On March 22-23, 2025, the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation organized a celebration of World Rewilding Day in the village of Mandritsa.
On March 22-23, 2025, the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation organized a celebration of World Rewilding Day in the village of Mandritsa. The event attracted over 40 young people from Kardzhali, including students from the Hristo Smirnenski Construction Vocational School, the Captain Petko Voyvoda Electrical Engineering Vocational School, and the “From Black to White” Photography Club, as well as dozens of guests from across the country. The focus was on the connection between nature and cultural traditions as a means of conservation.
World Rewilding Day
Celebrated annually on March 20, World Rewilding Day is an initiative of the Global Rewilding Alliance aimed at raising awareness about the importance of nature restoration for people and ecosystems. In 2025, the day was marked under the motto #RewildingTogether and was dedicated to the collective efforts to bring back wild nature as a key to a better future.
Two Days Dedicated to Nature and Culture in the Eastern Rhodopes
The program began with a visit to the village of Mandritsa, where participants learned about traditional adobe architecture and sustainable restoration methods, exemplified by Eco House Mandritsa. Later, the group traveled to the village of Meden Buk, where the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation recently restored an eco-trail along the Byala River. The route’s markings and informational signs highlight the area’s rich biodiversity, while the panoramic views of the river’s meanders made the walk unforgettable.
In the evening, at Eco House Mandritsa, participants immersed themselves in local culinary traditions. During the “Noshtvi” workshop, led by Temenuzhka Mateva, they milled flour using a traditional stone mill, kneaded sourdough bread, and learned more about the fermentation process of trahana (a traditional fermented wheat-based food popular in the Balkans) in authentic wooden kneading troughs, a.k.a. noshtvi. The evening concluded with a tasting of cheeses from the dairy farm of the Bukor Shtepi eco-complex and homemade goloparnik (also known as “golnik“)—a regional vegan dish with spinach, fresh onions, and bulgur.
Culinary Festival and Traditional Flavors
On the second day, the event turned into a true culinary festival. More than 20 sourdough loaves, prepared the previous day, were baked in a traditional clay oven and served with homemade butter and herbs. Visitors had the opportunity to taste and purchase local products such as sesame tahini, honey, wine, and trahana, as well as observe the preparation of traditional dishes like goloparnik and kaygana.
The event concluded with a communal feast, blending the flavors of the Rhodope Mountains with heartfelt stories from local residents. This celebration demonstrated that nature and culture go hand in hand, and preserving traditions is an essential part of biodiversity conservation.