The restoration of the great Bulgarian oak forest has started from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast due to the three-year-long project which ended in January, 2014. The project was carried out by the state reserves in Balchik and Nessebar. It was part of the EC program aimed at the preservation of the biodiversity entitled Life Plus. Evidence about the great Bulgarian forest also known as Magna Silva Bulgarica, which once covered nearly the whole territory of this country, dates back to the ancient data sources. Most of this forest consisted of oak trees.  The oak was viewed during antiquity as a sacred tree. This is why it was so well preserved and planted, unlike some later periods when a large-scale logging started in Europe. The latter was followed by a period of forestation with coniferous trees mainly. However, the changes made the forest more vulnerable. Finally, the restoration of the oak forests which emerged thousands of years ago has started.

The initiative of the forest experts from the Bulgarian coastal region deserves admiration. They started to restore the oak forests through forestation with local oak types which existed in this area in antiquity. The oak is the “lion” of the trees, says Associate Professor Maria Broshtilova from the Oak Experiment Station at the Executive Forest Agency, quoting the French philosopher Jean Prieur. Mrs Broshtilova who is one of the leading experts in this project says that it encompasses two protected coastal zones Emine-Irakli and the valley of River Batova and adds:

“These two zones are exceptionally beautiful, as they combine the landscape of both the forests and the Black Sea. However, they need protection and restoration”, says Associate Professor Broshtilova. The recent research and the maps of the Natura 2000 network in Bulgaria show that the protected zones along the Bulgarian seacoast are in the worst state. This is due to both climate change and human activity. This project will help us restore some 115 hectares of oak habitats along the coastline. We have collected over 10 tons of acorns for the purpose. We also planted 400 thousand saplings, mainly oak trees, as well as some of its typical natural forest cohabitants. In my view, this project contributes to some extent to the preservation and the restoration of the most precious oak forests in Bulgaria. We are all aware of the big challenges the future climate change is likely to bring us. The forests, including the oak ones in Bulgaria are the only and most-secure protection against the world climate changes.”

With regard to the latter, Maria Broshtilova reminds the words of renowned writer Anton Chekhov who planter a small forest around his villa in the Moscow suburbs. “When I listen to the whisper of my forest I know that I contribute to the climate a bit” Anton Chekhov used to say. If mankind is happy in 1,000 years, it will be due to my activity as well”, was what Chekhov said a century ago.

The campaign launched under the title “I support the restoration of the great Bulgarian oak forest” received good comments within the frameworks of the project. The campaign went under the auspices of Bulgarian President Rossen Plevneliev. The will to restore the ancient oak forests united citizens and civil structures, journalists, students and actors from all around Bulgaria. The campaign was predominantly directed at Bulgarians living abroad with the following message: “Come to Bulgaria, plant a tree in the land of Spartacus, Orpheus and Dyonisus. The first step was the creation of the so-called Student’s Forest in the valley of River Batova near the coastal town of Balchik, followed by other similar initiatives in the whole country. The students from the town of Pernik (South Western Bulgaria) who planted a forest of 600 oak saplings were the most active participants.

Prominent Bulgarian writer Anton Donchev was among the campaign’s main faces. He shared with the environmentalists interesting historical facts and legends linked with the ancient oak forests. In his words, the ancient rulers were the first creators of the natural reserves and keepers of the biodiversity on these lands. When Alexander the Great arrived to Persia, he came across hunting estates enclosed by three- meter- high and 30 to 40 kilometer-long walls, says the Bulgarian writer. Voden state hunting reserve in Northeastern Bulgaria is an inheritor of such an estate. Academician Donchev tells an interesting parable about Saint Kliment of Ohrid who was the first bishop who preached in Bulgarian and taught some 3,500 clergymen use the Slavonic script. He was also the founder of the Ohrid Literary School (situated currently on the lands of Macedonia and Albania). However, Saint Kliment of Ohrid was a forester who dealt with cultivation of wild fruit trees as well. His associates covered half of today’s Macedonia with cultivated trees, the Bulgarian writer contends. Here is the parable itself:

“A monk told Saint Kliment of Ohrid: “We built here new houses and churches, but there is nothing on the pathways near them. We should plant some trees there, so we can have shadows and birds around. Bishop Kliment agreed and asked what types of trees they had to plant. Apple trees, poplars and tilia (lime trees) would growth fastest, said the monk adding that these were soft trees and were not suitable for the making of beams, bridges or houses. What should we plant then, the monk asked Kliment? And continued: “We should better plant some oak trees. However, looking at your bald head and my white beard, none of us would definitely pass under the shadow of these oaks”. “It does not matter, start planting oaks right now”, Kliment of Ohrid said.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov