It appears that the Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are the backbone of the European econetwork, as they are areas of primary significance to the conservation of endangered bird species. The inventory contains key facts about the current status of endangered birds in each of the Important Bird Areas, as well as the necessary measures for their protection and recommendations for curbing certain human and economic activities in the areas.
“The inventory itself provides a list of the minimum areas to be designated in the Natura 2000 network, as well as the best justification why exactly those areas have to be included,” Irina Mateeva from the BSPB told a Radio Bulgaria reporter. “It can also serve as a guidebook to decision-makers as regards the European ecological network and its management. Potential investors will find information on what activities are allowed and what prohibited in their targeted areas, so as to avoid the extinction of valuable species and the destruction of their habitats. On the other hand, the inventory is important to land owners, whose plots fall into the Natura 2000 territories, with information about restricted activities and the compensations they are entitled to because of the imposed bans on certain economic activities in the territories.”
According to the inventory, there are currently 114 important bird areas in Bulgaria.
“Each of the areas is important for the conservation of the populations of more than 200 bird species endangered on a European or global scale,” Irina Mateeva goes on to say. “Or others, for example, that have not faced extinction, but tend to gather in huge numbers in one area, which nevertheless makes them even more vulnerable, like the geese that spend the winter months in large communities in certain wetlands. However, there still remain about 20 endangered bird species that have not been covered sufficiently by the Important Bird Areas network. One such example is the imperial eagle, whose habitat is Mount Sakar, or the diving ducks in Lake Burgas, or the wheatear species that dwell the area of cape Kaliakra.”
It is worth noting that Mount Sakar, Cape Kaliakra and Mount Strandzha remained outside the government-approved territories for designation into the Natura 2000 network. In fact, nearly half of the areas proposed by the scientists has been rejected, which, in the opinion of the environmentalists, poses a serious threat to the conservation of biodiversity in Bulgaria. This holds true in particular of bird life. Out of a total of 120 endangered bird species included in Annex I of the Birds Directive of the European Union, 106 have been seriously threatened by the government decision, Irina Mateeva argues and adds:
“Unfortunately the decision was based on nothing else but economic benefit. In some of the areas that have been left out of the Natura 2000 territories there is some kind of lucrative interest. Those places are emblematic on a world scale. For instance, Lake Shabla and Lake Durankulak, in the northeast, have been declared part of the European network of Important Bird Areas as early as 1989. That is why, from a scientific point of view, the decision of the Bulgarian government is unacceptable and it won’t be long before the European Commission imposes respective sanctions. The Bulgarian authorities have already received a letter of warning to that effect because of the delay in the aligning of Bulgarian legislation to the provisions of the Birds and Habitats Directives. And if Bulgaria wants to avoid being sued at the European Court of Justice, the government has to include the rejected areas and declare them part of the Natura 2000 territories in the shortest of terms,” the bird protection expert says in conclusion.
Written by Maria Dimitrova
English version by Radostin Zhelev