site.btaFour Centuries-old Trees Declared Protected by Environment and Water Minister

By order of outgoing Environment and Water Minister Manol Genov, four centuries-old trees have been declared protected, the press centre of the Environment and Water Ministry announced on Friday.

Three of the trees are approximately 100 years old and are of the Quercus cerris (Turkey oak) species. They are about 22 m high and are located in the Kremaka countryside on the territory of the village of Slatina, Lovech Municipality, Lovech Region. The circumference of their trunks is 3 m, 3.20 m, and 3.70 m, respectively. The fourth 100-year-old tree is a Quercus pubescens (downy oak). It has a trunk circumference of 2.70 m and a height of about 20 m and is also located in the Kremaka countryside on the territory of the village of Slatina. 

After the four trees were declared protected, their uprooting, cutting down, pruning, breaking of branches, damaging the trunks, or performing any other actions that would lead to the destruction, damage, or deterioration of the physiological condition of the trees has been prohibited, the Environment and Water Ministry added.

The proposal to declare all four centuries-old trees protected was submitted by the Defence Ministry. 

At the end of January, four centuries-old trees of different species were also declared protected.