The research also shows the best practices for threatened species being conserved and for economic prosperity when the nature conservation measures have been implemented effectively by the local authorities and by the European commission.
Bulgaria is the only country of the Member States represented in the report which is present in it with two negative examples for inefficient implementation of NATURA2000 – Pirin and Yantra.
The National park “Pirin” is a site of the UNESCO world heritage and part of the European network NATURA2000, but nevertheless it is threatened, stresses Katerina Rakovska, WWF expert on protected territories. Its draft management plan for the next 10 years envisages additional constructions and extension of the ski zones up to 7% of the park territory compared to 0,6% of the currently acting plan adopted in 2004. In addition to this the Council of Ministers is considering the legalizing of all existing unlawful constructions in the park, adds Rakovska.
It is not accomplished an adequate impact assessment of the plan on the natural sites protected by NATURA2000 in Pirin, and there are already data for species – bear, wolf, wild goat, Western Capercaillie affected by the functioning of the existing ski zones.
It is necessary that Bulgaria urgently adopt conservation goals for the protected area Pirin and to manage with the problem of the unlawful constructions from the past. Since the elaboration of a management plan is funded by the European Commission, it, for its part, should assure that the European funds are spent appropriately and do not contribute to further destruction of this unique place, states Katerina Rakovska.
The hydroelectricity has a number of proven negative impacts on the rivers in Bulgaria, including decreasing of the water flow, migration barriers, disturbing of the flow of sediments and destruction of the riverside habitats. If all envisaged projects are to be realized, the number of hydroelectric power stations could be doubled. Although Bulgaria has introduced a ban for new hydroelectric power stations in sites of NATURA2000, multiple legislative loopholes and the irregular implementation of the legislation place valuable species and habitats, such as those on the river Yantra, under threat, says Lyubomir Kostadinov, expert in the WWF “Water” programme.
Bulgaria, third in Europe by area of NATURA2000, already takes advantage of the network – it is often the only protection of the unbuilt Black Sea beaches, such as Kamchiiski pyasatsi, due to NATURA2000 in Bulgaria there is a ban on GMOs, almost 90% of the old forests are under the protection of NATURA2000, the network is the only protection also of the last, partly preserved natural rivers in our country.
You can download the report in English, its summary in Bulgarian, photos of the sites represented in the report and video from the WWF campaign for protection of NATURA2000 from this link: https://we.tl/VYv2uJLdyE.
A photo: Konstantin Ivanov, WWF
WWF: Stop parks on paper. The European nature must have a real protection
