On March 21 we celebrate International Day of Forests. This year’s motto is “Forests and Biodiversity”. The long-term conservation of the Lesser Spotted Eagle in Bulgaria, by ensuring the protection and sustainable management of its habitats and the creation of new ones, is at the heart of the “LIFE for Eagle’s habitats”. It is implemented by the Executive Forest Agency in partnership with the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, Southeast and Northeast State Companies. Conservation of forest biodiversity is of utmost importance for the life on the planet and a concern for each and every one of us.
Although our country is extremely small in area, its biodiversity is extremely rich. The existence of 3750 species of higher plants and more than 500 lower plants and fungi places Bulgaria among the countries with the greatest biodiversity in Europe.
Our country ranks third after Slovenia and Croatia in terms of European ecological network Natura 2000 area. Biodiversity conservation in the framework of the “LIFE for Eagle’s habitats”, for example, takes place in 20 special protection areas of the Natura 2000 network located in Central, South-eastern and North-eastern Bulgaria.
The date on which the International Day of Forests is celebrated was chosen on the initiative of the 23rd session of the European Confederation of Agriculture held in November 1971 and endorsed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in 1972. On this day, 21 March, attention worldwide is once again focused on the effective management and conservation of all planet’s forests with their diverse plant and animal life.