On 15 November the Collective organized the conference “The Future of the Perlovska River – a model for sustainable management of Sofia’s rivers”. The event brought together representatives of Sofia Municipality, district administrations, experts and civil society organizations who joined forces to find solutions for the Perlovska River and new opportunities to develop it for the benefit of the people.
The results of a study conducted by the Collective together with One Tree Foundation and external experts were presented, showing the current state of the Perlovska river. The need for such study becomes clear when huge discrepancies are found between the riverbed data in different maps and databases. Last month, experts and civil society activists walked the river, photographed it and created a new map with over 1,700 points. The researchers also took repeated measurements of the river’s temperature, acidity, presence of solutes and more. They uncovered a host of curiosities, from tributaries of the Perlovska that have no names and don’t exist on record to unknown wild places with potential within the city.
The culmination of the conference was the signing of a Memorandum for Sustainable Management of the Perlovska River, based on the findings of the study. The document outlines four priorities for its development and conservation:
1.Refinement of cadastral data and updating of cartographic sources for the riverbed of the Perlovska River
2.Prevention, control and removal of illegal discharges and pollution
3.Implementation of innovative methods and technologies for water quality monitoring of the Perlovska River
4.Official naming of unnamed tributaries and water bodies on the territory of Sofia Municipality
The Memorandum was signed by the Mayor of Sofia Vasil Terziev, as well as the District Mayors Traycho Traykov (Sredets), Arch. Zarko Klinkov (Vitosha), Konstantin Pavlov (Lozenets) and the Deputy Mayor of Triaditsa Hristo Valchanov. From the civil sector the document was supported by the Collective Foundation, One Tree Foundation, Move BG platform, Club Smisal, the Union of Architects in Bulgaria and the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria.
“This initiative demonstrates how united efforts can transform river resources into an asset for the city and its inhabitants”, said Martin Yankov, the founder of The Collective Foundation.
The memorandum is not just a symbolic act, but a concrete framework for action. The signatories expressed their readiness to implement the set priorities, including improving coordination between institutions for effective river management and organising public awareness campaigns on the issue.
The conference ended with a message of unity and determination – Sofia’s rivers have the potential to be not only an environmental asset, but also beloved places in the city that bring citizens, experts and institutions together around a common goal.
The conference is part of the project “The Pulse of the Perlovska River – Revitalizing Sofia’s River Corridors” of The Collective Foundation, implemented with the financial support of the Programme “Europe” of Sofia Municipality. “The Pulse of the Perlovska River” brought together a network of like-minded people and organizations with similar values to focus public attention on the important relationship between nature, rivers and the urban environment.
The partners of the initiative are the districts of Triaditsa, Vitosha, Sredets, Oborishte, Lozenets, Kremikovtzi, as well as OP Sofiaplan and OP Sofia – Project, Sofia Team, the French Institute in Bulgaria, One Tree Foundation, the MoveBG platform and Club Smisal.
