Rila Monastery Nature Park Management Plan - part - usaid

February 2004
The Management Plan describes tourism as the most significant potential source of
income and economic growth opportunities in the region. Successful and sustainable
tourism development can only be done in a manner consistent with the conservation
of the Park’s biological diversity. The Management Plan focuses simultaneously upon
the spiritual role of the Monastery, reviving its role as a cultural and educational
center, and on the development of ecotourism, respecting the natural environment and
acting responsible for its preservation. In the Plan, this is achieved through the
designation of two zones – the Holy Sites and Cultural Heritage Zone, and the
Tourism Zone, each with specific compulsory regimes and norms. The Holy Sites
Zone aims to limit and remove the activities that do not comply with the Orthodox
canons and traditions of the holy places. These activities are transferred to the
receiving section of the Park, or the Tourism Zone. For example, most of the tourism
services such as information, accommodation, catering, parking, and souvenir shops
are developed in areas away from the Monastery; they can be organized in
compliance with the described regimes and norms. It is also envisaged that tourist
behavior rules will be introduced. The access system for travel to the separate parts of
the Park, and the transportation and parking rules outlined in the Management Plan
also contribute to the restoration of the sacred atmosphere around the Monastery, to
other religious sites, and to the conservation of biological diversity.
Funding for the implementation of the programs and projects described in the
Management Plan can be secured from various sources. The presence of the
Management Plan is often a precondition for attracting investments and it can be used
as a tool for raising funds locally and internationally. Some of the activities will be
funded directly by the state budget. Other projects and programs could benefit from
applications for conservation funds from Bulgarian and international organizations
such as the National Trust EcoFund, funds from the European Union, UNESCO,
IUCN, etc. Still other projects could be funded by Park landowners or by investors
acting on their behalf and in their interest. Activities related to biological diversity
conservation, Park management and control could also be funded through donations.
Finally, the implementation of activities within the Park will also rely upon the
support of the local people.
Changes to the zones, regimes, and norms prescribed by the protected area
management plans can be done according to the regulations of the Protected Areas
Act. Every four years from the date the Management Plan was adopted, the Ministry
of Environment and Water organizes a public hearing to review its implementation
with the general public. The Management Plan’s implementation is also monitored
and controlled through the annual reports prepared by the Park Directorate.
The presence of the Nature Park and the Management Plan reinforces the exceptional
spiritual role of the Rila Monastery. Through them, preservation of the harmony
between the Monastery and nature can be guaranteed in the manner that has been
maintained for centuries. The Plan assumes that all religious activities will continue
to be performed as per their current practice while securing the conservation of the
natural environment of the Rila holy cloister. These activities are the exclusive
responsibility and right of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the
Rila Monastery. The activities related to the preservation and maintenance of the Rila
Monastery will continue as the responsibility of both the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Rila Monastery Nature Park
Management Plan Draft
2004 - 2013
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