Tsigansko gradishte SCI –  BG0000372 – area 9 555.74 ha.The entire site is in Smolyan region covering parts of the following municipalities: Zlatograd, Madan, Rudozem and Smolyan.

Conservation objectives of the SCI are the following species: Wolf (Canis lupus), Bear (Ursus arctos), Chamois, (Rupicapra rupicapra), Marbled polecat (Vormela peregrusna), the Lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros), the Greater Mouse Eared Bat (Myotis myotis), the Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), Bechstein's bat (Myotis bechsteini), The Lesser mouse-eared bat (Myotis blythii), the Blasius's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus blasii), Geoffroy's bat (Myotis emarginatus), The Barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus). The protected under the habitat Directive amphibians and reptiles are the two species of tortoises (Testudo graeca and Testudo hermanni) and the The Yellow-Bellied Toad (Bombina variegata).  Among the rare invertebrates found in the SCI are: the Stone crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium),  The Rosalia longicorn (Rosalia alpina) and the Long-horned Beetle (Morimus funereus). Eleven are the natural habitats found in the SCI. Predominant are the old beech and spruce forests bit there are also two grassland habitats. Extrmely interesting for the territory is the endemic flower Lilium rhodopeum.

Despite being part of Natura 2000, Tsigansko Gradishte is also part of the international initiative European Green Belt. This initiative aims to support a network of protected territories along the former Iron Curtain. Today these territories are still very rich in biodiversity as for a very long time during the Cold War the access of people to them was limited. The European Green belt initiative was also started by German institutions and NGOs. 

Within the current project three workshops among the interested parties for join sustainable management of Tsigansko Gradishte wereorganized.  Active participants in the workshops were the municipalities of Rudozem, Madan and Zlatograd, State forestry unit Zlatograd, State Forestry Unit Smilyan, Regional Forestry Directorate – Smolyan, Border Police, the Regional Administration of Smolyan, Rudmetal LTd, the East Aegean Sea River Basin Directorate, the Regional Inspectorate of the Ministry of Environment and Waters, local and national NGOs, local citizens and media.

As a result from the workshops was founded a new local NGO called Initiative Tsigansko Gradishte, which should work for the sustainable management of the SCI. On a broader scale the NGO  will also work for the preservation of the natural and historical richness of the region.

Among the founders of “Initiative Tsigansko Gradishte” are Rudozem Municipality, Rudmetal Ltd., local active citizens and experienced environmentalists from other regions. The founders hope that soon the Municipalities of Madan and Zlatograd will also join the initiative as well as many other people.

For members of the management board of the new organization were chosen Liliana Andreeva from Zlatograd and Iliya Shtilyonov from Rudozem with a chairman – Brahim Chernarev from Rudozem. With the support of Rudmetal Ltd. the new NGO will also have an office within the building of the company.

Map of the SCI	385 Kb
Conservation objectives	102 Kb
Standart data form	219 Kb
Analysis of the interested parties for joint management of Tsigansko Gradishte SCI (in Bulgarian)	414 Kb

Old forest within the SCI

The borderline between Bulgaria and Greece

The small village of Murzyan fall within the SCI

Lilium rhodopeum

Rhinolophus hipposideros

Bombina variegata

Morimus funereus

Testudo graeca