Innovations in sustainable management and protection of natural areas – 4GreenInn
REPORT
Current condition of the protected areas in
Southeast Bulgaria
under Project Innovations in sustainable management and protection of natural areas
4GreenInn
April 2004
Contents
1.CURRENT CONDITION OF THE REGION 3
1.1.GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE REGION 3
1.1.1.INFORMATION ON THE PROTECTED ZONES IN THE REGION INCLUDING THE TARGED ZONES 9
1. KAMENSTITSA (Code in the register: 42)
2.LESHNITSA (Code in the register: 43)
3. ZHREBCHEVO DAM LAKE (Code in the register: BG0002052)
4. OVCHARITSA DAM LAKE (Code in the register: BG0002023)
5.GORNA TOPCHIYA (Code in the register: 12)
6.SINITE KAMANI (Code in the register: 5)
7. ORLITSATA (Code in the register: 41)
8. THE GORNA LUDA KAMCHIYA RIVER (Code in the register: BG0000136)
9.STRANDZHA (CODE IN THE REGISTER: BG000020)
10.COMPLEX ROPOTAMO (Code in the Register: BG0002041)
11.ATANASOVSKO LAKE
12.MANDRA – PODA (Code in the register: BG0000271)
13.POMORIE LAKE (CODE IN THE REGISTER: BG0000152)
14.EMINE IRAKLI (Code in the register: BG0001004)
15.AHELOY – RAVDA – NESEBAR (Code in the register: BG0000574)
16. THE ISLAND OF SAINT ANASTASIA
17. AYTOS MOUNTAIN (Code in the register: BG0000151)
1.1.2 INFORMATION RELATING ONLY TO THE TARGET ZONE VAYA LAKE 90
1. Description of the explored area – the Vaya Lake
2. Location and borders
3.Lake area
4.Protected territories within the lake boundaries and their area
5.Protection status as of today and from historic point of view
6.Physical and geographical characteristics
7.Plant life and animal world
8.Protected plant and animal species typical for the lake
9. Threats to and anthropogenic influence on the lake
10.Activities for conservation of the protected area
11.Population, population density in the town of Burgas and in the settlements around the Vaya
12.Types of ecological transportation (soft mobility) in the protected zone
13.Economics (the role of agriculture, industry, services – with an emphasis on tourism )
14. Maps of the Vaya Protected Zone (see the enclosed maps)
15. 10 copyright photos of the Vaya Lake (see the enclosed photos)
1.2 EXISTING PLANS AND FINANCIAL MECHANISMS, PROGRAMMES AND PLANS 122
1.2.1. AIMS, STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES IN THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT PLANS - FOCUSING ON ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION, THE PROTECTED ZONES AND TOURIS 122
1.2.2. DESCRIPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD OF IMPORTANT PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES AND MEASURES IN THE REGION 132
1.2.3 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FROM NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN PROGRAMMES (2014 – 2020 142
1.3 ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK 186
1.3.1. MAJOR INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES IN THE FIELD OF SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS IN THE REGION 186
1.3.2. STAKEHOLDER COOPERATION, IN PARTICULAR BETWEEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND INSTITUTIONS, ORGANIZATIONS IN/OF PROTECTED AREAS, TOURISM AND TRANSPORT OPERATORS, AND OTHERS WHO ARE CONCERNED 186
1.3.3 IDENTIFICATION OF THE STAKEHOLDERS (TARGET GROUPS) AND FINAL BENEFICIARIES OF SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS IN THE BLACK SEA BASIN - PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS ON REGIONAL LEVEL 191
1.3.4. STAKEHOLDER INTERACTION AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES DEALING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN THE REGION 194
1.3.5 REVIEW OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN THE AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS 194
2. SWOT ANALYSIS OF BURGAS LAKE (VAYA) 229
3. GOOD PRACTICES OF SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS IN THE TARGET REGION 231
4. CONCLUSIONS 236
Current condition of the region
1.1. General information about the region
Bulgaria is one of the countries in Europe that has the largest biological diversity. The protected areas - 5,2% of the national territory and the protected areas under Natura 2000 – 35% of the national territory constitute the National ecological network.
