Rila Monastery Nature Park Management Plan - part - usaid

February 2004
Distribution of the forest estate by incline
The forest massifs in RMNP are typically situated on steep or very steep terrain;
about 95 percent of the wooded areas are inclined at 20º or over (Table 14). The
existence of centuries-old forest on such slopes is vital as they prevent topsoil erosion
and slow down surface water outflow, which in turn prevents torrents and flooding.
Indeed, no floods have been recorded in past decades along the Rilska River Valley.
The predominant portion of the Forest Reserve is likewise situated on very steep
terrains. Almost 93.4% of all wooded areas within it are inclined at 30º or over, and
are therefore largely inaccessible (Table 15).
Table 14: Distribution of timber producing areas by incline in RMNP
Even Slanting Sloping Steep Very steep Total
ground ground ground slopes slopes
Incline (º) 0-4 5-10 11-20 21-30 Over 30
Area (ha) 4.7 43.2 483.4 2,470.1 6,838.6 9,840.0
% - 0.4 4.9 25.1 69.6 100.0
Table 15: Distribution of timber producing areas by incline in
Rila Monastery Forest Reserve
Even
ground
Slanting
ground
Sloping
ground
Steep
slopes Very steep slopes
Rila Monastery Nature Park
Management Plan -Draft
2004 - 2013
Total
Incline (º) 0-4 5-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 50 +
Area (ha) - - 27.3 126.6 868.6 1,139.6 162.9 2,325.0
% - - 1.2 5.4 37.4 49.0 7.0 100.0
Types of forest habitats
According to the forest habitat classification system adopted in Bulgaria,
geographically RMNP lies within the Thracian forest-vegetation zone, sub-zone Rila.
Altitudinally, it is situated in the medium and high-mountain forest vegetation zone.
In terms of the richness or paucity of soils, there are very poor, poor, medium rich
and very rich soils in a ratio of 0.5 : 29.3 : 64.6 : 5.6%.
In terms of moisture content, the most common soils are dry, fresh and moist; their
percentage in the Park’s territory being, respectively, 5%, 89% and 6%. There is an
intermediary sub-category under fresh soils: fresh to moist.
Consequently, a predominant proportion of all habitats in RMNP are, most generally,
defined as fresh to humid and medium-rich to rich. In such growth conditions, forests
are very productive, resistant to diseases and pests and capable of renewing
themselves in a natural way.
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