Reserve "Elenova Gora" turns 64 yaers
30 August 2025
On today's date - August 30, in 1961, the reserve "Elenova Gora" was declared. It is located in the Central Balkan Mountains in the Kalofer Mountains, outside the Central Balkan National Park (NBNP), near its eastern border. Its area is 539 decares. Since 2006, by Order of the Minister of Environment and Water, the reserve has been included in the area of activity and under the management of the Directorate of the Central Balkan National Park.
"Elenova Gora" was created with the aim of protecting and preserving a centuries-old virgin beech forest located in the Gabrovnitsa River basin. The extremely steep and inaccessible terrain, dotted with massive rocks, has helped the nature here to remain untouched by man to this day.
The forests subject to protection are predominantly beech, with occasional participation of other deciduous species such as common hornbeam, sycamore, and common fir. Their average age is 160-170 years, and some trees exceed 200 years. The tree population is extremely straight-stemmed and tall, and among them there are also those with a height exceeding 30 m.
Although the plant diversity is not very high (132 species, representatives of higher vegetation, which is 3.4% of the country's flora), some of the rare and endangered species can be found within the boundaries of the Reserve, such as the yew, the Balkan warbler, the mountain crocus, etc.
The rare and conservation-significant representatives of the animal kingdom are also not few, given the small size of the protected area. 117 species of animals out of a total of 273 have nature conservation status. Among them are the half-white-necked flycatcher, the bear, the otter, the long-eared bat, etc.
Unfortunately, there are no tourist trails or routes through the territory of the Elenova Gora reserve, so nature lovers can only admire it by passing by it on its periphery.
More information about the reserve HERE.
"Elenova Gora" was created with the aim of protecting and preserving a centuries-old virgin beech forest located in the Gabrovnitsa River basin. The extremely steep and inaccessible terrain, dotted with massive rocks, has helped the nature here to remain untouched by man to this day.
The forests subject to protection are predominantly beech, with occasional participation of other deciduous species such as common hornbeam, sycamore, and common fir. Their average age is 160-170 years, and some trees exceed 200 years. The tree population is extremely straight-stemmed and tall, and among them there are also those with a height exceeding 30 m.
Although the plant diversity is not very high (132 species, representatives of higher vegetation, which is 3.4% of the country's flora), some of the rare and endangered species can be found within the boundaries of the Reserve, such as the yew, the Balkan warbler, the mountain crocus, etc.
The rare and conservation-significant representatives of the animal kingdom are also not few, given the small size of the protected area. 117 species of animals out of a total of 273 have nature conservation status. Among them are the half-white-necked flycatcher, the bear, the otter, the long-eared bat, etc.
Unfortunately, there are no tourist trails or routes through the territory of the Elenova Gora reserve, so nature lovers can only admire it by passing by it on its periphery.
More information about the reserve HERE.
