• The municipality is to plant 1300 trees to create 32 hectares of green infrastructure in urban areas

A contract for funding green measures for cleaner air was signed today by the Minister of Environment and Water Manol Genov and the Mayor of Plovdiv Kostadin Dimitrov. Plovdiv Municipality will implement a project to improve the quality of atmospheric air through afforestation.

“I appeal to the citizens – protect these trees, this vegetation must be preserved in order to have a cleaner environment. The unscrupulous who would steal a tree should know that they are stealing from the health and future of their children” – with these words Minister Manol Genov addressed the citizens of Plovdiv during the signing of the contract. He added that the purpose of planting the tree vegetation is to contribute to improving the air in the city. Minister Genov called on Plovdiv Municipality to exercise control and protect the planted vegetation in order ensure the benefits from the project. “The funding is a 100% grant, there is no co-funding, so this aid is really important for the city,” emphasized Minister Manol Genov.

The Mayor of Plovdiv Kostadin Dimitrov announced that the afforestation campaign of the Municipal Enterprise “Gardens and Parks” has already begun. Last year, equipment was provided for planting trees of height up to 5 meters, and he gave instructions to afforest every possible space in the city.

Afforestation is planned with over 1300 coniferous and deciduous tree species of height over three meters. Over 50 thousand shrubs will be planted, as well as over 1200 ornamental herbaceous plants.

The activities are funded by the “Environment” Program and are worth 10.755 million leva. The funds are provided within the framework of the “Green Measures in the Urban Environment” grant under the “Air” priority.

The aim of Plovdiv Municipality’s project is to reduce secondary pollution and improve ambient air quality by implementing priority investments in plant species with the highest efficiency in terms of PM10 capture and natural air purification. The project activities are planned to be implemented within five years and to be completed no later than 31 December 2029.

Green infrastructure will be built on 46 municipal sites in the urbanized territory of Plovdiv, respectively in the "South", "West", "North", "East" and "Trakia" districts. Approximately 32 hectares of green infrastructure will be built, which will benefit a population of 325 485 people. This will ensure a contribution to the implementation of our country's commitments and goals in the sector in accord with European and national legislation.

Anti-parking elements are provided to limit car access to the green areas, and concrete paths will be built for the passage of citizens through green areas.

The main species that will be planted are Greek fir, black pine, Weymouth pine, Himalayan pine, Arizona cypress, common cypress, Lebanese cedar, Leyland cypress, Australian celtis, milk sycamore, common sycamore, field ash, sycamore-leaf plane tree, hairy oak, common oak, field maple, Ginal maple, mekish, wild carob, hawthorn, evodia, yarrow, Himalayan melia, as well as shrubs of the following species - cherry laurel, photinia, and blackberry.