Partners

The Institute of Restoration and Environment is a Spanish private company dedicated to the rural development, natural heritage protection, ecological farming, renewable energies and training activities to promote sustainable development.

IRMA S.L is an enterprise that contributes, by means of innovation, with technology and imagination for an improvement in the social structures and job creation. Participates in the realization of Community Initiative projects and other European Programmes collaborating with a wide number of entities and organizations of different European countries.

IRMA S.L has provided and is providing a number of trainings, including in entrepreneurship, to a lot of unemployed people to help them start a business or to find a job. In addition, the company itself provides trainings on a variety of services for social integration through a highly qualified and motivated working team that provides a various service range relating rural development, training and the development of programmes and community initiatives of the European Union.

The Ornithology Spanish Society (SEO / BirdLife) has been working Since 1954 for the conservation of birds and their habitats. It is the first environmental NGO in Spain and today is the reference entity state level in their field. More than 12,000 partners endorse their work and collaborate in various ways with the entity. According to its Statutes, in these 60 years of activity it has worked in wild birds conservation and their habitats in Spanish territory (it has also contributed to the conservation of global biodiversity through BirdLife International), scientific studies to increase knowledge on wild birds and their habitat (particularly as an indispensable tool for conservation, dissemination knowledge, appreciation and respect for birds and nature in general, practicing environmental education and training teachers in the subjects of the above purposes, working in international cooperation for development (as essential to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in developing countries engine) and promoting environmental volunteer programs to improve the conservation status of species and natural áreas.

In addition to working in collaboration with representatives of BirdLife International it makes in third countries in which conservation projects, local training and support to local entities. The nature of the organization and its experience has enabled it one of the organizations, along with the other partners of BirdLife International, with more experience in ornithological tourism, conservation of sensitive areas and rural development in them. Its territorial implantation with 8 regional offices (one in the Canary Islands) and its local groups allow to know the specific needs of each territory.

Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation (BBF) is a non-profit organization aiming to contribute to the conservation of the natural heritage of Bulgaria and neighbouring countries of South-Eastern Europe, with an increased involvement of the civil society.

BBF’s objective is to increase recognition of the opportunities and benefits of protected areas and work for their long-term protection by enhancing the Bulgarian protected areas network through participation in management plans, action plans for priority species, and regional and municipal plans for development. Through its work BBF has been promoting integration of biodiversity concerns into economic sectors and has provided support to pro-biodiversity businesses.

BBF also works in the field of environmental education and raising the awareness of youth and the society as a whole for the importance of biodiversity conservation and the sustainable development and utilization of natural resources. This is an important part of its work both on regional level (through its regional offices in the country) as well as on national and international level through partnership with other NGOs from abroad.

Czech Society for Ornithology (CSO) is a nongovernmental organization uniting birdwatchers, nature lovers, amateurs and professionals interested in research and protection of birds. The organization has approximately 2,400 members and 17 staff members.

CSO aims to promote research and conservation of wild living birds and their habitats and to provide ecological education to the public. CSO is the Czech national Partner of BirdLife International. Examples of CSO's own projects include the mapping of breeding distribution and wintering distribution of birds in the Czech Republic, surveys of bird populations in small areas and large cities, inventory of localities of local, regional and national importance for birds, monitoring breeding water bird populations and ornithological surveys and research using radio transmitters and bird-ringing. There are working groups within the CSO concentrating their activities in research and conservation of a particular species or group, and they also participate in various international programmes.

CSO participates in preparing and ammending national laws and public notices and proposing the establishment of Special Protection Areas. The organisation is represented in national committees for international agreements. In past CSO has actively participated in the preparation of the Czech Republic and its legal system for EU entry.

CoraNE (Associação de Desenvolvimento dos Concelhos da Raia Nordestina) is a Portuguese non profit organization with a large role experience in the field of local and rural development, created in 1995, with the target area known has Terra Fria Transmontana (Cold Land), constituted by the Municipalities of Bragança, Miranda do Douro, Vimioso and Vinhais. The team is formed by 9 qualified technicians of several areas.

Its main goal is to achieve social, economic and cultural development trough the valorisation, promotion and capitalisation of local potentialities trough trough the implementation of projects in the region. The work is done by CoraNE’s own initiative or in collaboration with other organizations. As a non-profit, private local development organization, CoraNE plays an important and increasing role in providing opportunities and in participatory processes.

CoraNE has extensive experience, expertise and capacity in cooperation with international, national and local institutions. As a non-governmental organization, CoraNE needs to foster cooperation and communication among partners to reinforce the effectiveness as an actor in the implementation of sustainable development.