Improving Civil Participation in the Process of Formulation, Fmplementation and Monitoring of the Policy for Preservation, Management and Development of Forests in the Municipality of Botevgrad

Acc. to the Forest Law (FL) and its Regulations, the State and Municipal Forestry Fund is managed according to an approved Forest Management Plan (FMP), and a new one is being developed every ten years. The elaboration of the FMP is assigned and financed by the respective state forestry under Art.163 of the SG. and is approved by the Forestry Agency for Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and by the respective FD. The FMP is entrusted, funded, accepted, approved, implemented and controlled only by the state, although FL explicitly requires citizents to be involved in the GP process in order to take account of the interests of the various stakeholders in favour of the common interests. The idea of the project is to overcome this shortcoming by developing a Multifunctional Forest Management Plan (MFFP) with the active participation of representatives of all stakeholders in the municipality of Botevgrad. It will aim to achieve a public consensus on the management of the forest lands and forests in the municipality, and then these results approved by the local public will be provided for the preparation of the next FMP with the request to be incorporated in it and followed in the practical implementation of the next plan. That implenetation is meant to be monitored by the citizens of Botevgrad. The steps for creating the MFFP will include: Study and analysis of the characteristics of forests and lands from the forest fund; Exploring the interests of all stakeholders on the management of forests and lands from the forest fund and their inclusion in the development of the MFMP; Development of the MFMP, including a mechanism for the sustainable management of forests and forest land, reflecting the interests of local civil society and including proposals (measures, tools) on how to apply civil monitoring and control over the management of the forest fund. Information campaign and public discussion of the MFMP. Approval of the LMG by the LAG and/or Botevgrad Municipal Council.

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