Eng. R. Radev: The protective belts need to be restored.
Six damaged field protection forest belts will be recreated
The work on felling and subsequent reforestation of six completely dried ash field protection belts started this week, on the territory of State Hunting Unit Balchik, announced the Deputy Director of the unit Radoslav Radev. Dead trees in the forest belts must be removed by the end of the year, and three companies will work to be able to complete the felling in time. New seedlings will be planted in place of the cleared trees, from species typical of Northeastern Bulgaria and more resistant to climate change and the growing conditions in the region.
The decision to replace the perished field protection belts comes after two years of research and observation by scientists from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences together with foresters, and as a result of the meeting of experts from various institutions held on 23.09.2021 at the State Hunting Unit Balchik. The meeting was attended by over 50 experts from the Forest Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Science, University of Forestry, Executive Forestry Agency, Regional Forest Directorate – Varna, Northeastern State Enterprise, Forest Protection Station – Varna, Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, Southwestern State Enterprise, Balchik State Hunting Unit, General Toshevo State Forestry Unit and Dobrich State Forestry Unit. The experts got acquainted with the results of the research carried out by the team of Prof. Georgi Georgiev, director of the Forest Institute. He explained that the reasons for the perishing of ash trees are complex. Trees are attacked by several types of pests which destroy leaves and parasitize under tree bark, damaging the conducting tissue. Through the holes made by bark beetles and other insects, fungi spores infiltrate the trees, which further weakens the plants, added Prof. Georgiev. There is also a possibility that ash trees are affected by a highly virulent pathogen – timber samples have been sent abroad and the results of genetic analyzes are awaited. Climate change, and especially humidity shortages, are contributing to the increased vulnerability of ash trees to such damage.
At the end of the information meeting, all experts agreed that the forest belts with major tree loss should be rapidly restored, because they are important for preserving the biodiversity, safeguarding soil moisture, protecting crops and increasing the yields of farmers in Dobruja region. Shortly after the decision of the experts came the permit for felling of the first six completely dried field protection belts on the territory of State Hunting Farm Balchik. They will also be the first to be reforested with the financial support of project „Eradication of invasive alien species, recreation and conservation of priority forest habitats within the Natura 2000 network in Northeastern Bulgaria” LIFE19 NAT / BG / 001133 – LIFE IASHAB.
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