The team

Frank Zanderink, АRК Nature - Leader of the NTG project

Frank was born in 1962. He is graduated from the Agricultural University of Wage­ningen, the Netherlands (Forestry with specialisation on wildlife and nature management). He has worked for GREENPEACE NETHERLANDS (1990 - 1993); for WWF -Zambia on a project for Chikuni wetland in the North of Zambia (January 1994 – June 1995); for VOLUNTARY SERVICE OVERSEAS (VSO/UK) on “Adapting Work Practices in Natural Resources" (November 1996 - 2006); as director in DE KLEINE AARDE Foundation and environmental education park (The Small Eearth) (October 1998 – May 2003). Curently, he is member of the management team of Ark foundation (Development of climate buffers in southern parts of the Netherlands; Re-introduction of Red deer in “Kempen~Broek” in the southern part of the Netherlands; Coordinator nature restoration projects in Latvia (Letlands and LIFE+), Bulgaria (New Thracian Gold) and Croatia (2005 -2011); coordinator and chairman of Rugvin foundation. Frank’s special interests are in wildlife and marine wildlife. He speaks English, German, Dutch, French, Spanish, Indonesian and recently started learning Bulgarian.  

Darko Znaor, Avalon - Deputy - leader of the NTG project

Born in: 1966

Languages: English, Croatian and basic Dutch and Bulgarian

Education and qualifications: PhD in environmental science

Professional experience: pioneer of organic farming in Croatia, Bulgaria and the region of former Yugoslavia. Experienced international expert with project references on rural development, agri-enviroment and organic farming in 25 countries. Project manager and/or consultant for the World Bank, UN agencies, the EC, several EU universities, governmental agencies and consultancies. The projects have spanned policy analysis and agricultural development, education, training and research.

Special Interests: environmental and economic consequences of large-scale conversion to organic farming

Johan Bekhuis, АRК Nature - Coordinator Tourism and Communication  

Born in: 1954

Languages: Dutch, English, German, reading Frech and Spanish

Education and qualifications: Biology and Ecology at Radbound University Nijmegen

Professional experience:  ARK (nature restoration), WWF, SOVON Dutch center for field ornitology, European bird census council

Special Interests: Birdwatching, wildlife, reading, billiards

Vladislav Popov - Coordinator Organic Agriculture

Dr. Vladislav Popov is born in 1967 in Bulgaria. Speaks Bulgarian, English and Russian language.  He completed his MSc degrees in Bulgaria and the Netherlands (1995), and received his PhD degree from the University of Western Sydney, Australia in 2005 in the field of prevention of water pollution from agricultural pesticides. Expert in the field of organic agriculture and agroecology, having extensive experience in the EU, Central and Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia and Africa in numerous projects and programmes within framework of EU PHARE, Leonardo da Vinci, FAO, Norwegian Funds, Avalon-Netherlands, etc. Since 1996, he is lecturing, teaching and doing research at the Agricultural University of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, also acting as Director of Agroecological Centre there. He is the Manager of the Avalon branch in Bulgaria since 2007 and as such he is coordinating projects in Central and Eastern Europe. Having professional interests in promoting organic agriculture and nature conservation.

Fokko Erhart, ARK Nature – Coordinator Wilderness and Natural grazing

Born in 1968 in Rosmalen – Netherlands
B.Sc. HBSC Velp. Land- and watermanagement
Management and promotion for ARK of natural grazing project in the ‘Gelderse Poort’ area in the Netherlands. Five area’s with natural in total 150 cattle and 150 horses.
Project leader for ARK in Bulgaria
Main professional activities
* 1992-1995    Professional breeding bird counting in the Netherlands for SOVON
        Coordination of 150 volunteer bird counters in the “Gelderse Poort”
* 1995-1996    Project coordinator of a new natural grazing project the “Meinerswijk” near the
        city of Arnhem. Financed by WWF.
        Promotion of eco-tourism in the “Rijnstrangen” near Arnhem
* 1997-2003    Project coordinator of five natural grazing projects in the Netherlands
* 2003->    Project coordinator of natural grazing project with Rodope Shorthorn Cow in
        Madzharovo, Eastern Rhodopes.

Hristo Hristov - Coordinator Wilderness and Natural grazing

 Hristo graduated in Thracian University – Stara Zagora, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Since 1988  he works on the biodiversity conservation and sustainable development of the Eastern Rhodopes. He is one of the founders of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) and Conservation Center Eastern Rhodopes. Within the Bulgarian-Swiss Programme for biodiversity conservation and as a conservation officer of (BSPB) in the Eastern Rhodopes Hristo worked actively on the creation of a modern network of protected areas in the Eastern Rhodopes, on biodiversity conservation, monitoring and conservation of vultures and birds of prey in the region, on the preservation and spreading of rare local breeds (Karakachan sheep, horse, dog, Rhodopi Shorthorn cattle). He has worked for WWF - Greece on mapping of raptors in the Natural Park Dadia, Greece and as a landscape specialist for the Rhodope UNDP Project. 

Stefan Avramov, expert on biodiversity

Stefan was born on 17 October 1967. Graduated in Thracian University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
He started with nature conservation activities since 1987 when he as student was involved in vulture conservation in Eastern Rhodopes. He was part of the team that created the recent network of protected areas in Eastern Rhodopes within a project of Bulgarian Swiss Biodiversity Conservation Program. Stefan participated in a few successful NGOs campaigns for amendments to several acts Biodiversity, Hunting, Fishery, Protected areas and Forestry.
One of the founding members of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) / BirdLife Bulgaria in 1988. Representative of Bulgarian NGOs in the National Hunting Council at National Forestry board. Member of European Section of Society for Conservation Biology since 2006. Member of World Commission on Protected Areas at IUCN. Member of a working group on European Biodiversity strategy at European Habitat Forum.

Mihaela Kircheva - Coordinator Alternative Tourism

Jolanda de Vries, Avalon – PR and communications

From 1999, after I finished my communications studies at the university for professional education in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, I have been working as a communications assistant for several companies, among which the Dutch Treasury Fund for Social Housing, a PR and communications agency and Avalon. Over the years I’ve focused on both communication policy and on the practical execution of communication activities, like copywriting and the organization of events. My special interests are: reading, walking, mountain biking and dog agility. I speak both Dutch and English.

Iva Tontcheva, PR and communication

Iva graduated in journalism from Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication in Sofia University.
Experienced journalist with more than 20 years career in BTA, Bulgarian News Agency and BBC - Bulgarian Section correspondent. One of the contributors to Gorichka, first in Bulgaria initiative for green life style.

Over the last years she has gained expertise as a media and communication expert in projects, mostly on sustainable development, nature conservation and organic products.

Dimitar Simitchiev - Office assistant

Mitko was born in 1986 in Kardzhali, Bulgaria. Bachelor bachelor in Bulgarian and English languages in the University of Plovdiv, branch Lyuben Karavelov, Kardzhali.

He has year and a half experience working as graphic designer. Since march 2010 he is part of the NTG team as office assistant on the component tourism.