The Program
Located at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, Bulgaria is an ancient land with rich culture that has become one of the last biodiversity strongholds on the continent. Between the mysterious Balkan Mountains, the stunning Black Sea, and the productive Danube River Delta, Bulgaria provides habitat for several rare keystone species – gray wolves, brown bears, European bison, and Eurasian vultures. With a focus on Bulgaria’s ongoing re-introduction efforts of these important animals, our program will travel between different locations where students will camp, backpack, and investigate firsthand the intricacies of human-wildlife coexistence and ecosystem conservation through a lens of restoration and rewilding, land management, traditional knowledge and culture, and climate change.
We start in Pirin National Park, a section of the Balkan Mountains comprised of steep-flanked peaks and ridges soaring to almost 10,000 feet, alpine meadows, dozens of glacial lakes, waterfalls, and evergreen forests. Here, we will witness an unusual ecological refuge for hundreds of alpine and subalpine species including nearly three dozen endemic species as well as large mammals such as brown bears, jackals, gray wolves, wild boars, deer, and chamois. After extensive studies, we will make our way north to the Romanian side of the Black Sea to explore the wildness of the well-protected Danube Delta. The Danube Delta, Europe’s largest wetland area, home to an impressive collection of wildlife, provides the ideal backdrop to build our naturalist skills, explore the concept of nature-based economies and study ongoing ecological restoration initiatives.
We then travel to the Bulgarian side of the Black Sea to research bird migration throughout the region’s many beaches, coastal lakes, and woodlands. After, we move to Strandzha, the largest protected area in Bulgaria in the extreme south-eastern corner. With a rich human history, it is full of Thracian treasures and tales, where, through the powerful world of ethnobotany we will examine how strong cultural values and beliefs associated with nature are leveraged to promote environmental conservation, ecological restoration and a peaceful coexistence with wildlife. Bulgaria, like so many nations, is challenged with the complexity of aligning traditional cultures, knowledge and values with western norms, laws and perspectives. Time in Strandzha will allow our team to dive into these socio-environmental issues and discuss how these are managed in a changing world.
Program Details
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
Dates: Summer 2024: June 21–July 5, 2024
Accommodations: Primarily camping or rural lodge
Credits: Summer 2024: 5 quarter credits or 3.35 semester credits
Language: English instruction
Courses: Summer 2024: Environmental Wildlands Studies
Prerequisites: One college level course in environmental studies, environmental science, ecology or similar. 18 years of age
Program Costs
Bulgaria Summer 2024
$ 150 Application Fee
$ 2,650 Program Fee
$ 1000 In-Country Logistics Fee
$ 1,800 Estimated Airfare and Mandatory Travel Insurance
$ 400 Estimated Food and Personal Expenses
$6,000 Total Estimated Cost
Summer 2024: Program fees due by May 1, 2024
