By Cooperation for Voluntary Service (CVS) ? Bulgaria in partnership with:
Pirin NP Directorate, Kresna Municipality, Bulgarian Biodiversity Preservation Society ? Semperviva, Pirin Tourism Forum, Central Laboratory for Solar Energy and New Energy Sources at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Hydroecology at the Biological Faculty of the Sofia University.

Project Goal
The overall goal of the proposed project is to support the development of the ecotourism in the region of South West Bulgaria, through establishment of functioning environmental-demonstration center (Eco-center) in the village of Vlahi, municipality of Kresna.
? The Eco-center will serve as:
? Center for environmental education for children, pupils, students, organized tourist groups and individual tourists as a form of the ecotourism;
? Informational and demonstrational center for the sustainable use of the natural resources for the local community and tourists;
? Center for trainings, debate and seminars on topics related to ecotourism, environment, biodiversity, sustainable development, and renewable energy for NGOs and CBOs.

The concrete objectives, which the project aims to achieve, are:

1. Starting the functioning of an educational environmental-demonstrational center in the village of Vlahi, Municipality of Kresna;
2. Demonstration of models for energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, as an example for sustainable practices, applicable from the local community;
3. Demonstration of biological methods for waste water purification, composting methods for organic and solid waste treatment and traditional gardening techniques, as practices for sustainable development.

The activities, which will be implemented in the frame of the project proposal for achieving the project aims, are as follows:

1. Implementation of a feasibility study and a business plan for providing the economical stability of the Eco-center Vlahi;
2. Forming of an Advisory Board to the Eco-center Vlahi with the participation of project partners, stakeholders, representatives of the local community and experts aiming at sustainable long-term common management and development of the Eco-center;
3. Forming of Working groups on Program Development for working up informational-educational packets for the particular visitors of the Center.
4. Preparation and organization of the first thematic exhibition in the Eco-center, dedicated to Herman?s and Spur-tighed tortoises, as two of the global significant species, which could be found on the territory of Vlahi village, with accent on their conservation.
5. Study visit in the Netherlands for three members of the different working groups, aiming at getting know-how on the functioning of similar centers in the Netherlands;
6. Design and installation of solar systems for warm water, heating and electricity;
7. Building of constructed wetland for waste-water purification;
8. Design and forming of demonstrational garden for traditional gardening techniques;
9. Furnishing the building of the Eco-center;
10. Marking of 30km tourist routes in the area of Vlahi village towards the Pirin NP ;
11. Organization of the first visits of the target groups in the Eco-center.

The activities, which will be implemented in the Eco-center Vlahi concern the whole land of Vlahi village, including the territories, which are within the borders of the Pirin NP and ?Tisata? reserve. These make a land of 7121 ha with global significant biodiversity.

The duration of the project proposal is 20 months.

The proposed project will work for the development of the ecotourism in the region in South West Bulgaria, meeting the need of a demonstrational, visitor, field study, and research center for nature, environment and new technologies, providing the opportunity for interactive learning and teaching ?for the nature in the nature? and ?learning by doing?. Hence a more responsible behavior towards the nature is being habituated in the tourists and the local people.

The contribution that the project implementation will bring is innovative for the region and for Bulgaria, due to the informational-educational programs, which will be offered, as well as the combination of various demonstrational elements, available to be seen in a joint operation at the Eco-center.

This model can be afterwards successfully applied at other places, after the balance of the needed information and the optimal ways for its presentation to the different potential users is reached.