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11/12/2023

International Mountain Day 2023

Restoring mountain ecosystems is the theme of this year's International Mountain Day on 11 December.

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04/12/2023

Employees of the Central Balkan National Park presented a lesson on the topic About the Bear.

On the occasion of The Saint Andrew's Day (The Bear Day) on November 30, employees of the Parks Directorate visited Vasil Levskihigh school in the town of Apriltsi and delivered a lesson in the form of a talk about the brown bear. The school's 3rd grade children took part in the activity.

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04/12/2023

The completely renovated Byala Reka eco-trail is open for visitors.

After a complete repair in September and October this year of the Byala Reka eco-trail its official opening became a fact. The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Nikolay Sidzhimov, the Mayor of Kalofer Dragomir Boev, the Deputy Mayor of Karlovo Municipality Anton Minev, experts from the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Central Balkan National Park Directorate and partners.

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29/11/2023

Оn the occasion of St. Andrew's Day, the Park Directorate received a gift - a collage on the theme "The bear, known or unknown"

Today, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, who was the first of the apostles to be called to follow Christ.

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21/11/2023

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15/11/2023

The Green Olympics 2023 - the educational eco-initiative with the support of the Ministry of Education and Culture - is starting

The initiative has been organized since 2011 by Akademika BG and is annually supported by the Ministry of Environment and Water. The platform is active for registration and test solving from today, November 10, 2023 to December 10, 2023. The winners will be announced on December 14, 2023.

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03/11/2023

On the 3rd of November we celebrate the International Day of Biosphere Reserves

The 3rd of November has been designated as the International Day of Biosphere Reserves in 2021 by a Decision of the UNESCO General Conference.

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31/10/2023

A YouTube channel for the Park has been created.

As of today, the Park's YouTube channel is active.

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31/10/2023

Today we celebrate the anniversary of the declaration of the Central Balkan National Park.

Today marks the 32nd anniversary of the declaration of the Central Balkan National Park.

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24/10/2023

Festivals were held at Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve in the municipalities of Karlovo and Anton

The events took place on October 20 in the village of Anton and on October 21 in the town of Karlovo under the title Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve - Common future for people and nature. The places are not chosen randomly, because the two settlements are administrative centers in two of the five municipalities of the transition zone of the Biosphere Reserve.

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18/10/2023

An announcement

Operational plan for carrying out maintenance and restoration activities in forests with accompanying wood extraction.

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10/10/2023

The city of Troyan hosted the second celebration of the Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve

On Saturday (October 7) in the space in front of the Tourist Information Center of the city of Troyan, the second festival event took place under the title "Common Future for People and Nature", organized by the Central Balkan National Park Directorate, supported by the Municipality of Troyan.

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04/10/2023

Today, October 4, we celebrate World Animal Day

Celebrated annually on October 4, World Animal Day is a global social movement that aims to improve animal welfare standards. This momentous day sees the coming together of individuals, animal welfare organizations and the wider community, all working towards a common goal – better protection and care for all animal species that inhabit our planet.

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03/10/2023

The first celebration of the Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve was held in the city of Sevlievo

On Sunday (October 1) in the central city square in the city of Sevlievo, the festival event under the title "Common Future for People and Nature", organized by Central Balkan National Park Directorate, supported by Sevlievo Municipality.

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02/10/2023

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02/10/2023

Celebrating 40 years since the declaration of the Severen (Northern) Dzhendem Reserve

The Central Balkan National Park Directorate celebrates 40 years since the declaration of the Severen Dzhendem reserve.

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30/09/2023

40 years since the declaration of the Severen (North) DzhendemReserve.

Today, September 30, one of the reserves in the Central Balkan" National Park - Severen Jendem turns 40 years since its announcement.

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18/09/2023

Participation in the "Let's clean Bulgaria together" campaign.

And this year, in support of the initiative "Let's clean up Bulgaria in one day, employees of the Central Balkan National Park Directorate" and volunteers cleaned parts of the Park's visitor infrastructure.

