Two new projects, which will be implemented with the participation of SWDP DP, will start in early September 2020.
“Environmentally friendly forestry – multifunctional solutions for changing forests and communities” is a 7-year international project to adapt forest management to climate change, funded by the European Commission’s LIFE Climate Action Programme. Partners are the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Czech University of Natural Sciences in Prague, the Slovenian State Forest Enterprise and the Hungarian National Association of Private Forest Owners.
The project will pilot 3 main measures for adaptation of forests to climate change. The implementation of the project is important for the local communities in the region, as increasing the resilience of forests to climate change will ensure the preservation of their extremely important economic, water protection and recreational functions. More information about the project can be found on the website of SWSFE.
“Eradication of invasive alien species, restoration and protection of priority forest habitats from the Natura 2000 network in Northeastern Bulgaria” is a 5-year project that will be implemented in partnership with Northeastern State Enterprise and financial support of the LIFE Nature 2019 Programme of the European Commission. Within the framework of the project, plantations of invasive tree species on an area of 105,3 ha on the territory of NSE will be removed, and in their place will be afforested typical for the region mixed deciduous forests.
The work also includes the restoration of field protection belts in unfavorable condition, and will be carried out on an area of nearly 200 ha, as all the plantations planned for replacement and restoration fall into protected areas of the Natura 2000 network.
The South-Western Development Project will produce 50,000 container saplings for afforestation activities under the project and will organize activities for exchange of experience in the field of restoration of natural forest ecosystems in protected areas of Natura 2000.
In addition to SWSFE, partners in the implementation of the project are the Executive FOrestry Agency, Romsilva, the North-central State Enterprise, the Association of Bulgarian grain producers-2006 and WWF.
More information about the project can be found on the web-page of SIDP DP.