Team
Kiril Tashev, PhD
Project Leader, Project “Conservation measures for the Lesser Spotted Eagle and its habitats in Bulgaria” under the EU LIFE Programme and Head of department “Management of Forest Territories”, Forestry Directorate, Executive Forest Agency within the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry
Mr. Tashev graduated from the University of Forestry in Sofia, majoring in Forestry. He holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv, and Accounting and Control from the University of National and World Economy, Sofia. He holds a PhD thesis “Research on Economic Instruments for Sustainable Management of the Natural Parks in Bulgaria” at the University of Forestry, Sofia, and holds an educational and scientific degree Doctor of Science in Economics and Management (Forestry and Forest Industry). He is the author of 6 scientific publications.
He has worked on numerous international and national projects. He has participated in the successful implementation of three LIFE projects, as a National coordinator and Expert, and in 2016 he was awarded in Brussels by the European Commission’s Environment Directorate-General for best environmental project of 2015 under the LIFE+ program “Conservation and Restoration of 11 Natura 2000 Riparian and Wetland Habitats in 10 SCI’s Bulgarian Forests “.
His professional experience began in 2002 in the Department of Legal, Regulatory and Administrative Information Services, as a senior specialist in the Regional Administration of Sofia. During the period between 2004 and 2006 he worked as a forest ranger and senior forest ranger in the State game breeding station “Chekeritsa” in Plovdiv. In 2006 – 2007 he was appointed Chief Forest Officer at Vitosko – Studena State Game Breeding Station. Since 2007 he has been an employee of the central forestry office.
Dipl. Eng. Nikolay Vasilev
Forest Policy and Analysis Expert and
Dipl. Eng. Nikolay Vassilev was born on April 5, 1978 in Varna.
He graduated from the University of Forestry in 2003 as a master engineer in „Forestry and forest economics“. After some time in the private sector, Eng. Vasilev started working in the state forest administration, going through the positions of specialist, junior, senior and chief expert and head of department. His main work is related to strategic planning, forestry science, European coordination and the development, management and reporting of EU funded projects and other external donors.
Member of the Union of Bulgarian Foresters. He has specialized in Spain and China. He is the author of several publications covering mainly the pre-accession process, forest policy and projects with external financing. He speaks English, Russian and German. Married with two children.
ENG. Zlatka Azmanova
Project Coordinator, SEFC FC Sliven
Eng. Zlatka Azmanova graduated from University of Forestry in 1986 with a subject “Forestry”. In 1983 she started working as a forester in State forest enterprise Tvardica. Her career spans from the whole spectrum in the forestry sector: head of unit, payroll officer, head of unit “Forest economy”, deputy director in SFE Tvardica. In 1991 she qualifies as a Specialist on management/ manager in the UNWE-Sofia. From 1999 till 2011 she is a chief expert on Forest management in RDF Sliven and from 2011 is a head of unit Forest management in SEFC Sliven. From 2019 to 2020 she is director of RDF Sliven. In march 2022 she is appointed as deputy director of the SEFC Sliven.
The longstanding work of eng. Azmanova gains her well deserved professional recognition of the Bulgarian foresters. In 2021 she received the award Forester of the year. A major imperative in her professional and personal principals is compliance with the laws in the forest sector and the best traditions. Eng. Azmanova beliefs that caring for the forest and preserving it for the future generations is of paramount importance and the fact that she has dedicated her whole life and career to the Bulgarian forest exemplifies this.
Vanya Ratarova
Project Coordinator, BSPB
Vanya Ratarova has graduated her bachelor degree in Ecology and environmental protection at the University of Forestry in Sofia. She is Master in Sustainable Forestry and Land Use Management from the Albert-Ludwigs University in Freiburg, Germany. Vanya has participated at the development and implementation of more than 20 national and international projects in the field of forest protection, biodiversity and management of protected territories.
She is a member of BSPB since 2000. Vanya loves birdwatching, walking in forests and cooking. Her favorite bird is the wood nuthatch.
ENG. Ivaylo todorov
Project Coordinator for NEFC
Eng. Ivaylo Yordanov Todorov is born on 29th of December 1981 in Silistra. He graduated from the Mechanics and Technology School in the city and later from the Shumen university “Bishop Konstantin Preslavski” with major in “Ecology and nature conservation”. He has a MA in Forestry in University of Forestry in Sofia. From 2007 he works in the forest sector on different positions in RDF Shumen, SFE Shumen and NFBF. He is a head of unit “Use and changes in the forest territories” in NEFC.