Efficiency of Long- and Short-Term Educational Activities for Environmental Protection in “Vrachansky Balkan” Nature Park

For saving world's biodiversity, networks of protected areas were established, conventions, agreements, political and strategical documents for conservation of nature that all highlight the importance of the environmental context of the education for sustainable development were prepared. Nature and national park administrations in Bulgaria which are legally obliged to conduct educational activities have a significant role for building environmental awareness and behavior in visitors. The aim of this research is to develop and implement modern approaches and mechanisms to organize educational activities in the field of ecology and nature conservation in protected areas in Bulgaria after the example of “Vrachansky Balkan” Nature Park. For achieving this aim, instruments for carrying out quality long- and short-term educational activities were elaborated, verified and implemented in practice. Such comprehensive systematic approach, is organized for the first time in “Vrachansky Balkan” and it fulfills one of the objectives set in its Management Plan (2011-2021). The approbation of one week activities in the nature park shows better cognitive results and higher motivation for environmental protection among the participants in comparison to the one-day stay. The verified educational approach is a nature conservation instrument, applicable to the management of all nature and national park administrations for biodiversity preservation and sustainable use of natural resources.