site.btaTwo Centuries-Old Trees Officially Declared Protected

Two centuries-old trees have been granted protection status by order of Bulgaria’s caretaker Environment and Water Minister Julian Popov, the Ministry’s press office said on Monday. Both trees are estimated to be around 300 years old.

Currently, a total of 2,403 centuries-old trees are listed under the Biological Diversity Act, with 10 declared protected in 2026. Protection prohibits uprooting, felling, pruning, breaking branches, or any actions that could damage the trees. The ministerial order will be published, and the trees will be officially registered.

Protecting centuries-old trees is a key priority for the Environment and Water Ministry. Many of these trees have been preserved thanks to the dedication and environmental awareness of local communities.

One of the newly protected trees is a Hungarian oak near the village of Kazak in Haskovo region, with a trunk circumference of 4.80 metres and a height of 11 metres. Its protection status was proposed by the Agriculture and Food Ministry. The second tree, a Turkey oak near the village of Gorski Izvor in the same region, has a trunk circumference of 3.90 meters and reaches 15 meters in height; its protection was proposed by the private landowner.

Separately, the Straldzha municipality launched a competition to identify old and centuries-old trees, with experts who will later verify their age.