Justification
Recovering the traditional animal husbandry by preserving a local rare indigenous breed ? Karakachan horse and a traditional shepherd system (mountain pastoralism) in the area of a Sokolna hut, in the National Park Central Balkan
Location
South Central region, Stara Zagora district, Sokolna hut, Gabarevo village, Pavel banya municipality, National park Central Balkan
Project Target Groups
Target groups, directly benefiting by the project
1. Tourists, which will visit the region of Sokolna hut, will learn more about the protected animals, will ride horses or will just enjoy them
2. People, directly occupied in the implementation of the project ? at least 15
Target groups, indirectly benefiting by the project
1. Management of the National park, because of sustainable managing of park?s resources
2. Global benefits will be reached out for environment and local population

Goal and expected impacts
Increasing sustainable managed territories with a worldwide significant biodiversity
1.Number of preserved worldwide significant species - 7
2.Sustainable managed territories with a worldwide significant biodiversity will be 200 ha by the end of 2010
Extending the use of innovative technologies into the fields of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources, sustainable managed lands and waters and avoiding sustainable structural pollutants
1. Number of develop and use innovative technologies - 1
2. Number of people, benefiting of these develop and use innovative technologies ? at least 150
Increasing the sustainable managed territories
Sustainable managed territories ? 200 ha of pastures are certified as organic on the territory of the National Park Central Balkan and 53 ha are municipality?s pastures in Gabarevo village, where the horses will pasture in autumn and winter time.
Reducing pollutants? emissions in the River Danube, the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea
1. Reducing emissions of nitrogen in international waters ? 1237.5 kg for the first year of the project
2. Reducing emissions of phosphorus in international waters ? 517.5 kg for the first year of the project
Increasing incomes of people, participating in SGP
Number of benefiting households ? 5
Number of benefiting people ? 15
The amount of increased incomes for benefiting people is $70?800
Developing collaboration/ cooperation/ understanding between NGO/Public organizations and the Government in the areas of implementation SGP
One NGO is participating
Two organic farms are participating
Objectives and expected results
Recovering the traditional animal husbandry by creating a herd with 120 animals and protecting a rare indigenous breed ? Karakachan horse during the project and traditional shepherd system (mountain pastoralism) in the region of Sokolna hut, in the National Park Central Balkan
Major activities
Traditional animal husbandry by preserving a rare indigenous breed ? Karakachan horse and traditional shepherd system (mountain pastoralism)
Creating a herd with 120 animals of a rare indigenous breed ? Karakachan horse during implementation of the nationally approved breeding programme by the end of 2011
Sustainable managing of 200 ha of pastures in the territory of the National Park Central Balkan by the end of 2010
Improving the breed and creating a pure-breed herd
As a result, that horses will live in their habitat
Breeding activity in accordance with requirements and parameters, based in the Breeding programme
Building up a small hydro station by the end of 2010
Partnership with GEF SGP proposals/projects

Sustainability
Financial stability ? in the beginning herd will include 30 animals, will increase during the first 3 years and will become a herd with 120 animals. During this time will be singed contracts for:
Pure-breeding and getting breed descriptions for the herd and receiving subsidies for breeding Karakachan horses by the National Agriculture and Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 ? 200 euro per animal.
Selling pure-breed animals
Horse tourism
Selling manure to organic farms
Integrating in long-term processes
Improving the conditions in Sokolna hut and increasing number of visitors ? incomes from accommodations
Building up a small hydro station will limit usage of liquid and solid fuels for hut management. The hut?s annual consumption of liquid fuels is 450 liters, mainly for electricity production. After building up the hydro station this would not be necessary
Human resources ? creating a sustainable living and improving a financial status of local human resources (at least 15), participating in implementation of the project
With these activities Tourist Association ?Sokolna? will self-financed after project concludes.

Project Budget ? total, from GEF SGP, financial, in-kind - all in Bulgarian leva and percent of total
Total budget of the project is BGN 208?760
Amount, financed by SGP is BGN 60?000 or 28, 74 % of the total budget and the rest BGN 148 760 or 71, 26 % will be financial or in-kind from ??kvi?? Ltd