SITES OF BULGARIA
NATIONAL PARKS
Central
Balkan National Park. It is one of the European
parks of an unique nature, internationally acknowledged by being
adopted a member of PAN parks – an European network of representative
protected areas. The park was established in 1991, to preserve
the unique nature of central Stara Planina (The Balkan Range)
and the related traditions and living. The area of the park is
717 sq. km. Centuries-old forests cover more than half of the
territory. The wild life is rich with its 1900 higher plants –
10 of them can be found nowhere else in the world. The national
park is the home of 62% of the species of vertebrates in Bulgaria,
of 66% of the mammals, 40% of the reptiles, 50% of the amphibians,
70% of the invertebrates.The wild animals kingdom is inhabited
by 224 bird soecies, 123 of them nest in the Park.
People
have been closely connected to the mountain sonce the ancient
times. Nowadays the Central Balkan National Park is a favourate
place for the tourists. The detached zones guarrantee both protection
of the wild nature and delight in its primery world. The numerous
routes marked and safe with maintained paths and bridges, shelters,
places for fire, recreation places care for the security of the
visitors.
Pirin
National Park is a World Heritage national park that
encompasses the larger part of the Pirin Mountains in the southwest
of Bulgaria. It has an area of 274 km? and lies at an altitude
from 1,008 to 2,914 m. Two nature reserves are located within
the boundaries of the park, Bayuvi Dupki — Dzhindzhiritsa, one
of the oldest in the country, and Yulen.
The
park's boundaries and size have standed many changes through the
course of history. Vihren National Park was created on 8 November
1962 with the purpose of preservation of the forests in the highest
parts of the mountain. It was renamed to Pirin People's Park in
1974 with a ministerial decree.
A
separate park administration was established in 1979 with its
seat in Bansko. The park was included in the UNESCO World Heritage
List in 1983, and after a protected areas law was approved in
1998, the area was proclaimed a national park, embracing a territory
of 403.32 km?.
The
huge relief diversity of the park is the reason for the variety
of plant species on its territory, making it one of the most botanically
interesting areas in Bulgaria. General examination of Pirin's
flora have been conducted at the end of the 19th and the beginning
of the 20th century.
About
1300 species of higher plant species can be observed within the
park, which constitute more than 30% of all higher plants on the
territory of Bulgaria. Besides this, about 300 moss species and
a large amount of alge have been determined.
The
park is a home to 18 local endemic species, 15 Bulgarian and many
Balkan endemic and a large quantity of preserved species, such
as the Edelweiss, a symbol of Pirin. The total number of preserved
species is about 60, whereas 126 are listed in the Bulgarian Red
Book of Endangered Species.
Three
plant belts are differentiated within the Pirin National Park,
a forest one, a subalpine one and an alpine one, which is due
to the relatively high location of the entire park.
A
huge number of animal species are preserved in the park, a cause
of the relief diversity and southernly location. About 2090 species
and subspecies of invertrebrata are to be seen in the park, among
them 300 rare species, 214 endemic and 175 relicts, as well as
15 that were included in international endangered species lists.
6
fish species inhabit the park, which constitute 6% of the whole
freshwater fish species of Bulgaria, whereas 8 amphibian and 11
reptile species live within the protected area.
The
number of bird species that can be seen in the park is particularly
large — about 160, 40% of all bird species in Bulgaria.
45
terrestrial mammals (including 12 bat species) inhabit the Pirin
National Park, which is 50% of the total number in the country.
Among them are the Wild Goat, a Balkan endemyte, and the Brown
Bear.
Bulgarka
Natural Park. It occupies the Nothern slopes of the central
part of the Balkan Range. The average altitude is 940 meters.
Announced
officially in 2002, the Park protects, restores and mainains the
beech eco-systems – characteristic for the Balkan mountain, the
flora, the fauna and the cultural and historical wealth of the
region.
It
covers an area of 21 772 hectares including territories from the
two municipalities – gabrovo and Tryavna. A part of the Shipka
Buzludzha national park museum and the Etar Ethnographical open-air
museum is within its boundaries, as well as the following protected
areas: the Sokolski monastery, Munchenitza – Yovovtzi, the Vikana
Rock, Studen cladenetz (Cold Well). In Uzana locality is the geographical
centre of Bulgaria.
The
forest fund of the park is about 80% of the hole area. Over 360
types of plants grow on the park territory and 31 of them are
included in the Red Book of Bulgaria. Almost 70% of Bulgarian
medicative herbs can be found here. There is a great variety of
animals – rock patridge, small hawk, woodcock, bear, wolf, otters,
boar, royal stag, deer.
The beautiful nature, the various relief and the rich bio-diversity
and historical heritage are a prerequisite for the development
of all kinds of special interests tourism.
