The process of developing specific and detailed conservation objectives for the protected areas of the “Natura 2000” ecological network continues. The Ministry of Environment and Water published for public consultation the objectives for 11 new protected areas. They were developed by an expert team led by the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Conservation at the level of protected areas is a set of specific objectives that must be met in order to ensure, on the one hand, the long-term conservation of habitat types and species in the area and, on the other hand, that it contributes in the best possible way to achieve or maintain the favorable condition of the respective type of natural habitat and species in the biogeographical region and the country. These objectives are the basis for determining conservation measures and are based on scientific knowledge and qualitative information on the condition of the area, the species and natural habitats protected in it, as well as the main impacts and threats that may affect them.

Detailed information on the specific conservation objectives and the related documents can be found here:

https://www.moew.government.bg/bg/obstestveni-obsujdaniya-na-razraboteni-specifichni-i-podrobni-prirodozastitni-celi-na-nivo-zastitena-zona-za-11-zastiteni-zoni-ot-ekologichnata-mreja-natura-2000/

The active participation of all competent authorities, stakeholders, and the general public is key to the establishment of conservation objectives for the “Natura 2000” sites.

Interested parties may send opinions, proposals, recommendations, and comments by 22.02.2022 to the address of the Ministry of Environment and Water at 1000 Sofia, 22 Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd., as well as by e-mail at edno_gishe@moew.government.bg.

The MOEW recalls that the deadlines have not expired for submitting opinions, proposals, recommendations, and comments on the previous packages of specific and detailed nature protection objectives for protected areas, which can be found here:

• Until 31.01.2022 for 15 protected areas, published on:

       https://www.moew.government.bg/bg/obstestveni-obsujdaniya-na-razraboteni-specifichni-i-podrobni-prirodozastitni-celi-na-nivo-zastitena-zona-za-15-zastiteni-zoni-ot-ekologichnata-          mreja-natura-2000/

• Until 11.02.2022 for two protected areas, published on:

https://www.moew.government.bg/bg/obstestveni-obsujdaniya-na-razraboteni-specifichni-i-podrobni-prirodozastitni-celi-na-nivo-zastitena-zona-za-2-zastiteni-zoni-ot-ekologichnata- mreja-natura-2000/

Submitting to public consultation the specific and detailed nature conservation objectives for “Natura 2000” protected areas is the approach chosen by the MOEW for the process of their adoption. At present, the development of specific and detailed nature protection objectives has been commissioned for 86 areas. Specific objectives have been developed for adoption for 43 protected areas, of which 41 have already been proposed for public consultation. The development of the specific and detailed conservation objectives for all other protected areas is planned to be undertaken within the framework of a project proposal included in the draft of the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The documents have been prepared in accord with the approved by the Minister of Environment and Water Concept for the development of specific and detailed nature protection objectives at the level of protected areas for the “Natura 2000” network. They have been developed specifically for each protected area in accordance with the guidelines of the European Commission to achieve full compliance with the requirements of Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, as well as of Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds.