar, the activities of EDN North related to environmental protection were reported. Caring for the environment and preserving protected species is a priority in the company's work. Over the past 18 months, nearly 18,000 bird protection devices worth BGN 957,000 have been installed. The facilities are located in North-Eastern Bulgaria, where the migratory routes of the birds pass. In recent years, an important focus of the electricity distribution company's activities has been the installation of bird protection devices and protective platforms.
The project, which will be implemented over the next 5 years, targets 16 bird species that are a priority for funding under the LIFE program – 15 of them are included in Annex I of the Birds Directive, 10 species are included in the IUCN Red List and 14 species are protected in Europe. The European Union's LIFE programme, which was established in 1992, has already provided funding to more than 5,600 projects in the EU and over 6,000 Natura 2000 habitats have been supported. Projects under the Nature and Biodiversity strand aim to improve of the protection of endangered species and habitats, thereby supporting the implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives and the construction of the Natura 2000 network of protected areas.
ERP North sets several ambitious goals during the implementation of the project. Over 10,000 electric poles are planned to be secured to prevent unnatural bird mortality. The area between electrical poles will also be secured by marking overhead wires with 2,000 diverters in 28 Natura 2000 areas and key corridors between them. A system will be established for future monitoring of bird mortality along all power lines in North-East Bulgaria and 100 safe nesting sites for two of the target species will be provided on power poles by installing birdhouses.
The implementation of the planned activities under the project "Safe skies for birds in North-Eastern Bulgaria" will yield a number of positive results, such as improving the general ecological condition, development of tourism and the local economy, greater biological diversity, opportunities for the application of ornithological tourism.
Safe Sky For Birds