Bulgaria: Environment Minister Designates 14 Protected Areas for Wild Flora and Fauna

Sofia, Jan 20 (BTA/GNA) – Minister of Environment and Water Julian Popov has issued orders to designate 14 protected areas for the conservation of natural habitats and wild flora and fauna, as reported on the Environment Ministry website on Friday. The areas are Kamchia River, Stara Reka, Banska River, Kayaliyka River, Blatnitsa River, Martinka River, Omurovska Reka, Pyasachnik River, Golyama Kamchia River, Skat River, Tsibritsa, Chernata Mogila, Blyagornitsa River, Strandzha. Amendments and additions are made to the orders for the designation of the protected areas Shkorpilovtsi Beach and Galata.

Subject to protection in the designated areas are various types of natural habitats under the Biodiversity Act. The protected areas were declared for the purpose of protection and maintenance of the types of natural habitats, species, their populations and distribution within the boundaries of the areas, in order to achieve and maintain their favourable conservation status in the respective biogeographical region.

The order designating each of the protected areas includes specific prohibitions on certain activities. They are to be promulgated in the State Gazette, after which they will be published on the Natura 2000 Information System for Protected Areas at https://natura2000.egov.bg/.

The areas in questions are:

  • Protected area BG0000141 Kamchia River has an area of 1,593,633 sq m and is located in Varna District, on the Black Sea.
  • Protected area BG0000279 Stara Reka has an area of 3,348,057 sq m and is located in Targovishte District, Northeastern Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000434 Banska River has an area of 807,163 sq m and is located in Haskovo District, Southern Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000435 Kayaliyka River has an area of 736,696 sq m and is located in Plovdiv District, South Central Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000441 Blatnitsa River has an area of 10,239,615 sq m and is located in Stara Zagora District, South Central Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000442 Martinka River has an area of 7,396,641 sq m and is located in Haskovo District, Southern Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000443 Omurovska Reka has an area of 8,191,050 sq m and is located in Plovdiv District, South Central Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000444 Pyasachnik River has an area of 14,127,484 sq m and is located in Plovdiv District, South Central Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000501 Golyama Kamchia River has an area of 5,881,655 sq m and is located in Shumen District, Northeastern Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000508 Skat River has an area of 3,994,963 sq m and is located in Vratsa District, Northwestern Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000509 Tsibritsa has an area of 8,876,088 sq m and is located in Montana District, Northwestern Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000516 Chernata Mogila has an area of 116,624 sq m and is located in Veliko Tarnovo District, North Central Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0000612 Blyagornitsa River has an area of 15,567,181 sq m and is located in Sliven District, Southeastern Bulgaria.
  • Protected area BG0001007 Strandzha has an area of 1,535,296,143 sq m and is located in Burgas District, on the Black Sea.
  • Protected area BG0000100 Shkorpilovtsi Beach has an area of 64,569,967 sq m and is located in Varna District, on the Black Sea.
  • Protected area BG0000103 Galata has an area of 38,535,655 sq m and is located in Varna District, on the Black Sea.

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