A pilot programme for educating children in environmentally friendly living practices got underway on November 10 2008 in Spanchevtsi, north-western Bulgaria. The project, called Western Stara Planina for Children, is an initiative of the Bulgarian representation of the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC).

The elective class is aimed at students in grades four to eight living in areas of low population in the western Stara Planina area. Instruction includes how to preserve their region's specific biodiversity, with this regional specificity making it the first such educational system in Bulgaria, a press release from REC read.

Learning started with a two-day seminar in Spanchevtsi, at which were present Mariana Bancheva, head expert in the educational environment department of the Ministry of Education, representatives of the Environment Ministry, a representative of Mitsubishi Corporation, environmental specialists and 40 teachers from the north-western area of Bulgaria.

To help realise the project, REC had previously created a curriculum that presents problems related to the environment and its protection in approachable and attractive formats, such as interactive games and workbooks. Topics covered include biodiversity, protected areas, and the link between biodiversity and local people. The course and basic materials are free-of-charge.

Seven schools were selected for the pilot programme. The region has about 3000 students total, in 20 primary and middle schools spread among seven municipalities.

Additional environmental awareness material will be distributed to 30 science teachers in the 20 schools.

Gerasim Gerasimov, REC director for Bulgaria, stated in the press release that other municipalities in Bulgaria, such as the south-western Blagoevgrad, had already expressed an interest in the programme. "The idea is for this initiative to grow into a trans-border project, encompassing Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia," he said.

The long-term goal is for the project to engender local support for environmental protection and sustainable use of biodiversity practices in areas with low population around protected territory.

The project Western Stara Planina for Children is supported by the Mitsubishi Corporation Fund for Europe and Africa.