BIO2CARE

Methodological approach

WP1 is for the sound management of the project. It includes reporting, steering committee meetings, evaluation and audit of the project, deliverables’ quality assurance, project internal communication and cooperation with various bodies (MA, JTS, relevant authorities on both countries). All partners will be involved in. Lead Beneficiary will be in charge of this WP.

WP2 is for project communication with stakeholders and wide audience and for dissemination of project’s outputs and results. Various means (newsletters, presentations, promotional materials, banners, printed documents etc.) and channels (local/national press, digital media, website, social media campaign, events etc.) will be used during WP2 activities implementation, according to project Communication Plan (CP). CP will identify partners’ specific needs for communication and will allocate funds to each task as also will allocate effort along timetable. All partners will be involved in. 

WP3 (Integrated Management-Decision Support) will analyze and assess the existing situation in both areas of interest. It consists of four interrelated deliverables, combining the carrying capacity estimation methodological framework and the development of a circular economy/symbiotic case study. In Del. 3.1 the partners will collect all relevant data (anthropogenic activities, status of nature) having importance for the development of «BIO2CARE Carrying Capacity» methodology and for circular economy case study. Del. 3.2 is about the elaboration of a methodological framework for assessing the environmental status of the areas of interest through the estimation of holistic environmental indicators (carrying capacity, carbon and water footprint, climate change, eutrophication, ecotoxicity and acidification of soils, rural/urban land use, etc.). This will be applied in NP-EMATH and RNP (Rila) and the results from it will feed Del. 3.3 (one report with the said results and conclusions). Proceeding also from the data collection in D.3.1, building upon circular economy principles, a case study/model regarding the development of symbiotic activities in the areas of interest will be designed (Del. 3.4). Following D.3.1, a comparative LCA model (existing situation vs circular economy) will be developed, presenting the benefits stemming from circular economy societies. Due to the scientific nature of D.3.2, D.3.3 and D.3.4, the two universities (in cooperation with RIEW's and EKBY's external experts) will be responsible for the successful capitalization and implementation of operations and findings dissemination to stakeholders and wider audience. 

WP4 activities are related to the development and implementation of BIO2CARE technical works and operations. In D.4.1 high-tech monitoring systems for the successful mitigation of illegal activities will be purchased and installed in the two national parks within their administrative boundaries and for fauna/flora observation, as both NPs are important natural habitats for rare species of both flora and fauna. D.4.2 presents social aspects of the project, as the technical works (visitors center and pathways) which will be conducted will promote a non-discrimination green tourism to everyone regardless of possible disabilities. The constructions will be conducted in cooperation with experts from NCDP, in order to ensure handicapped accessibility. D.4.3 and D.4.4 are related to the development of e-tools («BIO2CARE Calc» and «BIO2CARE symbiosis») and mobile applications. Both e-tools will be developed based on WP3. The mobile applications will essentially be a self-guidance tool for tourism purposes, with info about the two NPs and their habitats. In D.4.5 a “BIO2CARE sustainability labelling scheme” will be developed, for the promotion of Sustainable Development in the protected areas through green entrepreneurship.WP5 will contribute to the establishment of an integrated approach on best ways to manage PAs, by addressing environmental, economic and societal issues in balance. It will achieve so by implementing: a) training sessions regarding the use of BIO2CARE software, b) targeted workshops regarding biodiversity preservation, circular economy, symbiotic activities and BIO2CARE labelling scheme and by testing small infrastructures by NCDP special group. WP3 and 4 will feed information for the preparation of educational material for training. WP5 will also contribute to the establishment of a structured dialogue with policy makers, in order to help them allocate funds more efficiently and will elaborate policy recommendations for the effective scientific and administrative management of PAs. All partners will be involved in.

WP1

Work Package 1 (WP1) deals the sound management of the project. It includes reporting, steering committee meetings, evaluation and audit of the project, deliverables quality assurance, project internal communication and cooperation with various bodies (Management Authority, Joint Technical Secretariat, relevant authorities on both countries). All the project beneficiaries are involved in this WP, while the Lead Beneficiary (Laboratory of Environmental Management and Industrial Ecology) is responsible for coordinating and elaborating successfully the above activities.

WP2

Work Package 2 (WP2) is dedicated to the visibility and publicity of the BIO2CARE Project. It is in full conformity with the requirements of the Interreg V-A Greece – Bulgaria 2014 - 2020 Programme for visibility and information and is based on the project Communication Plan, developed together by the project partners. The other activities include:

• Development and dissemination of four newsletters covering project progress and other news concerning project themes, project partners and project territory (D.2.2);
• Production and dissemination of project electronic and printed materials incl. banners, posters, flyers, brochures, TV and radio spots, etc. (D.2.3);
• Development and maintenance of a project website which answers international standards of accessibility; development and maintenance of project profiles in three social media (D.2.4);
• Presentation of the project, its goals and achievements at three external events with relevant themes (D.2.5).

WP3

Work Package 3 (WP3) includes the recording, analysis and assessment of the existing situation in the two areas of interest of the project (i.e., the National Park of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in Greece and the National Park of Rila in Bulgaria) in terms of the status of both natural and anthropogenic environment, as well as the examination of potential solutions beneficial for the environmental media and the biodiversity. It consists of four (4) interrelated deliverables, combining a carrying capacity estimation methodological framework and the development of a circular economy/symbiotic case study. Lead Beneficiary (Laboratory of Environmental Management and Industrial Ecology) is responsible for coordinating the activities elaborating successfully WP3.

WP4

Work Package 4 (WP4) is for monitoring and prevention of illegal activities within the administrative boundaries of the protected areas as well as in the catchment area of Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River. Also WP 4 considers the fauna/flora observation, as both NPs are important natural habitats for rare species of both flora and fauna. To achieve the goals of the project, Work Package four has to fulfill several project deliverables as follows:

• D.4.1 regards the acquiring of high-tech monitoring system for monitoring of the illegal activities and for flora and fauna observation as well.
• D.4.2 presents the social aspects of the project, as the technical works (visitors’ center and pathways) which will be conducted will promote a non-discrimination green tourism to everyone regardless of possible disabilities. The constructions will be conducted in cooperation with experts from NCDP, in order to ensure handicapped accessibility.
• D.4.3 and D.4.4 are related to the development of e-tools («BIO2CARE Calc» and «BIO2CARE symbiosis») and mobile applications. Both e-tools will be developed based on WP3. The mobile applications will essentially be a self-guidance tool for tourism purposes, with info about the two NPs and their habitats.
• In D.4.5 a «BIO2CARE sustainability labelling scheme» will be developed, for the promotion of Sustainable Development in the protected areas through green entrepreneurship.

WP5

Work Package 5 (WP5) will contribute to the establishment of an integrated approach on best ways to manage protected areas, by addressing environmental, economic and societal issues in balance. It will achieve so by implementing:

• training sessions regarding the use of BIO2CARE software (D.5.1);
• targeted workshops regarding biodiversity preservation, circular economy and symbiotic activities based on results achieved during the implementation of both WP3 and WP4 (D.5.2);
• targeted workshops regarding BIO2CARE labelling scheme based on results achieved in the implementation of WP4 (D.5.3);
• testing of small infrastructures developed under WP4 by special groups of visitors;
• preparation of a special report with policy recommendations for the effective scientific and administrative management of protected areas. Thus, the project will contribute to the establishment of a structured dialogue with policy makers, in order to help them allocate funds more efficiently.