Transhumance in Bulgaria

Transhumance is the seasonal movement of shepherds and their livestock. They migrate between mountainous and lowland pastures as the seasons change. Transhumance used to be widespread in Bulgaria and although the transhumance is of high importance for the maintenance of grassland habitats and culture conservation, the practice was lost under communism. That’s the reason why FWFF-Bulgaria (Fund of the Wild Fauna and Flora) in partnership with RebelFarmer decided to support the rehabilitation of one of the ancient Bulgarian transhumance route.

Join a shepherd family in spring and autumn as they take a couple of days to move their livestock from the slopes of the Stara Planina Mountains (about 1100m) to the lower Strandzha Mountains (300m) at the coast bordering Turkey...and the otherway around.

Dates:
Spring transhumance: 2nd-9th May 2009
Autumn transhumance: 24th-31st October 2009

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BBC radio 4 broadcasting (11th and 21 October 2008)

Shepherd tour autumn 2008 - Yann Rivault, Tessa McGregor, Metilde Wendenbaum ©

Photos of the previous shepherd tour - Camelia Nikolova & Emile Ivanov ©

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12463228@N07/sets/72157605662130376