Orlov Ecological Centre

Orlov Ecological Centre (Ekologicke centrum Orlov o.p.s., further just ECO) is a non-profit organization engaged in continuous educational activities for children, young adults and other citizens in the field of nature conservation, conservation of individual species, ecological agriculture, environmental education and rural tourism. As part of its mission, a non-profit organization cooperates with academic, scientific and economic institutions, businesses, local governments, organizations and individual citizens in the Czech Republic and abroad.

ECO is the regional centre of environmental education for the Central Bohemian Region, it has completed more than fifty projects supported by grants. It is a member of the Association of Museums and Galleries of the Czech Republic. It operates the Sphingidae Museum, which is the second largest Sphingidae museum in the world. Its collection is registered in the Central Register of Collections of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic. As part of its scientific and research activities, the museum has accounted for 95 newly described species.

ECO conducts biodiversity research in the Czech Republic and abroad. It has taken its own part in research in Cape Verde, Cuba, India, Puerto Rico, Central African Republic and Gabon. It is currently conducting research in Gabon and India. ECO signed an agreement with the Indian government to study biodiversity in 7 states of India in 2015. It publishes a scientific magazine in English The European Entomologist.

ECO is registered on the list of the Czech Republic Government as a scientific research institution. ECO participates in rescue programs in the regional, national and international areas.

ECO operates the multifunctional building NATURA House in Pribram, which combines the latest methods in the presentation of the natural and cultural heritage of the region and is actively involved in the promotion of the Brdy region and the Barrandien National Geopark. ECO is committed to using the most modern techniques to present natural and cultural heritage such as 3D realities, visualizations and the use of smart phone technology to approach and make end-user offers more attractive.

Organizational unit Pobrdi is dedicated to the renewal and intensification of the Brdy region positive perception as a tourist region and its development. The main activities of the Pobrdi are marketing, implementation of communal project plans, tourist transport services coordination and tourist products creation that will fulfill the vision of the Brdy region as an attractive tourist destination. Brdy area has been closed to visitors for 90 years because of military activity. Its activities are based on close cooperation with municipalities that are partners of the Pobrdi.

Another organizational unit of the ECO Barrandien National Geopark is dedicated to the presentation of natural and geological heritage within area of 4316 km2. Presentation of the ore mining history in the Geopark is also part of activities of ECO. Another task is to interpret the paleontological heritage of the Geopark.