NGO Fund project: Mission "Chestnut"

Project №: BG05/179

Project name: Mission "Chestnut"

Beneficiary: "Flower" Foundation

Partners: "Club 8" Ltd - publisher of "Magazine 8", Bulgaria

Total budget: 17004.96 € (15291.37€ grant + 1713.59€ in kind)

Duration:  12 months, till 20.07.2014

Goal: Securing the participation of the nongovernment organisations in encouraging policy of balanced development and sustainable use of natural resources; Stimulate active children participation and volunteering; Making popular a well known ecological issue and providing the citizens with the means to deal with it.

Project information:

The project addresses the damage to the emblematic horse-chestnut trees in Sofia from horse-chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella) damaging their leaves and stunting their growth. The project aims at raising public awareness of the danger, efficiently reducing the spread of the moth in a mass voluntary campaign and thus save the chestnut trees in Sofia. First, the number and condition of the trees in 6 areas will be studied. Second, a software application and a database will be developed. Third, 6 primary schools and about 120 fifth- and six-graders will be involved as volunteers in 6 teams. The trees will be counted and mapped and the Chestnut Tree Feast will be organized. Fourth, an integrated plan will be developed to fight the moth and 3 measures will be implemented: manual leaf removal, placing 30 titmice houses and 60 pheromone traps. The project will save the trees and will raise the awareness of the students and the local community of environment protection.

Project webpage: http://kesteni.bg/

Information for the project and pictures from an event:

http://www.ngogrants.bg/public/portfolios/newsItem.cfm?id=71