Regional plans for the development of the forest territories (RPDFT)
Within the frame of the project „LIFE for Eagle’s habitats“ development of RPDFT is forthcoming. The regional plans are developing for all forest territories within the range of the state regardless of the ownership in agreement with regional strategies for development in the Low for regional development. That activity is in agreement with the provision of article 12 of the Forest law.
The plans aim for:
- Elaboration of united forestry map, and harmonization of it with the other specialized maps of the region.
- Functional zoning of the forest areas and determine a rewardable usage of the ecosystem services.
- Determination of zones protected from urbanization and put them in the Detailed site development plans.
- Determination of the aims of the forestry and hunting management and elaboration ecological and socio-economic assessment of the forest areas.
The development of the RPDFTs is assigned by the Regional Forestry Directorate and financed by the state budget.
Within the frame of the project „Conservation measures for the Lesser Spotted Eagle and its habitats in Bulgaria”, with the short name “LIFE for Eagle’s habitats” in the program LIFE of the EU, development of four RPDFTs is planned for regions Sliven, Yambol, Targovishte and Shumen.
The development will take part in two main stages – first stage of assignment and second of elaboration, acceptance and validation as follow:
region of Sliven and Yambol
assignment in 2020, development, acceptance and approval 2021/2022.
region of Targovishte and Shumen
assignment in 2021, development, acceptance and approval 2022/2023.
In the Regional plan a description of the natural conditions and the forest territories is made as long as characteristics of the ownership, existing forestry management structure, history of forestry in the region, the proportions of the areas with forests and those without. Assessment of the potential of the forestry resources, the role and value of the forestry and hunting for the regional economy is also part of the RPDFT. In the plan are also reflected all categories of forestry areas, offering public ecosystem services (PES) and the zones protected from urbanization.
PES gives possibilities for valuation and reimbursement of the agricultural and forest land owners for the expenses made by them to maintain and provide diversity of ecosystem services. Territories providing public ecosystem services are marked in the RPFAD are forest areas with specialized forestry management activities in them, for which a payment is owned.
The purpose of RPDFT is to provide information in which territories a rewardable usage of the ecosystem services will take part. The process includes consultations with the public, with the participation of all concerned parties. Essential moment in the process is conducting a sociological study for the public opinion in the region about the aims, regimes and directions of the forest and hunting management.
As a result of the RPDFT the practice of aiming only at the timber resources in the forestry maintenance will be suspended and more complex assessment of the multifunctional benefits of the forest territories will be made. Schemes for rewardable usage of public ecosystem services from the forest areas will be applied, including those within the ecologic network Natura 2000.