National strategy for sustainable development of the forestry sector of the Republic of Bulgaria 2006–2015.

The National strategy for sustainable development of the forestry sector of the Republic of Bulgaria programmed for the period from 2006 until 2015 is here promulgated. This Strategy is also based on the principles adopted by FAO and other relevant international organizations and bodies as listed in the text (page 5).
Main topics covered in this Strategy are here listed: wood/timber resources and their management; national forestry management, also forestry and regional development; general forest protection and monitoring; forest firers and forest fire fighting protection; non-timber forest resources; hunting and fishing on forest lands; medicinal plants, mushrooms, forest fruits and other similar forest varieties; biological and landscape diversity in relation to forests; protected natural territories or lands with forests, or located on forest areas; social functions of Bulgarian forests; forest tourism and recreation; forestry industry; role of the state administration; human resources, education and research; forest ownership issues; information management; public participation and engaged non-governmental organizations; European integration and international cooperation.
Bulgarian forests are a national value. Forest ecosystem resources shall be preserved and enriched and shall contribute to the overall environmental, social and economic functions, all aimed at improving people's quality of life, including rural people interests and prosperity. The forests are managed professionally, based on the achievements of highly developed forestry sector science, while respecting and integrating interests to all stakeholders. Bulgarian forestry is developed by highly qualified reputable and respected foresters who provide quality services for guaranteeing sustainable management; Bulgarian forestry is developed on the basis of the sustainable forest management in a well-developed market environment.
Main strategic objective is to increase the afforested area of the country, improve its state and timber resources, also for the achievement of compliance with generally accepted criteria and indicators for sustainability management through several indicators and instruments, aimed at creating environmentally friendly forestry systems, also based on the natural renewable potential of forests.
Core strategic actions determined by this text are: restoration of bad affected forest areas and of those destroyed by fires, drying, grazing and illegal logging; promotion of afforestation in agricultural areas, including the needs of production of biomass, also by using specialized national and international funding schemes; extension of application of forestry systems, leading to the formation of mixed, structurally heterogeneous unified land parcels; preparation and introduction of a national inventory of forests; increasing the output of cultivated plantations and crops; implementation of specific forestry measures for the purpose of production of high quality wood or timber products; preparation of a new national integrated programme for the forest erosion control; introduction of multifunctional forest planning and improving of forest planning for the purpose of achievement of multifunctional and sustainable forest management; support for initiatives and measures related to necessary forest certifications; adaptation of afforestation to climate change.