Given the unique circumstances in 2020, the six winners of the 2020 “Natura 2000” Awards were announced at an exclusive hybrid Ceremony, on 14 October 2020. The six winners include activities on “Natura 2000” sites in Finland, France, Belgium, Spain, Bulgaria and a trans-boundary project involving sites in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania.
This year, the European Citizens’ Award was won by the project “Partnership for protection of Bulgarian old-growth forests in Natura 2000”. The project helped to reconcile conflicting interests over the designation of forest-related “Natura 2000” sites.
The project partners - Executive Forest Agency (EFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry of Bulgaria, WWF Bulgaria, Association of Parks in Bulgaria, and Balkani Wildlife Society, carried out extensive surveys and GIS mapping to draw up an inventory of old growth forests in state-owned forests habitats. The final list of sites was agreed among interested stakeholders during a long process of exchanges and consultations. The process resulted in an additional 109 300 ha of old-growth forests being designated for protection and excluded from harvesting.