site.btaTwo New Protected Areas Declared, Regimes of Existing Area's Activity Changed

Minister of Environment and Water Manol Genov has issued orders for declaring two new protected areas -  Choutourite Natural Landmark in the land of the town of Gramada, Vidin Region (on the Danube), and Rodopski Silivryak [Haberlea rhodopensis] Deposit Protected Area in the land of the village of Studen Kladenets, Kardzhali Region (Southern Bulgaria). The new protected areas are declared on the basis of Article 39 of the Protected Areas Act, the Environment Ministry said Friday.

The orders introduce a ban on activities that may lead to the destruction of the formations and species - the subject of protection, such as change in the purpose and permanent use of land; construction except for maintenance and repair of existing facilities; prospecting, exploration and extraction of underground resources, etc.

Choutourite National Landmark has an area of 19,882.5 ha. The protected area was declared on the proposal of the Association of Parks in Bulgaria with the aim of preserving limestone formations resembling choutouras [deep hollowed-out vessels for hammering hard foods] with cylindrical cavities along the long axis around which the limestone material is accumulated. The formations represent a remarkable object of inanimate nature with undeniable aesthetic and scientific value.

Specific prohibitions on activities that may lead to the destruction of the limestone formations under protection include camping and fire lighting; damaging and destroying the formations, including chiselling and enlarging holes in them and removing them; entering and parking motor vehicles off existing roads; littering, etc.

The Rodopski Silivryak Deposit Protected Area has an area of 598.9 ha. The protected area was declared on the proposal of the Haskovo Regional Environmental Protection Inspectorate with the aim of preserving the habitat of the protected plant species of Haberlea rhodopensis, which is a Balkan endemic and relict.

Specific prohibitions for the protected area are afforestation and replacement of existing vegetation (except for removal of invasive and alien plant species); littering; camping and fire lighting.

Minister Genov also issued an order for change in the activity regimes of the Urumovo Lale [Tulipa urumoffii] Deposit Protected Area in the land of the villages of Terziysko and Venets, Burgas Region, on the Black Sea. This protected area was declared a natural landmark in 1985, and in 2019 it was recategorised as a protected area.