7% of the habitats in the Natura 2000 network have been determined as old-growth forests where logging is prohibited

The deadline for comments to MAF is 1 month away! We appeal to the people of Bulgaria to ensure that their ‘favorite’ old-growth forest will be preserved. You can send your comments to the Minister of Agriculture and Food (minister@mzh.government.bg); if you deem it necessary, you can include a copy to For the Nature Coalition (contact@forthenature.org).

Thanks to the efforts of teams of WWF, Balkani Wildlife Society, BSPB and BBF detailed field studies of forests were carried out and the most valuable old-growth forests in Bulgaria were determined. The data and the results of the research were sent to MAF in late 2015 and early 2016 in order to contribute to the process, initiated by MAF; our appeal was to include the studied old-growth forests in the MAF old-growth forests list.

In the meantime we will take care to analyze and compare our information about old-growth forests with that of the Ministry, thus ensuring that the public interest will be represented correctly and coherently in the impending Order of the Minister of Agriculture and Food that will declare the protected old-growth forests. Our hope is that the old-growth forests that have been subjected to ruthless logging for years will be saved; such forests can be found in Rila, the Rhodope Mountain, Strandzha, Pirin, Belasitsa, the Balkan Mountain etc.; we frequently receive signals by citizens concerning logging activities there.

All old-growth forests – both the ones proposed by MAF, as well as those suggested by conservationist organizations, – can be examined and compared on the GIS forest platform developed by WWF Bulgaria: http://gis.wwf.bg/forests/

Which forest is old-growth?

For an old-growth forest to form, nature should be allowed to run its natural course for centuries without significant human intervention. Depending on the tree species and local conditions this period should go on for at least 120 years. Such forests are rich in structure, forms and life. Trees of all ages might coexist there but what immediately attracts the attention are the impressive veteran trees with a size close to the maximum for the species, as well as the presence of large standing or fallen dead trees in various stages of decay, covered with mosses, lichens and fungi. Trees with massive crowns and branches, with dead or broken tree-tops, with cavities and holes made by woodpeckers add to the picture. Trees and groups of trees of various ages and sizes are distributed unevenly, creating a feeling of chaos rather than of order. Natural old-growth forests have become a charismatic symbol of the genuine forest.

Why are old-growth forests important?

- By preserving the habitats of a variety of plants and animals we preserve the species themselves. Some rare species are highly dependant on certain types of forests and would disappear, were those to be destroyed.
- The older the trees in a forest, the higher quantity of carbon dioxide they store. By cutting them down (and processing or burning them afterwards) we allow for this carbon dioxide to be released back into the atmosphere, contributing to a negative impact on climate. The more old trees and old-growth forests we preserve, the more sustainable will our own life conditions be in the long term.
- Big, old trees with a well-developed root system hold the soil together and fortify slopes in catchment areas; the substantial leaf mass of a large tree crown contributes to cleaner air and balances the deteriorating pollution problems in the big cities. Clean water and clean air are important conditions for the high-quality life standard that everybody would like to have.