BULGARIA Council of Ministers
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA Council of Ministers National Biodiversity Conservation Plan Sofia, June 1999 CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 CURRENT STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN BULGARIA.......................................................... 2 1. LEGAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION FRAMEWORK IN BULGARIA ................................................................ 2 A. HIERARCHICAL SYSTEM OF NATIONAL LEGAL NORMS .............................................................................. 2 B. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS (C ONVENTIONS ) ........................................................................................ 3 C. HARMONISATION WITH THE EUROPEAN LEGISLATION FOR NATURE PROTECTION ...................................... 3 2. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN BULGARIA . PARTNERS ......................... 4 3. PROTECTED NATURE AREAS .......................................................................................................................... 7 4. BULGARIA 'S BIODIVERSITY ............................................................................................................................. 8 5. THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY ............................................................................................................................. 9 6. IMPACT OF THE MAIN SOCIO -ECONOMIC SECTORS IN THE COUNTRY ON BIODIVERSITY ............................... 11 CHAPTER 2 OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES IN SELECTION OF SITES OF THE NBCP...................... 14 1. OBJECTIVES AND MAIN MEASURES TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES ................................................................ 14 2. PRIORITIES IN SELECTION OF SITES FOR CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF BIODIVERSITY .................. 16 3. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION AND PRIORITY SITES IN THE CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF KEY ECO -SYSTEMS ............................................................................................................................................... 117 4. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION AND PRIORITY SITES FOR CONSERVATION OF PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES ................................................................................................................................................................. 118 5. CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION AND PRIORITY SITES FOR PROTECTION OF HABITATS ................................. 118 6. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION AND PRIORITIES FOR CONSERVATION OF GENETIC RESOURCES ......................... 119 CHAPTER 3 NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION PLAN ACTIVITIES ................................... 20 CHAPTER 4 FUNDING THE NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION PLAN............................... 34 CHAPTER 5 ORGANISATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NBCP........................................... 38 CHAPTER 6 MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NBCP ............................................................................................................................................................. 40 1. INDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABLE USE OF THE BIOLIGICAL RESOURCES ......................................................... 110 END NOTE ............................................................................................................................................................. 43 ANNEXES ............................................................................................................................................................. 43 i List of Abbreviations Used in the National Biodiversity Conservation Plan AA Academy of Agriculture BAS Bulgarian Academy of Sciences BHFU Bulgarian Hunters and Fishermen Union BSBCP Bulgarian-Swiss Programme for Biodiversity Conservation BSBCP-forest Bulgarian-Swiss Programme for Biodiversity Conservation at the National Forestry Department BSPB Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds CE Committee of Energy CM Council of Ministers CP Civil Protection EU European Union FAO Food and Agricultural Organisation FU Forestry University GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project financed by the Global Environmental Facil- ity HEF Higher Education Facility IB Institute of Botany IF Institute of Forestry IHE Inspectorate of Hygiene and Epidemiology IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature MAFAR Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Agrarian Reform MD Ministry of Defence MES Ministry of Education and Science MF Ministry of Finance MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs MH Ministry of Healthcare MInd Ministry of Industry MInt Ministry of the Interior MLSP Ministry of Labour and Social Policy MOEW Ministry of Environment and Waters MRDPW Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works MT Ministry of Transport 1 MTT Ministry of Trade and Tourism NDF National Department of Forests NEPF National Environment Protection Fund NF National Fund NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NNPS National Nature Protection Service NPPQAS National Plant Protection, Quarantine and Agrochemistry Service NSS National Soil Service PHARE Programme of the EU RIEW Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Waters SAPARD Special Accession Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development SIR State Inspectorate of Fishing UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation WWF World Wide Fund for nature 2 INTRODUCTION Biodiversity is a pre-requisite for the sustained existence of mankind and is of essential importance for the continued survival of present and future generations. In light of the extent of threats to ecosys- tems and species, the governments of the world came to an agreement in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 to work together to conserve biodiversity and promote the sustainable use of biological resources. Bulgaria is one of Europe's most biodiversity rich countries. Despite the considerable difficulties and challenges in the current transition to a market economy, concern for biodiversity conservation re- mains strong within the country. This is confirmed both by the national legislation and by Bul- garia's accession to international acts and initiatives in this field. In 1998 the Bulgarian Government approved the National Biological Diversity Conservation Strat- egy, which was inspired by the Pan European Strategy for Biological and Landscape Diversity. The development of the National Biodiversity Conservation Plan (NBCP) is a direct follow up to the National Strategy and it outlines specific priority activities. The identified activities are largely achievable within existing institutional, financial and personnel resources and determine the follow- ing key areas: •Priority measures for biodiversity conservation and maintenance; •Specific activities within the priority measures; •Financial resources required for the implementation of priority activities and identified domestic and external sources of funding; •Implementation co-ordination mechanisms. An ecosystem approach was applied in the drafting of the NBCP. Even where specific abiotic and biotic components are of conservation importance and might be the object of special con- servation actions, these were considered in a holistic ecosystem framework. The following ecosystems were given specific attention in the NBCP: •Marine ecosystems; •Coastal ecosystems; •Wetlands along the Black Sea coastline; •The Danube and wetlands along the Danube; •Internal water and wetland ecosystems; •Forest ecosystems; •Mountain (pasture) ecosystems; •Agroecosystems; •Low-land (grass) ecosystems. In addition to the biodiversity conservation activities identified for the above ecosystems, the NBCP includes activities that are generic to all. Such as the establishment of a national eco- network, the conservation and maintenance of endangered plants and animals, and the con- servation of genetic resources. However, care has been taken not to include activities al- ready encompassed in planed or ongoing environmental management plans and pro- grammes. The National Biodiversity Conservation Plan was developed by representatives of scientific and academic institutions, domestic and international NGOs as well as the con- cerned governmental ministries and departments. The characteristics of the country's main ecosystems were described; the threats to the biodiversity identified and specific mainte- nance and conservation actions were proposed. This part of the NBCP development relied extensively on a series of workshops to ensure peoples participation in the process. Representatives of government institutions analysed the reports and the workshop outcomes and structured the Plan activities by importance and feasibility. Special attention was given to the financial resources of the institutions entrusted with carrying out of these activities. Rep- resentatives from the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW), international consult- ants, members of the Plan Editing Group and of the NBCP Steering Committee collaborated in the finalisation of the Plan. The successful implementation of the Plan will depend up broad participation of all sectors, and the securing of adequate financial resources. 1 CHAPTER 1 CURRENT STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN BULGARIA 1. Legal Biodiversity Conservation Framework in Bulgaria A. Hierarchical System of National Legal Norms The concept of environmental protection is firmly established in Article 15 of the Constitu- tion, which states “The Republic of Bulgaria shall ensure the protection and reproduction of the environment, the maintenance and diversity of living Nature, and the sustainable use of the country's natural