In the Southeast region, which is the subject of this report, the share of the protected areas is 7,6%, which is above the national objective for the protected areas to constitute 6% of the overall territory of the country by the year 2015. The largest is the share of these areas in the Southwest region - 8,98% and the smallest is the share in the Northeast region - 1,11%. Based on the share of the protected areas, the regions of the country are divided into three groups: The first group includes the regions with the largest share of the protected areas (10-18%). In the Southeast region this is the district of Burgas - 17,14%. The second group includes the districts with a share higher than the country average (5,5-10%). None of the areas in the Southeast region falls within the scope of this group. The third group (0-4%) includes the other 17 districts of the country (in the Southeast region these are the district of Sliven and the district of Stara Zagora. It should be noted that 8 districts have under 1% of protected areas – the district of Yambol falls into this group.
Figure 14. Protected areas according to the Law on Protected Areas in regions
Source: Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria, Executive Environment Agency, Register of Protected areas and Protected zones, National Regional Development Strategy 2012-2022
The territorial scope of the Regional inspectorate of environment and water in the city of Burgas includes 127 protected areas, of which 7 reserves, 5 maintained reserves, 1 nature park Strandzha, 59 protected zones and 55 natural landmarks.
On the territory governed by the Regional inspectorate of environment and water – Stara Zagora there are 72 areas declared protected in accordance with the Law on protected areas. These are 4 reserved, 3 maintained reserves, 35 natural landmarks, 28 protected zones, 1 nature park Sinite kamani and part of Balgarka nature park.
Up to now, the following have been accepted with a decision of the Council of Ministers: 116 protected zones in accordance with the Directive for protection of wild birds, covering 22,7% of the territory of Bulgaria and 233 protected zones in accordance with the Directive for protection of natural habitats and the wild flora and fauna, covering 30% of the territory of Bulgaria. A total number of 339 protected zones under Natura 2000, covering 34,4% of the territory of the country.
Of the three newly protected zones specially declared in the marine aquatory, two are located on the territory of the Southeast region – Emona (55 345.28 hectares) and Otmanli (8.83 hectares). The protected zone St. Ivan and St. Peter islands has been excluded from the list because it became part of the area Gradina Beach – Zlatna ribka. The aquatory of the protected zones Ropotamo, Strandzha, Galata, Kaliakra Complex and Emine-Irakli has been expanded with approximately 130 hectares.
A unified information system for the protected zones of the ecological network Natura 2000 has been developed - http://natura2000.moew.government.bg/. There are also specialized data bases meeting the various needs of the administration that is in charge of the management of the protected zones and a geographical data base as part of them – a data base for the register of the procedures for Compatibility Assessment, a data base of the register of the protected zones, a data base for the purpose of mapping the types of natural habitats and also the habitats and the distribution of the species and an assessment of their conservation status, a geographical data base;
Modules of the system
· Geographical information system
· Register of the Protected zones
· Register of the Procedures for compatibility assessment
· Portal web application
· Administrative module
The targeted actions aimed at reversing the trend for reducing the number of the endangered species and habitats were successful across Europe. The Natura 2000 network was significantly extended and in 2010 it included about 26 000 protected zones covering 18% of the land territory of the EU. The scope of funding under LIFE+ was expanded so as to include more general issues related to biological diversity and to contribute to the implementation of the EU biodiversity plan.
The efforts aimed at protecting the marine and freshwater ecosystems were fostered through the new Directive for marine strategy. The work on the ongoing research in Economics of the eco systems and biodiversity resulted in improved evaluation of the economic importance of the natural resources. The research in Economics of the eco systems and biodiversity is already helping the decision makers to realize the significance of the investments in natural resources.
The action plan regarding biodiversity has contributed to the better understanding of the reasons for losing this biodiversity (such as the climate changes), the relation between biodiversity and the activities in other spheres and also the important role of the ecosystems for easing the consequences from climate changes and adapting to them.
The lessons learned as a result will be extremely valuable in order to ensure that the resumed efforts for ceasing the process of losing biodiversity will be successful. The EU has set a new objective: to cease the loss of biodiversity and the deterioration of the services from the eco systems in the EU by the year 2020, to restore them as much as possible by increasing the contribution of the EU to cease the loss of biodiversity worldwide.
The inclusion of issues related to biodiversity and eco systems in other policies of the EU will play a central role in the strategy for the period following the year 2010.The planned reforms in certain political areas having a substantial influence on biodiversity, such as the Common agricultural policy and the Common policy in the sphere of fishing as well as the preparation for the next programme period of the regional policy of the EU provide a significant number of good opportunities. These opportunities are important not only for reducing the influence on biodiversity but also as potential sources of funding for the protection and the restoration of biodiversity.
