WELCOME SESSION

08:30 - 08:45

Welcome and opening remarks

Miroslav Kalugerov, Director of National Nature Protection Service, Ministry of Environment and Waters of Bulgaria,

and

Mikaël Poutiers, Secretary of the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, France,

and

Elke Hahn, Chairwoman of IENE Governance Board, Austria.

08:45 - 09:15

Brief introduction to Kresna area – specifics, importance, existing and foreseen impacts, aims and challenges

Malina Kroumova, Chairperson of State Agency Road Safety, Bulgaria

09:15-09:40

Keynote speech 1

Introduction: Defragmentation measures in linear infrastructure projects – perspectives of planning, development, operation and monitoring in light of EU environmental protection requirements

Lise Praestegaard, JASPERS, EIB / Regional Transport Advisory Division, Austria.

09:40-10:00

Coffee break + Poster exhibition*

Reptiles’ Session

Reptile species in Kresna – specifics, conservation challenges, impacts and technical solutions for avoidance – mitigation – compensation / defragmentation, ecological reconstruction; best practices and recommendations

10:00-10:25

Keynote speech 2

An Overview: Reptiles and transport infrastructure

Lars Briggs, IENE / AmphiConsult, Denmark.

10:25-10:40

P I-1: Monitoring of the populations of Testudo hermanni, T. graeca, Zamenis situla, and Elaphe quatuorlineata along the section of the first-class international road E-79 (I-1) passing through the Kresna Gorge

Emanuil Mitrevichin, South-West University “Neofit Rilski” Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

10:40-10:55

P I-2: Fine-scale distribution in four reptile species of high conservation value in the Kresna Gorge, Bulgaria

Emiliya Vacheva, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Bulgaria.

10:55-11:20

Q & A Session

11:20-11:35

P I-3: Fragments of snake sheds as a species identification guide

Nikolay Natchev, Road Infrastructure Agency, Bulgaria

11:35-11:50

P I-4: Barriers and underpasses as a method to decrease reptile road mortality.
The case of Milos Viper (Macrovipera schweizeri) in Greece

Ioannis Ioannidis, Ecostudies PC, Greece (online)

11:50-12:05

P I-5:  Evidence, tests and unknowns in reptile road ecology and infrastructure mitigation

Silviu Petrovan, Conservation Science Group, University of Cambridge, UK.

12:05-12:30

Q & A Session

12:30-14:00

Lunch Break

Large Carnivores’ Session

Large carnivore species in Kresna – specifics, conservation challenges, impacts and technical solutions for avoidance – mitigation – compensation / defragmentation, ecological reconstruction; best practices and recommendations

14:00-14:25

Keynote speech 3

An Overview: Large carnivores and transport infrastructure

 Djuro Huber, IENE / University of Zagreb, Croatia.

14:25-14:40

P II-1: Wolf Canis lupus studies in Kresna-Ilindenci SCI and Kresna Gorge, 2002 – 2024

Elena Tsingarska, BALKANI Widlife Society, Bulgaria

14:40-14:55

P II-2: The role of Kresna river Gorge for brown bear dispersion

Aleksandar Dutsov, WWF Bulgaria

14:55-15:10

P II-3: The use of motorway crossing structures by wolves in Poland

Robert W. Mysłajek, Association for Nature “Wolf”, Poland (online)

15:10-15:40

Q & A Session

15:40-15:55

Coffee break + Poster exhibition*

Session on defragmentation strategies and practices

Specifics, conservation challenges, impacts and technical solutions for avoidance – mitigation – compensation / defragmentation, ecological reconstruction; best practices and recommendations

15:55-16:20

Keynote speech 4

Sustainability strategies of the Conference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR)

Konstantinos Andreopoulos, CEDR, Belgium

16:20-16:45

Keynote speech 5

An Overview:  EGNATIA Motorway in Greece, a 25 years’ experience: from conflict to cooperation for joint-solutions

Niki Voumvoulaki, IENE / Egnatia Odos S.A., Greece

16:45-17.00

P III-1: A new online tool to benefit biodiversity and achieve safe, resilient transport networks: the IENE Biodiversity and infrastructure handbook

Luis M. Fernández, Minuartia, Spain (online)

17:00-17:15

P III-2: Defragmentation programme in the Netherlands

Dennis Wansink, The Netherlands (online)

17:15-17.30

P III-3: Defragmentation programme in Austria

Elke Hahn, IENE / Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of Austria (online)

17.30-18:00

Q & A Session

18:00-18:15

Closing of the 1^st day + Presentation of the field trip!

*Posters

Content and use of the European Defragmentation Map

Marita Boettcher, IENE / Bundesamt für Naturschutz

(BfN), Germany

Stops of the day

08:00

Departure from the Interhotel Sandanski

08:30-09.30

1^st Stop: Railway Station visit

09:30-12:30

2^nd Stop: Stara Kresna coffee and visit above the east alignment tunnel

12:30-14:00

Lunch (at participant’s own cost)

14:00-15:00

3^rd Stop: Existing tunnel visit

15:15-16:00

4^th Stop: Petrol Station (with coffee)

16:15-17:00

5^th Stop: Culvert visit

17:15-18:00

6^th Stop: Walking trail visit

18.30

Return to the hotel

Welcome session

08:30-08:45

Introductory remarks

(Organisers)

Round Table 1 – Reptiles and strategic solutions

08:45-09:00

Setting the scene / Questions and challenges identified by the experts

09:00–10:30

Moderated round table discussions

Ø  Raising key questions from participants

Ø  Feedback & Discussion

Ø  Directions for Solutions

10:30-10:45

Wrap up and short conclusions of the Round Table discussions

10:45-11:00

Coffee Break

Round Table 2 – Large Carnivores and strategic solutions

11:00-11:15

Setting the scene / Questions and challenges by the experts

11:15-12:45

Moderated round table discussions

Ø  Raising key questions from participants

Ø  Feedback & Discussion

Ø  Directions for Solutions

12:45-13:00

Wrap up and short conclusions of the Round Table discussions

Wrap up and Conclusion

13:00-13:30

Wrap up and main conclusions of the Workshop, proposing a system of solutions and next steps, press releases etc. TBD