Old-growth forest area and supplies in Bulgaria have seen a sustained increase over the past 50 years, Emil Rakydjiev, chief expert at the Executive Forest Agency, told a round table organized by WWF.
The total area of old-growth high-stem forests in Bulgaria exceeds 408 000 ha, accounting for 11% of the entire forest land. The supply adds up to 121 million cubic metres, which speaks for almost 19% of the total supply. Over the years, old-growth forest land has been increasing more rapidly than the land of all forests.
In 2010, the average forest age increased to 53 years.
Certified state forest land is expected to almost touch the 600 000 ha mark this year.
The round table is part of a WWF campaign to preserve Bulgaria’s old-growth forests and is designed to trigger a public discussion on the successes and challenges in their management and protection.