Regional Forest Directorate Pazardjik

Geographical situation and relief: RFM Pazardjik, through its 14 partition -11 state foresties and 3 sate gameing stations takes care and guards the forest fund, games and fish on the territory of Pazardjik region.

The same spread over a big part of West Rodopi, Northeast slopes of Rilla, west Middle Forest and Gomotrakiiska lowland. The built artificial lakes: "Batak", "Goljiam Beglik", "Shiroka poljiana", in Rodopi mountain; reservoir "Topolnitca" in Middle Forest, as also flowing across the territory rivers Maritca, Topolnitca, Luda Jana, Chipinska.Stara river, river Dospatska and many tiny rivers diversify the relief.

The whole area of the forest's fund amount to 258 613 ha, which is 57% of common area of the region, 212 720 ha of it are National forest fund, municipality forests 23 858 ha, 9.2 ha forests of Ministry of Ecology, 8 750 ha forests of educational institutions /UNDOLA/, 5 110 ha forests property of private companies and physical persons 7 266 ha and forests of religious organizations 909 ha. Agricultural forests take 64% of the area, but these with special purpose.

The total reserve of wood from the forest's fund amounts to 52 790 396 m^{3, including 36 365 718 m3 - 75% coniferous and 13 424 678 m3 deciduous.}

Average year use by forestay plan amounts to 578 538 m^{3 which is 424 117 m3 coniferous and deciduous - 154 421 m3 including also foreseen use in temporary inaccessible places.}

Predominated part take coniferous forest - 63% in the mountain area, followed by mixed coniferous - deciduous forests in the semi-mountains zone and the deciduous forests - 37% of afforested area.

Natural gifts and diverse relief are reason for diffusion of elite populations of bear, generous deer, fallow deer, mouflone, wild goat, white boar, wolf, wood grouse, roe and etc. All of them have industrial stock and every year high quality trophy can be hunted. The International hunting tourism is provided by excellent sleeping rooms in the hunt houses: "Borovo", "Snejana", in Rodopi, „The Blue Bay" in Beglica, "Chuchurska poljana" in Rakitovo and "Caratepe" in Chepino.

Dozens of mushroom species are spread on huge area: boletus, duck leg, mushroom, parasol; forest fruits like: raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, dog rose and other. More than 100 species of herbals grow there. The beautiful nature combined with plenty of reservoirs and rivers create excellent conditions for developing tourism.

The area of Protected territories amounts to 11 225 ha, which is 45% of whole. On the west part of the region is situated National park "RILLA". Four biosphere preserves had been announced:

„Кирепа", "The hole", "Manataritca" and "Beglika" as the first three of them had been included in the program "Human and biosphere" of UNESCO. The same are under care of Ministry of Ecology.

On this territory are situated 21 protected areas which occupying 3 205 ha, and 18 natural landmarks taking area of 623 ha.

During 1991 RFM Pazardjik took enterprise in announcement of Natural Park "West Rodopi", took up by Committee of forests and than by the organizations for protecting nature

„ Green Balkans" and "Bulgarian cooperation for protecting Rodopi".

This project is provided by GEF/UNDP project and after its establishing it will be the biggest National park in Europe.