Central Balkan NPD participates in an annual meeting on old-growth beech forests in Muzcne, Poland
13 October 2025
From 5 to 8 October, the annual meeting of the Joint Management Committee (JMC) of the serial World Heritage Site “Old and Primary Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions in Europe” was held in Muzcne, Poland (Biezchady National Park).
The meeting was attended by Renata Krzysztof-Kosinska, a representative of the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Poland, the Chair of the Permanent Secretariat of the Integrated Management Structure of the serial WHS for Beech Forests, Jana Mikudova from Slovakia, as well as representatives of the Permanent Secretariat of the Site from Austria and Belgium. The forum was also attended by experts from relevant institutions included in the national coordination groups for the serial WHS of the partner countries, representatives of the protected areas included in the Site, etc.
The Bulgarian team was represented by Eng. Gergana Dimitrova from the Ministry of Environment and Waters, Georgi Krastev – Director of the Central Balkan National Park Directorate and three experts from the Park Directorate.
The meeting was opened with a welcome address by Ms. Renata Krzysztof-Kosinska, after which the Director of the Biezchady National Park – Ryszard Predki introduced the attendees to the Park – the host of the event, by presenting the characteristic features of the region, nature and the achievements of the Polish colleagues in its management. During the working meeting, the unified approaches to the management of all 93 components of the Site in the already 18 partner countries were discussed. The current reports on the status of the Site were also discussed, reflecting the progress of the JMC in solving problems marked by UNESCO or IUCN, as well as topics from the previous meeting of the World Heritage Committee, the upcoming new memberships in the serial OS and a number of other topics related to the serial site. With a field visit, the participants in the meeting had the opportunity to visit one of the Polish components of the Serial Site in the country.
In 2026, Bulgaria has the honor of hosting the annual meeting of the Joint Management Committee of the Serial Site “Old and Primary Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions in Europe”. Director Georgi Krastev expressed the readiness of the Park Directorate to welcome foreign guests to the Central Balkan National Park, where they will be able to get to know the largest component of the Serial Site up close.
“Old and Primary Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions in Europe” aims to preserve natural, unaffected by human activity, unique beech forests throughout Europe that have survived from the Ice Age to the present day. The inclusion of various components in the serial site (93 components with a total area of nearly 100,000 ha, located in 18 European countries) aims to cover the greatest possible representation and ensure their full protection and conservation. The beech forests of the 9 reserves of the Central Balkan were included in the List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage as part of the Serial Site in July 2017 by a decision of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Natural, old and with rich biodiversity - the beech forests of the Park, part of the component, are an example of preserved nature and recognition of good management of the Protected Area by the Directorate of the Central Balkan National Park.
The meeting was attended by Renata Krzysztof-Kosinska, a representative of the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Poland, the Chair of the Permanent Secretariat of the Integrated Management Structure of the serial WHS for Beech Forests, Jana Mikudova from Slovakia, as well as representatives of the Permanent Secretariat of the Site from Austria and Belgium. The forum was also attended by experts from relevant institutions included in the national coordination groups for the serial WHS of the partner countries, representatives of the protected areas included in the Site, etc.
The Bulgarian team was represented by Eng. Gergana Dimitrova from the Ministry of Environment and Waters, Georgi Krastev – Director of the Central Balkan National Park Directorate and three experts from the Park Directorate.
The meeting was opened with a welcome address by Ms. Renata Krzysztof-Kosinska, after which the Director of the Biezchady National Park – Ryszard Predki introduced the attendees to the Park – the host of the event, by presenting the characteristic features of the region, nature and the achievements of the Polish colleagues in its management. During the working meeting, the unified approaches to the management of all 93 components of the Site in the already 18 partner countries were discussed. The current reports on the status of the Site were also discussed, reflecting the progress of the JMC in solving problems marked by UNESCO or IUCN, as well as topics from the previous meeting of the World Heritage Committee, the upcoming new memberships in the serial OS and a number of other topics related to the serial site. With a field visit, the participants in the meeting had the opportunity to visit one of the Polish components of the Serial Site in the country.
In 2026, Bulgaria has the honor of hosting the annual meeting of the Joint Management Committee of the Serial Site “Old and Primary Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions in Europe”. Director Georgi Krastev expressed the readiness of the Park Directorate to welcome foreign guests to the Central Balkan National Park, where they will be able to get to know the largest component of the Serial Site up close.
“Old and Primary Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions in Europe” aims to preserve natural, unaffected by human activity, unique beech forests throughout Europe that have survived from the Ice Age to the present day. The inclusion of various components in the serial site (93 components with a total area of nearly 100,000 ha, located in 18 European countries) aims to cover the greatest possible representation and ensure their full protection and conservation. The beech forests of the 9 reserves of the Central Balkan were included in the List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage as part of the Serial Site in July 2017 by a decision of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Natural, old and with rich biodiversity - the beech forests of the Park, part of the component, are an example of preserved nature and recognition of good management of the Protected Area by the Directorate of the Central Balkan National Park.
