Bio-diversity

The objective of the project is to provide incentives for nature friendly forest management, sustainable hunting, efficient management of high conservation value habitats and species in West Rhodope Mountain and Rila National Park, through business partnerships. The main activities of the project, leading to the achievement of this objective are: - Develop and present to local stakeholders a model for good for nature business, based on the sustainable hunting of capercaillie and conservation of its habitats; - Establish the basis for analysis, planning and implementation of activities and policies for protection, restoration and sustainable management of forest ecosystems with globally important biodiversity; - Increase the awareness, capacity, coordination and partnership among institutions, local communities, NGOs and business for conservation and sustainable management of forest ecosystems; The project also envisages: - Develop an eco-tourism product for bird watching for capercaillie and the related to it boreal fauna; - Develop and publish a guideline on Observation of Capercaillie and boreal fauna and forest management best practice ; - Mapping the distribution of the species and its leks; - Analysis of threats in West Rhodope mountain and Rila National Park; - Study on the indicator parameters of capercaillie; - Develop and submit a TOR for the elaboration of an Action Plan for the protection of capercaillie in Bulgaria; - Elaborate an Action Plan for the protection of capercaillie and its habitats in Bulgaria; - Integrate the identified capercaillie protection measures into national and regional documents on hunting and forest management; - GIS model and analysis; - Identify core areas, important for conservation of species and habitats, and prepare proposal for PA designation; - Training to staff of Rila National Park and Hunting and Fishing Union Devin on legislation and biodiversity monitoring; - Joint actions with MOEW, SFA and the police aiming to control the implementation of the hunting law; - Information and awareness raising campaign; design and production of printed materials (calendar); - Updated web page on capercaillie within BFB s website; Using the capercaillie as an umbrella species and implementing measures for its protection, will ensure the protection of a whole set of other important species, 63 in total, of which 54 animal and 9 floral species. Twenty eight of these are included in the red list of IUCN (IUCN 2008 2008 IUCN Red List Of Threatened Species), and one sub-species (White-backed Woodpecker) is threatened with extinction in its distribution areal. Given the under-studied status of regions with capercailllie habitats, it is quite possible to identify other high conservation value species linked to capercaillie leks. Forests are important not only for biodiversity conservation, but also for their role in mitigating climate change. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and reduces its emission in the atmosphere. When cut, the forest releases the greenhouse gases. Cutting forests has negative effect on climate change first by releasing bad emissions, and second by reducing its absorption capacity. In its recent report prepared for the economic forum in Davos, one of the most influential consulting companies in the world, McKinsey, points out that forestry is the second most important sector in terms of its potential to reduce carbon emissions. The model, prepared in 2008, for the distribution of capercaillie in the West Rhodope, mountain, 34 904.34 ha of forests, important for the species, have been identified. With the CO2FIX V 3.1. model , it was estimated, that these forests contain about 2 154 714 tons CO2. Project Budget Total:133 206,50 lv. From GEF SGP: 66 586, 50 lv., 49, 99%

Bulgaria