ELBARN

European Livestock Breeds Ark and Rescue Net www.elbarn.net

SAVE foundation – Joseph-Belli-Weg 5, D-78467 Konstanz/Germany - www.save-foundation.net

Stiftung EURONATUR - www.euronatur.org

ELBARN Sout East Europe Workshop: Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, 7th-10th May 2009

People concerned with in-situ or live conservation of rare breeds are often faced with the danger of losing important stock in cases of, for example, epidemics. The objective of the pan-European project ELBARN is to create a network of establishments active in the in-situ conservation of autochthonous breeds. The project aims to prepare, in every European country, the required infrastructure and logistics for the worst case scenario. EURONATUR, SAVE Foundation and partners RARE, GEH and SLE are running this project as a concerted action with financial support of the European Union.

ELBARN was launched with a 'Central Workshop' in February 2008, where working groups discussed rescue and quarantine, the characterisation of Ark and Rescue Centres, breeding programmes and the marketing of rare breed products. As a follow up to the Central Workshop a fact finding questionnaire gathered as much information as possible from all the areas in autumn 2008. Please find more information and reports on the ELBARN website: www.elbarn.net.

In March, April and May 2009 four 'Area Workshops' will be held in order to achieve the long term goal of a functioning ELBARN. For each area an 'Area Action Plan' will be developed, tailored to the local needs and synergies with the Global Plan of Action will be discussed.

Animal breeding in this area is mostly well organised but regulation is usually directed at commercial animal breeding. This area workshop will therefore also focus on regulation, diseases and contingency plans for Rare Breed conservation.

We would like to invite you to take part in the South East Europe Area Workshop, which will take place in Blagoevgrad, about 90km south of Sofia , on 7th-10th April 2009.

Information for the invited people:

The cost of two nights in the hotel will be met by the project. Travel costs can be met on request. Please fill in the ELBARN questionnaire (at least questions 4,5,6 and your contact data) before registration, as it is a part of taking part in the workshop (you can fill in the questionnaire directly online here or download the questionnaire as Word Document or *.pdf in many languages). Travel costs can only be paid to participants who have filled in the questionnaire.

Please find in the following pages a short description of ELBARN, the provisional programme of the Area Workshop and the registration form to be  returned by 24th March 2009.

The South East Area Workshop is organised by the EuroNatur Foundation, coordinator of the ELBARN project, together with SAVE and the local partners Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation (BBF) and Semperviva Society. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

With best wishes,

Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby, EuroNatur

Elli Broxham, SAVE

On behalf on the ELBARN Project Partners: Euronatur Stiftung, SAVE Foundation, GEH, SLE and RARE

ELBARN - European Livestock Breeds Ark and Rescue Net

ELBARN, the European Livestock Breeds Ark and Rescue Net, is a pan-European project.

The ELBARN Network will be spread throughout Europe to share knowledge and encourage collaboration between organisations and institutes wishing to conserve European animal genetic resources. Additionally, the promotion of the products of these livestock breeds, whether this is as a food product or as a service such as grazing for environmental management, will be a central theme of the project.

It will document, in the form of an online database, all places that already exist and can be used as “Ark and Rescue Centres”. It will also encourage the founding of new Ark and Rescue Centres.

These Centres will:

•will keep core breeding groups

•as well as offer breeding help for livestock keepers and

•will also offer a place for the public to see the animal genetic resources of Europe

•will offer emergency places for endangered genetically important livestock.

ELBARN is not intended as a project that buys property or animals. Nor does it have any finances available for helping in the upkeep of Ark and Rescue Centres. However, through Work Groups, ELBARN will be able to make concrete suggestions on how Ark and Rescue Centres can maximise the marketing potential of the rare livestock breeds in their care, thus rendering them profitable. It is also hoped that, through the existence of an international network sponsored by the EU, smaller projects related to fulfilling the wider goals of ELBARN will find funding to achieve their goals.

ELBARN Partners:

Lead Partner: EuroNatur: The European Nature Heritage Fund www.euronatur.org

SAVE Foundation: The SAVE Foundation and its Partners make up the European SAVE Network (Safeguard for Agricultural Varieties in Europe). www.save-foundation.net

SLE: Steunpunt Levend Erfgoed (Living Heritage Focal Point, Belgium) www.sle.be

GEH: The German Society for the Conservation of Old and Endangered Livestock Breeds, www.g-e-h.de