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01/09/2023

Children's Drawing Competition "Four Seasons in the Central Balkans"

In connection with the 40th anniversary of the declaration of the "Northern Jendem" reserve, the "Central Balkan National Park" Directorate announces a competition for children's drawing, under the title "Four seasons in the Central Balkan".

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31/08/2023

The movement, stay and parking of motor vehicles is temporarily restricted on the road Troyanski prohod - Dermenka hut in the National Park

Restricted access is introduced on road No. 12 Troyanski prohod locality - Dermenka hut for visitors to the NPCB with motor vehicles (including ATVs and UTVs of all classes) for the purpose of tourism, allowing the movement of up to 10 motor vehicles per day, only on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

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11/08/2023

The road rehabilitated under the Operational Program "Environment" from the Beklemeto area to the Dermenka hut was officially opened

On August 10, a ceremony was held for the official opening of the road that connects the high mountain pass "Beklemeto" with the "Dermenka" hut in the "Central Balkan" National Park.

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10/08/2023

Outdoor lesson "What do we know about the bear?".

On August 9, in the Green Classroom in the yard of the Central Balkan National Park Directorate, as part of the educational program for 2023, an outdoor lesson was held on the topic "What do we know about the bear?".

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Biosphere Reserve

Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve is situated in the most central part of Bulgaria, inextricably connected to the highest part of Stara Planina (Balkan Range). It has an area of over 369,000 hectares and includes the Central Balkan National Park, along with the nine reserves located therein and the territories of 5 of the neighbouring municipalities.

The BR originates from four smaller biosphere reserves included in the MAB program in 1977. These are the strict natural reserves of Boatin, Tsarichina, Steneto and Dzhendema. In 2017, these biosphere reserves were transformed, expanded and renamed to create Central Balkan – Biosphere Reserve, meeting the requirements and principles of Seville's strategy.

Part of the territory of the Central Balkan Biosphere Reserve is a National Park with the same name. It was declared in 1991 and corresponds with the Category II of the IUCN Protected Area Category System.

There are three zones in the BR:
  • Core zone – includes the nine strict natural reserves of Boatin, Tsarichina, Kozya stena, Steneto, Severen Dzhendem, Peeshti skali, Sokolna, Dzhendema and Stara Reka within the boundariae of the national park;
  • Buffer zone – covers the entire territory of the park outside the reserves in it;
  • Transition zone – the territories of the municipalities bordering the National Park – Troyan, Sevlievo, Pavel Banya, Karlovo and Anton.
The region of Central Balkan is one of the most significant natural centres for the protection of biodiversity and wildlife in Europe. It is characterised by significant landscape diversity.
CBNP (the core and buffer zones of the biosphere reserve) is one of the most important ecological corridors in the South Eastern Europe, supporting genetic exchange, distribution and connections between species from the Carpathians and other mountains in Eastern Europe, the southern parts of the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor.
The grasslands are distributed mainly in the upper subalpine and alpine treeless areas in the park. Under the 8 centuries of intensive grazing’s influence (including annual burning of bushes and trees) on the ridge parts of the park have formed extensive grassland communities.
Beech forests cover approximately 60 000 ha of the CBBR and are one of the biggest compact, relatively unchanged by men massifs in Europe. The dominant species is the common beech. Average age of the beech communities in the core and buffer zones of the biosphere reserve is 135 years, including some vital forests aged 240. Coniferous woods have limited size and are vastly dominated by the Norway spruce. The region is the northernmost point in the world and the only one in Stara Planina where the Balkan endemic Macedonian pine is growing naturally.

CBBR presents the opportunities for sustainable development through sustainable tourism, presenting historical and archaeological sites, architectural landmarks and preserved traditional crafts (wood-carving, icon-painting, leather-processing, weaving, pottery, coppersmith), enhance trading with local traditional products (home-made production of cheese, milk, rakia (Bulgarian brandy), wine, jams and other conserved food), as well as cultural festivals and gastronomic tourism and exchange of experience with other BR. The BR represents a framework for the sustainable development of the region.
The BR has a collective management body – an Advisory Council that plans and coordinates activities with the participation of all stakeholders.

Биосферен парк „Централен Балкан“