site.btaBulgaria Marks Parks Day

Bulgaria celebrates Parks Day on May 28. The country is home to a total of 14 parks, three national and 11 nature parks, which are designated protected areas differing in their level of conservation, the Ministry of Environment and Water said Wednesday on its website.

The national parks are Central Balkan, Rila, and Pirin. Rila National Park is the largest of Bulgaria’s three national parks and one of the largest in Europe. Central Balkan National Park is the second-largest and hosts the widest range of habitat types, while Pirin National Park is listed under the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

Bulgaria's nature parks include Belasitsa, Bulgarka, Vitosha, Vrachanski Balkan, Golden Sands, Persina, Sinite Kamani, Strandzha, Rila Monastery, Rusenski Lom, and Shumensko Plato.

These protected areas aim to preserve rare and valuable plant and animal species in their natural habitats, maintain diverse ecosystems, and safeguard characteristic landscapes of both living and non-living nature. At the same time, the parks offer opportunities for people to connect with and enjoy nature, the Environment Ministry said.