On 28.06.2023, in the foyer of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia, Prof. Pavel Stoev, the Director of the Museum presented a temporary exhibition “The pollinators we can’t live without”, dedicated to the essence and importance of pollinators. In his address Prof. Stoev noted the concern of scientists and environmentalists who are following with alarm the serious decline in the distribution and numbers of insects responsible for reproduction in plants. The main reasons for the decline in the numbers of many insect species include changes in the way natural areas are managed, climate change, intensive agriculture, and the widespread introduction of alien and invasive species into natural ecosystems. Unfortunately, not enough is yet known about the biology of most pollinators and the factors that negatively affect their populations.
Prof. Stoev read an official greeting sent by eng. Stoyan Toshev, Executive Director of the Executive Forests Agency.
The organisers were congratulated by Prof. Ekaterina Kozhuharova from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University, Sofia.
Mr Teodor Metodiev, Senior Project Manager at Pensoft Publishing, talked about the activities of the scientific projects presented in the exhibition. One of them is the Safeguard project, which aims to assess the status of different species of wild pollinators in Europe and identify the factors that negatively affect them. The aim of the project is to propose measures to reduce the die-off of wild pollinators in Europe. Another research project, PoshBee, involving a team of several dozen scientists from research institutes and universities in Europe, is investigating the impact of pesticides on domesticated and wild pollinators. The B-GOOD project is developing computer models and technologies to support the implementation of healthy and sustainable beekeeping in the European Union, combining the expertise of both scientists and beekeepers.
Official guests of the event were Mrs Szandra Miskédi, Director of the Hungarian Cultural Institute “Liszt” in Sofia, Mr Vladimir St. Atanasov, Director General of the Directorate General “Agriculture and Regional Policy” at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Ms. Kalina Stoyanova, State Expert at the Ministry of Environment and Water, Ms. Madlena Stanimirova — Director of the Directorate “Environmental Monitoring and Assessment” at the Executive Environment Agency at the Ministry of Environment and Water, Prof. Lyubomir Penev, Manager of Pensoft Publishing House, Mr Georgi Pchelarov — Chairman of the Society of Animalists, Florists and Scientific Illustrators — SAFNI, etc.
Authors of the exhibition concept: Nicole Yovcheva (Pensoft), Prof. Pavel Stoev (NMNHS), Teodor Metodiev (Pensoft), Anna Sapundzhieva (Pensoft); design: Zlatka Yaramova (NMNHS).
The exhibition is held in partnership with Pensoft Publishing House and the PoshBee, B-GOOD and Safeguard science projects.
— Event on Facebook: facebook.com/events/1514440542660948
— See more: leaflet [*.PDF]