BirdLife International partner – Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB)

Founded in 1988, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) works to protect biodiversity by conserving threatened species and habitats, while promoting the sustainable use of natural resources. Work areas include ecosystem and species protection, protected area management, conservation education and sustainable agriculture. BSPB has a particular focus on wetland, grassland and forest ecosystems, and is the BirdLife partner in Bulgaria. 

The African-Eurasian Flyway stretches from the Arctic to southern Africa and is one of four major global migration routes for birds. Often described as ‘avian superhighways’, these pathways are traversed by billions of birds each year, including species like Egyptian Vulture, Steppe Eagle, and Sociable Lapwing. But key sites along the flyway are under threat from habitat loss, illegal hunting, and climate change. Losing these places would have serious consequences for the birds that rely on them to rest, refuel, and breed.  

ERF’s support of BSPB is part of their £7.5 million grant to BirdLife International’s African-Eurasian Flyway grant which supports habitat restoration and protection work in Romania, Bulgaria, Iraq, Jordan, Uganda, Malawi and Zimbabwe, alongside efforts to grow nature-based economies and jobs. It will also strengthen rapid-response action against harmful developments and help operationalise the ground-breaking collaboration between BirdLife and the World Bank.