1 What is the Volunteer Conservation Camp Atanasovsko Lake?
In the midst of the autumn bird migration, with this post, I share insights into authentic birdwatching experiences in Burgas - the Conservation Camp Atanasovsko Lake, the oldest Bulgarian volunteer nature conservation vacation with 30+ years of history.
For over three decades, the Conservation Camp Atanasovsko Lake (Burgas) has become a long-awaited, traditional summer volunteer vacation for nature lovers. The project is run by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB). This camping holiday takes place annually at the end of August and lasts one week.
This year's camp has become particularly rewarding for me. My long-term interest and regular participation in activities by the BSPB have brought me a victory in the national contest in green journalism for my book devoted to birdwatching volunteer vacations across Bulgaria. It's called The Insights into Conservation Volunteer Bird Watching Holidays in Bulgaria. It's Not Only About Birds. Download it at the end of the article.
For me, the Conservation Camp Atanasovsko Lake has been the most utopian eco holiday I've ever had. Yet it's always very inspirational to be part of a great tradition. And I'm glad to repeat that experience annually!
The Conservation Camp Atanasovsko Lake started in 1988 as a scientific summer fieldwork of ornithologists that recorded the observations of different species during the autumn bird migration. Atanasovsko Lake (together with Pomorie Lake – find more details in my previous article) makes part of the second largest bird migratory route Via Pontica. The place hosts large colonies of different birds-pelicans, flamingoes and different types of seagulls.
The popularity of birdwatching and nature conservation activities encouraged the BSPB to create a program for volunteers.
The construction of artificial islands for birds, the recording of bird species with the application of scientific methods and the cleaning of the natural reserve are just some of the main activities that bring together lots of nature lovers.
2 Citizen science: planting seeds for learning new things
'What is the camp about? It's a place for making interesting acquaintances, enjoying useful work, and planting seeds for learning new things', - defines the project Nikolai Katsarov, a participant in the Camp since 2011.
The project aims to support the natural reserve which hosts thousands of birds and raise public awareness of the challenges birds face. Atanasovsko Lake is part of the second largest in Europe bird migration route Via Pontica.
For the years of its existence, the camp has acquired many functions.
'The camp has become an incubator for many Bulgarian eco-activists and environmental professionals', - shared insights Petar Yankov, one of the camp's founders.
'Through citizen science projects, like this one, we want to show that collaborations between environmentalists and ordinary people can be mutually beneficial', - points out Irina Mateeva, European Policy Officer of BSPB.
3 Working together for a great cause
Since I live on the bird migration route, I've participated in the project several times. And last year this oldest Bulgarian eco-vacation became part of my ethnographic research Mapping sustainable holidays in Bulgaria: combine volunteering and vacations!.
The project was partly supported with funding by Bulgarian Fund for Women and the Open Society Foundation.
With this project, I aim to promote volunteering in Bulgaria as a meaningful pastime and a tool for personal growth and development and, at the same time, I want to support volunteers by offering them practical workshops.
'It definitely makes sense to embark on such an adventure and enjoy its outcomes, - believes volunteer Teodor Trifonov. - Because it's always easy to find what's wrong and isn't perfect, but here everyone works for one great cause, which I find worthwhile. And it's a real pleasure to work with like-minded people!'.
Serving meals, repairing work, restoring an artificial island, building wood platforms, cutting cane, and bird monitoring. These were just some of our responsibilities.
Every day one should choose a different task and work on a different site. In this way, for a week, everyone had an opportunity to learn something new by taking care of each other and the birds.
'There is some magic in such events that allow us to touch nature and get away from it all, - says volunteer Vladimir Terziev. - For me, such experiences with people on the same wavelength help me rediscover myself, reconsider my values and exchange experience with others'.
4 Camping for peer learning
'Education is the main purpose of the project, - says Vladimir Mladenov, the camp's organizer by BSBP. - In its current format, the project has existed since 1995. We create for our volunteers an environment where they can exchange experiences and educate each other. For some people, it's a big adventure with which they can try new things: camping, lecturing, and working with ornithologists…'.
'The Camp is a special project that doesn't have any analogy due to its different activities, - thinks Adriana Todorova, who has annually joined the Brigade annually since 2013. - If one has at least some interest in nature, they can develop it here with a great lecture course and practical activities. I learned a lot about the unique Atanasovsko Lake and its history'.
At the same time, she admits that one should be somewhat adventurous to enjoy camping with strangers for a week.
5 Developing curiosity for birds
'We are all united through our love and curiosity for birds, and it's very beneficial to develop this curiosity to expand the understanding of nature', - says Vyara Marinova from Pleven, one of the new volunteers.
Observing birds together with ornithologists was the favourite type of 'work' for everyone. But it wasn't possible to choose it every day because it was a kind of privilege, an award for hard work. During 4-hour sessions, the ornithologists taught us to observe and record our observations using proper methodologies.
'Bird-watching is my hobby, and I am here to benefit from practical training and communication with professionals, - says Tsonka Zelyazkova, a volunteer and my fellow companion for the Bird ID course. - In addition to useful methods, I learned a lot about interesting projects BSPB works on'.
At this time of the year, the sky over Atanasavsko Lake is a picturesque kaleidoscope. With diverse migrating flocks, one can see many different birds – eagles, pelicans, flamingos – and learn about them from professional ornithologists.
With the sudden yell: 'Storks!', everyone would leave their work and, with fascination, fix their gaze on the flying away symbolic of Bulgaria birds.
The species usually migrates in hundreds of individuals manoeuvring gracefully in air flows. So, every storks' flock is another captivating performance.
Download a free guide to the best nature conservation activities in Bulgaria!
More insights into nature conservation activities in Bulgaria? Download the award-winning guide Cultural Insights into Conservation Volunteer Bird Watching Holidays in Bulgaria. It's Not Only About Birds!
It's based on my two-year-long ethnographic study across different Bulgarian regions.
This book is a collaborative guide to conservation holidays in Bulgaria focused on volunteering, bird watching and protection of birds’ habitats.
The word ‘collaborative’ means that the book is based on 30 interviews with participants of conservation activities in different Bulgarian regions: Pomorie, Burgas, Stara Zagora, Durankulak, Sofia, Kotel, etc. The guide is the final stage of my two-year-long project ‘Mapping Sustainable Holidays in Bulgaria: Combine Volunteering and Holidays!’.
Over 10 conservation projects in different Bulgarian regions, in which I participated personally! part of my ethnographic project, my study was among the 11 best Bulgarian ecological initiatives supported by the Open Society Institute – Sofia and the Open Society Foundations through the Bulgarian Fund for Women.