Bulgarian and Serbian tourists at Mt. Midzur in the West Balkan Mountains. Photo credit: REC Bulgaria Branch.

The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) is a non-partisan, non-advocacy, not-for-profit international organisation with a mission to assist in solving environmental problems in Central and Eastern Europe. It fulfils this mission by promoting cooperation among non-governmental organisations, governments, businesses and other environmental stakeholders, and by supporting the free exchange of information and public participation in environmental decision making. The REC was established in 1990 by the United States, the European Commission and Hungary. Today, the REC is legally based on a charter signed by the governments of 29 countries and the European Commission, and on an international agreement with the government of Hungary.

In 2007, the MCFEA announced a grant of just over £27,000 to the REC's Bulgaria Branch, for a one-year project entitled "West Balkan Mountain for Kids" with the aim of improving conservation and biodiversity education through developing a pilot program for the West Balkan Mountain region of Bulgaria.

Following the success of this initial project the MCFEA is pleased to be supporting the REC with a grant of £44,000 in 2009 for a subsequent educational programme focussing on the Osogovo, Ograjden and Belasitsa regions of Bulgaria. This project is targeting local schools and communities, focussing on general topics such as the conservation of natural resources, protected areas and species and the link between human activities and biodiversity conservation. It will involve the production of an educational toolkit, training for teachers, demonstration lessons, and an open-air "green school".