Open Weeks Atanasovsko Lake, 2009 - 2010

The Ecological Station is situated near the hyperhaline Atanasovsko Lake. The Atanasovsko Lake Reserve is one of the Ramsar sites of Bulgaria and the most important place for observation of the autumn migration of the soaring birds. The lake is visited annually by numerous scientists and naturalists from Bulgaria and abroad. Since mid 90’s, the Ecological Station at the Atanasovsko Lake Reserve has been hosting the annual Nature Protection Brigade “Atanasovsko Lake” organised by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds. During the Brigade (the last third of August), the Atanasovsko Lake is visited by numerous volunteering students and naturalists. The main activities performed at the Ecological Station are observations on bird migrations and, during the BSPB Brigade, maintenance of the dikes and platforms used by the breeding populations. Since the beginning of the WETLANET project in 2009, the BSPB volunteers participate also the reconstruction of the Ecological Station.

The First Open Doors Week of the Ecological Station at the Atanasovsko Lake Reserve was during the National Brigades 22-30 August 2009 and 23-31 August 2010. About 50 young ornithologists and students participated in the events. During the Open Week in 2009, Dr Pavel Nikolov, head of the Ecological Station, presented the aims of the WETLANET project. Three lecturers presented their scientific results on the animal biodiversity of the Atanasovsko Lake protected wetland: Nedko Nedyalkov on the small mammals, Nikolay Tsankov on the reptiles and Pavel Nikolov on the invertebrate fauna of the lake.

The aim of the event was to promote the infrastructure activities of the WETLANET project targeting both scientific and broader public. The success and good acceptance of the program of the Open Week in 2009 lead to its development in 2010 and broader scientific topics were presented, e.g., the role of the parasites on the distribution of invasive invertebrate species and biodiversity loss (P. Nikolov). As a side result, the collaboration in activities of common interest strengthen the partnership between the organisation affiliation and the BSPB.

Along with the scientific and popularisation programme, the participants of two Open Weeks helpd in the reconstruction activities held at the Ecological Station. These included cleaning the yard and the Station, putting a fence around the yard and replacing the electric network in 2009. The 2010 activities included repairing the draining ditch surrounding the Station, repairing the floors, draining and concrete filling the Station foundations, changing the doors and windows frames and wall painting. Since October 2010, a young researcher from the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research will become a member of the permanent staff of the Ecological Station, which is important in view of the further development of the Station into a scientific facility providing opportunities and laboratory equipment for regular scientific research and for visiting scientists and students.

Photogallery of the events is presented here.