By Denitsa Raykova | Donor Relations and Care Specialist
What will happen to the lynx if its home - the forest - disappears? Nothing good.
If we want to protect wildlife and help species like the lynx return to their historic habitats, we first need to make sure the environment is suitable for them.
Recently, we in Bulgaria have faced a very serious threat to one of our country's natural treasures - the beautiful Bulgarian forests. As well as being extremely valuable to people, they are also home to thousands of plant and animal species. It was therefore essential to stand up in their defence.
Threat to Bulgarian forests
WWF Bulgaria rang the alarm that the Bulgarian state is preparing dangerous amendments to two regulations that would empower uncontrolled logging in Bulgarian forests. These are changes to the Ordinance on logging in forests and the Ordinance on construction in forest areas.
The amendments to the Ordinance on logging provide for mass felling to make clearings for harvesters - heavy logging machines. If adopted, they will allow up to 17% of the forest area to be eligible for clearfelling. Parallel amendments to the Ordinance on construction in forest areas ensure that this 17% is reached by regulating the construction of a new type of haul road for harvesters.
Damage to forest functions
If enacted, the changes will cause:
All this at a time when natural disasters are becoming more intense and more destructive, and forests are our most important ally in the fight against climate change.
The proposed changes are contrary to the normal functions of forests and the ecosystem services they provide to people. These include protection of soil and water resources, air purification, maintenance of biodiversity, provision of social, educational, scientific, landscape and recreational benefits to society, climate regulation and carbon sequestration. Without forests, our lives would not be the same.
It is abundantly clear that the destruction of such a vast forest area would also be terribly damaging to the many animal species that depend on forests for their existence.
What did WWF undertake?
WWF reacted swiftly against the dangerous changes by organising a petition in defence of the forests. We are happy and proud that thousands of citizens supported the expert position of our organization! In just over two weeks, nearly 6,000 people have joined the initiative and sent their opinions to the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food, expressing their opposition to the planned changes. The response was truly phenomenal!
We are still awaiting the reaction of the institutions following the submissions and the outcome of the case. We will continue to monitor the situation closely. We are ready to react with follow-up actions if necessary. We will never stop protecting forests - home to the lynx and to so many other species!
Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supports our efforts to help nature and wildlife!
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