Systems of Timber Felling
The felling of timber in Bulgaria is carefully organized and supervised by the Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture. Every year, the Ministry prepares a special programme that outlines where and how much timber may be cut.
The State is responsible for felling trees in both state-owned forests and parish (community) forests, following these official plans. Private owners, on the other hand, must follow approved management plans, which are written in detailed tables to ensure that their forests are not overexploited.
There are three main systems of forest management in Bulgaria:
The State fells its own forests and those belonging to parishes.
The right to fell timber is sold by public auction.
The right to fell trees is granted to a third party, such as a contractor or company.
Timber Sales and Harvesting Periods
Timber from state and parish forests is sold in different ways—by auction, by special concessions, or directly to local inhabitants at prices fixed by the forest authorities.
The felling season depends on the type of forest:
Pine and fir trees may be cut throughout the year Customized Guided Turkey Tours.
Other types of trees are cut only between September 15th and March 31st to protect the forest during the growing season.
All revenues from the sale of timber in state forests go to the State Treasury. Income from parish forests also goes to the State, but it is then used exclusively for the maintenance and improvement of those parish forests. Any surplus money is returned to the local parishes. However, parish councils generally have no control or direct involvement in the management of their own forests—the Ministry handles all major decisions.
Propagation and Renewal of Forests
To maintain a healthy balance between felling and regrowth, Bulgaria enforces strict reforestation rules. Villages are required to plant trees on a portion of their land:
Villages within forests must reforest 45% of their land.
Villages near forests must reforest 25%.
Villages in open plains must reforest 6%.
If these goals are not reached naturally, artificial planting methods are used. The work is carried out under state supervision, especially in ecologically important regions.
Because Bulgarian soil is rich in nutrients, young trees grow quickly and strongly. Even though forest care was once minimal, the results of reforestation have been very successful. Many landowners plant trees not for profit, but to beautify their land or improve air quality and health conditions.
Methods of Forest Renewal
Existing forests are renewed mainly through natural regeneration, which is supported by a planned and periodic system of felling. This approach is both low-cost and well-suited to the local types of timber.
However, there are still some challenges. Because Bulgarian foresters lack experience, the mixing of tree species often changes the character of the forests. In many cases, high forests with tall trees are gradually transformed into low, bushy growths, while the opposite rarely happens.
In summary, Bulgaria’s forestry system at the time aimed to balance timber production with forest renewal. Through careful planning, government supervision, and community responsibility, the country worked to ensure that its forests would continue to provide economic, environmental, and aesthetic value for generations to come.