The oldest park on the Balkan Peninsula and the most visited protected area, Vitosha Nature Park celebrated its 90th anniversary.
The official celebration was held at the BAS in the presence of employees, former and current heads of the directorate, colleagues, like-minded people, representatives of partner organizations, volunteers and friends of the park.
Eng. Sevdalina Dimitrova, Director of the Directorate of the Natural Park presented archival photos and documents related to the history of the park, the first attempts to preserve it at the end of the 19th century, its declaration as a National Park on October 27, 1934, as well as the work of the employees of the directorate over the years.
The director emphasized that the total length of the paths and alleys in the mountain is more than 300 kilometers. This is the most visited park territory, and a part of the European tourist route that connects the Pyrenees with the Alps, Rila and Peloponnese passes through it. The main tourist routes in the Park are more than 30, and the lift facilities have a total length of 13 kilometers.
Deputy Minister Dr. Eng. Miroslav Marinov congratulated the team of the park directorate for the work and care with which they managed to preserve its unique nature.
“We are blessed to have such a mountain next to our capital and I claim that we are indebted to the mountain and the people of Sofia. Only united together – state, municipality, park employees and citizens of Sofia can we preserve the mountain as it was preserved by the people before us and to pass it on to future generations,” he emphasized.
The Executive Director of the Forestry Executive Agency – Eng. Stoyan Toshev congratulated the current team of the Directorate, all former managers and employees of the Park for having given and continue to contribute to the good management of the Park.
According to him, this anniversary is also an emotional occasion for the thousands of volunteers, friends of the Nature Park, who support the team in the activities of building and maintaining the park infrastructure, as well as for all institutions and organizations, partners of the park in the implementation of projects and activities related to with its refinement and development.
Official guests of the event were also the Mayor of Sofia Municipality, Vasil Terziev, Eng. Valentin Chambov, Director of the Southwest State Enterprise, Dr. Ivan Paligorov, Chairman of the Union of Foresters, Eng. Vasil Vasilev, Chairman of SLRB, the management and experts of the Executive forestry agency, directors of regional directorates, natural parks, representatives of state enterprises, state hunting and forestry farms.
Eng. Sevdalina Dimitrova presented honorary plaques to all the former managers of the park, who contributed to its good management and sustainable management.
The official celebration is part of a series of events dedicated to the landmark anniversary. The month of September was full of various initiatives with the participation of the smallest friends of the park, a visit to the bear and owl museums. A few days ago, a children’s adventure and educational park “White Birches” was opened on the territory of Vitosha, the facilities of which became part of the already separate fun and educational facilities for children, with which the park administration will welcome teenagers all year round.
This Saturday there will be a tourist hike from the town of Zlatni mostove – Children’s ecostation “Beli Brezi” and the opening of a fountain, and on October 29, the organizers have planned a hike with the group for night hikes “Lunatic Walks”.
From October 27, an exhibition of photos of PP Vitosha will be arranged in the Regional History Museum, which will remain until February 2025, the Forestry Executive Agency announced.