Koen De Rijck (1998-2005), working at WWF, Bulgaria
Choosing Forest and Nature Conservation was an obvious choice for me as I had been an active nature lover since my first years: from feeding birds in the garden to hay making in protected areas and pruning willows on farmlands. Choosing for Forest and Nature Conservation really was a choice to study what I enjoyed to do. During my study I had to decide in what direction to specialize: ecology, or management, or rather the political and societal dimension of conservation? I couldn’t really make up my mind as everything is so interconnected and above all so interesting!, and quite organically ended up in focusing how demands from the society and political decisions would effect land users and on its turn nature values. A bit of everything combined indeed, kind of consciously following my heart, and I never regretted this broad approach.
My first and major thesis looked at the consequences of the European agricultural policy on biodiversity in the new EU member states in Central and Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe had amazed and attracted me as of several student exchange weeks and excursions I participated in during my BSc years. Spatial semi-natural areas were harbouring rare bird and plant species which had been lost or decimated in Western Europe. Often farming had a positive impact on biodiversity, so it was obvious that the European Common Agriculture Policy would affect these birds and plants. The relation is extremely complicated however, and even with meagre results I learned a lot during the thesis.
The second thesis brought me back to my homeland, researching the integration between the Flanders’ nature policy and its spatial policy. I had the honour to have a great supervisor, who challenged me and introduced me to several experts of his network. Thanks to his supportive approach, the result was a great thesis with relevant outcomes.
After I graduated in January 2005, I didn’t go back to Belgium but left for Bulgaria. Via the European Voluntary Service, an EU youth program, I could make a dream come true: work on agriculture and nature conservation in the Balkans, arguably the most fascinating corner of Europe. I have been giving workshops on organic agriculture, composting and EU rural policy, organizing environmental education and nature management activities for youngsters and of course exploring the country and enjoying its astonishing nature and rich culture. Luckily as I was, I got a job offered at WWF and work now as an expert on High Nature Value farmland in Bulgaria and Romania. Influencing policy at ministerial level and making studies is alternating with capacity building activities for stakeholders in the countryside and sharing our experience abroad. Extremely challenging in a fast developing country where biodiversity is not an issue, agriculture is not a sexy topic and many people left the countryside, leaving behind closed schools and elderly people. It’s an uphill fight, but the potential impact for biodiversity is much bigger than similar campaigns in for example The Netherlands.
Besides working at WWF –mainly office work!- I keep in touch with what is really going on in the countryside. Keeping track on changes in land use or people’s aspirations is something what more policy makers and NGOs should do. I hang around shepherds in the mountains to learn form their skills; visit village celebrations and drink with local farmers; advice local citizen groups etc. It’s not only fun, the information gathered by looking around and talking is invaluable to help making work more meaningful and the solutions proposed more realistic. At these moments you learn that if mountain farmers would be responsible for policy making, they would decide to improve the rural infrastructure, keep the village school open, lobby for fair prices for their quality products and improve their pride and community identity, rather than receiving financial compensation by the EU through the agri-environmental schemes.
So even after being graduated in Wageningen, the learning process is continuously ongoing and that’s why I’m afraid I’ll never loose my passion for this work here! Main thing is that I always kept and keep my ears and eyes open, trust my unconsciousness and follow my heart, whether that brings me to Wageningen or Bulgaria.