ИСТИНА

Geopark Belogrdchik rocks passed through another unsuccessful application for Global Geoparks, although all instructions of the previous UNESCO mission were implemented. According to these recommendations a new concept of the geopark was developed including establishment of a management body, expanding of the geopark area, and scientific description of at least 50 geosites of aesthetic, scientific and cultural value. Since then geopark has come a long way to its present state of Aspiring UNESCO Geopark. First of all geopark area was enlarged on the territory of 1373 sq. km between Bulgarian-Serbian border and Danube including four municipalities Belogradchik, Dimovo, Chuprene and Ruzhintsi. A new management body of the geopark was established - nongovernmental organization Association for Development of North-West (ADNW) registered by three municipalities Belogradchik, Dimovo and Makresh. Over the past four years the geopark area has underwent significant scientific investigations. First of all a solid geodatabase was developed, including geodiversity description, scientific dossiers of 72 geosites, and geological map of the area. The application dossier was applied in November 2014 and the mission of UNESCO was conducted at the end of June and the beginning of July, 2015. On 30 September 2015 the Global Geoparks Network Bureau inform us that at its meeting on 18 September has discussed the evaluation of our application and decided that at this stage Geopark Belogradchichik rocks has not yet reached sufficient maturity to be declared a Global Geopark, and asked all stakeholders at Belogradchik to work for at least two more years on establishing a strong Global Geopark. The main reasons for the unsuccessful application could be summarized as follows: increasing requirements of the Global Geoparks Network, missing action plan, refusal of Chuprene and Ruzhintsi municipalities to participate in the ADNW, and refusal of the Ministry of Environment and Water to support preliminary activities prior to the UNESCO mission concerning geopark infrastructure: information panels with interpretation of the geological history for the general public, geotrailes, information centres. The new concept of the geopark will be developed on a strong agreement between the participating municipalities, state support of the geopark activities, clear geopark funding, management plan for development of the geopark area, sustainable regional development policy strategy and importance of geotourism and other alternative forms of tourism – ecotourism, rural tourism, cultural tourism. It will be also developed considering the common requirements for conservation, protection and promotion of natural and cultural heritage sites and monuments, in areas hosting significant natural heritage of international importance through the establishment of aspiring UNESCO Global Geoparks in the light of the new International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP) of UNESCO.