“Bulgarian forests are among the most biodiverse places in Europe, and this is thanks to the efforts of experts from both the public and non-governmental sectors working in partnership to achieve these remarkable results. A prime example is the collaboration between the Executive Forest Agency, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), and the two state enterprises, Southeastern and Northeastern, who are working together to advance the objectives of the “LIFE for Eagle’s habitats” project,” said Eng. Stoyan Toshev, Executive Director of the Forest Agency, during the opening of the ninth meeting of the project’s supervisory committee.
“Three years ago, when I first encountered the project, I supported it wholeheartedly, and now I know my response was the right one,” added Eng. Toshev. He highly praised the team’s work, emphasizing that when there is unity, results follow. “This project positions Bulgaria as a country making significant progress in restoring rare and endangered bird species, including the Lesser Spotted Eagle, and is a testament to our capacity and expertise for future endeavors in this area,” stated the Executive Director.
High praise for the progress achieved was also given by Ms. Aylin Hasan, a representative of the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) and a member of the project’s supervisory committee. She noted that exceeding 100% of the planned activities demonstrates excellent project management and expressed hope that the cooperation between the EFA, MOEW, and NGOs would continue to evolve in fulfilling the goals set for Bulgaria’s Natura 2000 network. Particular emphasis was placed on the upcoming development of national action plans for nature restoration, where the project’s results are expected to play a significant role.
The ninth supervisory meeting continued with a presentation of achievements to date. Eng. Rosen Raichev, Deputy Executive Director of the EFA and project leader, provided a comprehensive update on the project’s progress and the expected activities leading to its completion, scheduled for mid-2025.
Special attention was given to the ongoing development of a Regional Program for Protective Forest Belts in the territory of the Northeastern State Forest Enterprise (SIDP) in Shumen. This program aims to contribute to the long-term planning of activities to address some of the most critical challenges facing these emblematic forests in the Dobrudzha region.
The experts’ work on the project continued with an on-site meeting of the management team, where the achievements of all partners from the EFA, BSPB, SIDP, and Southeastern State Forest Enterprise (YUIDP) were reviewed and discussed.