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 CHARTER ’89

FOR PRESERVATION OF THE BULGARIAN NATURE HERITAGE

(adapted English version)

Preamble

Bulgaria is a country of remarkable nature heritage. Due to its geographical diversity, population’s moderate density and uneven distribution, as well as the relatively early beginning of conservation, many valuable nature areas can still be found there. Some of them are unequalled elsewhere in Europe and properly belong to the world nature heritage. At the same time, the country’s socio-economic development goes along with insensitive and often shortsighted attitude toward nature; together with the incompleteness of the present conservation area network, this puts in jeopardy the future of Bulgaria’s nature heritage.

1. Development of National Conservation Area Network

(1) In order to preserve the entire variety of representative ecosystems and faunistic complexes, species-formation centres and rare and threatened species, as well as protect characteristic landscapes, it is crucial to provide adequate structure of the conservation area network in all biogeographical regions of Bulgaria and the adjacent Black Sea aquatory.

(2) It is necessary to create new and expand existing nature reserves and national parks, so as to preserve viable populations of species, allow for continuation of the evolution process, preserve the natural interface and environment-formation capability of all biogeographical regions. A high proportion of the existing conservation areas are of insufficient size, which fails to guarantee stability and survival of their genetic fund.

(3) Through a programme to be worked out by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, to complete the network of national parks by 1993 and that of nature reserves by 1996. Simultaneously to develop the network of regional parks, protected landscapes and protected areas, so that by 2005 the conservation areas cover at least 15 per cent of the national territory.

(4) Conservation areas of all types should reach in perspective (approximately by 2015) 25 per cent of this country’s total area.

2. Key Territories

It is crucial for the formation of an adequate national network of protected ecosystems and landscapes to:

(1) Set up the proposed Central Balkan National Park.