Logging near water sources is suspended until September 30, 2021. The logging regimes and restrictions in state forest areas are introduced by orders of the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Ms Desislava Taneva.

Logging is suspended in:
– the 15-metre zone on both sides of permanent watercourses;
– the buffer zone, which includes a 100-metre strip of the rivers Maritza, Tundja, Mesta, Struma, Arda, Lom, Tsibritsa, Ogosta, Skut, Iskar, Yantra, Vit, Suzliyka, Stryama, Osam, Rousenski Lom, Kamchia, Veleka and Rezovska;
– a 15 m strip on each side of the torrential watercourses;
– a 200 m strip around dams and lakes (artificial and natural reservoirs);
– forests in the immediate vicinity (within a radius of 20 m) of springs, wells, water catchments, animal watering places and other water sources not included in the water protection zones.

The orders introduce further restrictions on logging in forest stands. For example, as of January 1, 2021, the average annual use in mature and overmature high-stem forests, when conducting regeneration felling, shall not exceed 10% by volume and area of their intended use, cumulatively, according to Forestry Plans for the 10-year period of operation. Where it is necessary to carry out sanitary and compulsory felling in the forest stands, the volume shall be deducted from the annual average use of mature and overmature high-stem forests determined in the forestry plan.

When marking regeneration felling in mature and overmature high-stem forests, trees with a diameter of more than 30 cm, measured at a breast height of 130 cm, shall be noted in the inventory book as well as marked on the tree itself at the same height.