National and regional story (Bulgaria) - High Nature Value Farmland

HIGH NATURE VALUE FARMLAND

Safeguarding high nature value farmland (HNVF) is especially important for biodiversity. This land may be defined as ’areas where farming is the basic (usually predominant) mode of land use and where agriculture maintains, or is linked with, a great diversity of species or habitats of European conservation significance, or both’.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food jointly with the Ministry of the Environment and Waters and non-governmental organisations and research institutes drew up a detailed HNVF map. On this basis, the Minister of Agriculture and Food issued a special order approving a list of farmland properties having high nature value and covering 1 630 035 ha.

Figure1. High natural value farming lands map

To preserve these farmlands and their value for biodiversity, the Rural Regions Development Programme 2007 to 2013 includes a special compensatory measure for farmers who manage HNVF to help them use this land in a sustainable manner.

The process of designating Natura 2000 sites in Bulgaria began in 2002. The first stage (2003 to 2006) included fieldwork and scientific information gathering. Great NGO and scientific body interest over these four years resulted in the MOSV Ministry of the Environment and Waters being presented the following inventories and proposals:

1.    114 potential bird conservation areas comprising some 26 000 square kilometres or 23.6 % of Bulgaria's land area and 540 square km of water;

2.    over 500 sites spread over some 4 075 840 hectares or about 36.7 % of national land area and 615 sq km of water.

In consultation with a broad circle of interested parties, this long list of conservation areas was narrowed down to a short list covering 34 % of Bulgaria's area.

The second stage (2006 to 2007) included approving and adopting the MOSV-proposed list of conservation areas. At the proposal of the MOSV and further to a National Biodiversity Council resolution, the first Council of Ministers Ordinance approved and sent to the European Commission a list of 268 protected areas covering 18 % of Bulgaria's area.

The third stage (2007) comprised amplifying scientific information on areas which were held back from the initial list of protected areas. Strong NGO and public pressure focused attention on scientific information and expert assessments of the postponed areas. Ultimately, the Council of Ministers approved a list of altogether 342 areas under the two directives, with an overall coverage equal to 33.89 % of Bulgaria's area. This puts Bulgaria's percentage among the highest in Europe.

Figure 2. NATURA 2000