Spring has already arrived in Belozem – the first stork egg of the year has appeared in one of the nests.

Every year, this moment brings excitement and anticipation both for the local community and for conservationists who follow the storks. Thanks to the video monitoring system established by Green Balkans in partnership with the Community Center “Prosveta 1909”, the life in the nests can be observed in real time and shared with a wide audience.

With more than 50 breeding pairs, Belozem is one of the most important places in Bulgaria for the species. This is why, more than 20 years ago, the village became part of the European Stork Villages Network, established by the German nature conservation organization EuroNatur, following a proposal by Green Balkans. EuroNatur continues to support these efforts and remains a long-term partner in the conservation and promotion of the white stork in Belozem.

In the coming weeks, more eggs are expected to be laid, while the first chicks are likely to hatch in late April and early May – one of the liveliest and most exciting periods for Belozem. This year, it will be even more special. On May 9, 2026, the village will host the 20th anniversary edition of the White Stork Festival, and Bulgaria will also host the 23rd meeting of the European Stork Villages Network. Representatives of other European stork villages – members of the network – will gather in Belozem, turning the village into the centre of the meeting this year.

In addition, further projects to protect the white stork are planned for this year: the planned measures include GPS tagging four young storks from Belozem in the summer of 2026, in order to better understand their movements before and during migration and to identify hazards along the migration route. In addition, nest platforms and roofs are to be repaired and stork nests cleaned in the autumn to reduce the risk of injury from hazardous materials. Public relations efforts will involve the production of a professional short film about Belozem as a European Stork Village, as well as additional social media clips. So there's plenty going on this year centred around Belozem’s feathered honorary citizens.