The EU is trying to reduce the influence of the mass consumption on the rest of the world as well as the influence of the international trade on the global biodiversity and the ecosystems. The development also includes the signing of the first agreements for voluntary partnership aimed at fighting the illegal exploitation of forests. One of the main topics on the agenda of the conference held in Nagoya will be how to ensure the sharing of the profits obtained from the use of natural resources for the development of products such as pharmaceutical and cosmetic products with the country from which these resources originate.
The evaluation contains a number of facts and data for activities taken in all the 27 Member-states individually and also on EU level in order to terminate the loss of biodiversity. It also includes a comparison between the results in the individual Member-states and also up-to-date values of the biodiversity indices (SEBI 2010).
Based on the data of the official EC journal, by the year 2010 the areas under NATURA 2000 in the EU, in accordance with the Birds Directive, have a total area of 490 824 square km or 11,4% and in accordance with the Habitats Directive – 586 092 square km or 13,7% of the territory of the EU. Based on this index, Bulgaria has a share that is twice as big as the average European level of 18%.
The protected zones under NATURA 2000 in the Southeast region constitute 32,2% of the total area of the region. Their share is the biggest in the Southern central region – 44,5% and the smallest – in the Northern central region – 21,5%. Two areas in the Southeast region have a share below the country average of 33% - the district of Stara Zagora and Yambol.
On the territory of the country there are 19 protected zones under Directive 79/409/ЕС (on birds). These are: Pomoriysko lake area, covering the municipality of Pomorie, Chengene skele bay, covering parts of the municipality of Burgas, Atanasovsko lake, covering the municipalities of Burgas and Pomorie, Mandra-Pova complex in the municipalities of Burgas, Kameno, Sredets and Sozopol, Burgasko lake area covering parts of the municipalities of Burgas and Kameno, Central plan area, covering part of the municipality of Pavel Banya, Rozov kladenets dam lake in the municipality of Galabovo, Ovcharitsa dam lake, covering parts of the municipalities of Radnevo, Nova Zagora, Tundzha, Malko Sharkovo dam lake area – in the municipality of Bolyarovo, Straldzha complex covering the municipalities of Karnobat and Straldzha, Kotlenska mountain covering parts of the territory of the municipalities of Sungurlare, Sliven and Kotel, Strandzha covering the municipalities of Malko Tarnovo and Tsarevo, Ropotamo complex covering the municipalities of Sozopol and Primorsko, Kamchiyska mountain covering the municipalities of Ruen, Nesebar and Pomoroe, Zhrebchevo dam lake covering parts of the municipalities of Nova Zagora, Tvarditsa, Nikolaevo and Gurkovo, Sinite kamani-Grebenets area including parts of the municipalities of Kotel and Sliven, Kamenski bair area in the municipality of Sliven, Maritsa-Parvomay area in the municipalities of Bratya Daskalovi and Chirpan, Adata-Tundzha area in the municipality of Tundzha.
Figure 15. Protected areas under Natura 2000 in regions
Source: Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria, Executive Environment Agency, Project “Building the network of protected areas Natura 2000 in Bulgaria”, National Regional Development Strategy 2012-2022
For the territory governed by the Regional inspectorate of environment and water Stara Zagora there are 14 protected zones for protecting the wild birds and 31 protected zones for protecting the natural habitats and the wild flora and fauna.
Up to now, on the territory of the Regional inspectorate of environment and water Stara Zagora 14 protected areas in total have been declared with an order issued by Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria under the Birds Directive and a Decision of the Council of Ministers has stipulated 38 protected zones for protection of the natural habitats.
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1.1.1.Information on the protected zones in the region including the targed zones
А) data base
The Southeast region includes two nature parks, 13 reserves, 7 maintained reserves, hundreds of protected areas and natural landmarks. There are 50 protected zones under the Habitats Directive, 19 zones under the Birds Directive and 7 zones under both directives. For the purposes of this report, we will examine in details 18 areas / zones from four Bulgarian districts falling within the scope of the Southeast region. An excel table has been enclosed in a separate annex, describing 100 protected zones and protected areas based on the following parameters:
- Name of the protected area
- Type of the protected area
- Area (ha)
- Order №RD
- Date when it is declared
- State Gazette
- District
- Municipality
- Regional inspectorate of environment and water
- Management plan
- International statute
The following 18 have been chosen out of them to be described in details in this report: