Posted on March, 01 2016

The European Commission (EC) has selected a project of the Bulgarian Executive Forest Agency in partnership with WWF-Bulgaria and 10 nature parks as one of the 23 best LIFE nature projects in 2015. The project was the largest-scale restoration of forest habitats and rare plant species in Bulgaria. It was implemented in Natura 2000 sites in 10 Bulgarian nature parks. It ran from 2010 to 2014, spanned of 80.6 hectares and covered 11 habitats along rivers and wetlands.
 
Out of 63 projects evaluated under the EC LIFE Programme in 2015, 23 were selected as best nature projects and 3 of them are from Bulgaria. They were implemented by WWF-Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation and the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds.

WWF-Bulgaria will receive the "Best LIFE Nature /Information Project" award during a ceremony on 31 May in Brussels held within the European Green Week (30 May to 3 June), The selection criteria included an assessment of the project's short- and long-term contribution to nature conservation, its socio-economic impact, its innovativeness and sustainability, its application of European policies and its efficient public spending.

The return of extinct species

For several decades, the buckbean was considered extinct in Vitosha Nature Park. After WWF-Bulgaria and its partners planted young adults in 2013 and they survived the first winter, it grows there again.
 
During the four years of the project, from 2010 to 2014, WWF and its partners worked in the 10 most frequently visited protected areas in the country. They planted over 320,000 saplings and cuttings of the ash, oak, beech, dwarf pine, yew and black alder; recovered 13 typical plant species like the white water lily, the buckbean, the common holly, the Caucasian whortleberry, the water soldier, the sundew, the Rila primrose and the wild angelica.
Invasive or alien plant species were also removed and replaced by local ones and new tourist infrastructure was built as part of the project. Over 150 private forest owners received training.

The 10 nature park directorates will continue maintenance activities after the end of the project, which will further guarantee its long-term results. You can access a playlist of videos dedicated to the LIFE project here.