site.btaBulgaria's Forest Area Has Increased by 300,000 ha in Past Decade

Bulgaria's Forest Area Has Increased by 300,000 ha in Past Decade

Pernik, July 13 (BTA) - The forest area in Bulgaria has increased by 300,000 ha in the past ten years, the head of the Executive Forest Agency, Toni Krastev, told BTA in an interview. According to him, the increase is due to insufficient measurement and the spreading of forests to deserted neighbouring meadows.

Two thirds of Bulgarian forests are deciduous and one third coniferous, Krastev noted. The distribution of forest fires is similar - 2/3 occur in deciduous forests, because they are in proximity to inhabited areas. Around 97 per cent of fires are caused by human activities. Of all forest fires, 66 per cent spread from agricultural land. Arson accounts for eight to ten per cent of forest fires, he said. The recovery of forests destroyed by fire costs between 15,000 to 16,000 leva per ha.

The expert noted that logging in Bulgaria is on the rise. The large supply on the market has kept prices constant in the past few years, especially of firewood. Only two per cent of forests are infested by bark beetles, he explained. The infestations are caused by the lack of regular logging in artificial forests, which causes trees to become superannuated. A policy was introduced after 2000, which aims to reduce afforestation. According to him, arboriculturists must study the natural processes and help and guide nature.