Stoyan Stoyanov

Faculty of Forestry, University of Forestry, 10 Kliment Ohridski Blvd., 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria.
E-mail: stoyani@ltu.bg 

This special issue of the Forestry Ideas is dedicated to the international scientific conference ‘A Century of Forest Knowledge: Education, Innovations, Challenges’, held to mark 100 years of university forestry education in Bulgaria. This event served as a significant academic forum for forestry researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. Given the unprecedented pressures facing forest ecosystems – from climate change and extreme weather events to prolonged droughts, wildfires, and other global challenges – the role of forest science and education has become more critical than ever. The conference placed strong emphasis on sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and the protection of old-growth forests. These themes reflect the urgent need for integrated, evidence-based approaches to forest management and conservation. The conference brought together a vibrant international community, featuring 116 scholarly contributions from 433 co-authors across 13 countries and over 30 academic and research institutions. We were also honoured to host participants from scientific organisations, governmental bodies, and non-governmental organisations, further underscoring the interdisciplinary and collaborative spirit that defines modern forestry science. The main thematic fields of the conference were: Climate change and forests; Ecosystem biodiversity, conservation and environmental restoration; Agriculture in mountainous and semi-mountainous regions; Forest disturbances and management challenges; Forest stand dynamics, growth and yield; Forest policy and key challenges; Forest operations and wood processing; Wildlife conservation and management;
Landscape architecture.

Received: 11 August 2025 / Accepted: 11 August 2025 / Available online: 18 August 2025

Open Access: This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Veselina Gospodinova* and Denitsa Zhelyazkova

Department of Mine Surveying and Geodesy, University of Mining and Geology ‘St. Ivan Rilski’, Prof. Boyan Kamenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria. E-mails: veselina.gospodinova80@gmail.com*, denica.jelqzkova112@gmail.com

A study has been conducted to identify burned areas in the region Otets Paisievo village in Plovdiv District, Bulgaria. The research aims at locating the burned areas and determining the degree of damage caused by a wildfire which occurred in the summer of 2024. Remote sensing and GIS methods were applied for the study. Various spectral indices (NDVI, MIRBI, NBR, NBR2, RBR, BAI, BAIS2) were generated using data from the Sentinel-2 satellite. The separability index (SI) was calculated, which showed the highest values for dMIRBI, dNBR2, dNBR and dBAIS2. Based on these four differential index differences, the burn area was determined and compared with data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) and the local and national forestry sector. The results demonstrated a strong correlation with the actual burned area. Based on the analysis of spectral index values and the corresponding histograms, the study area was classified into four burn severity categories: unchanged, low, moderate, and high. The research indicates that for the surveyed area, indices based on shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands are effective in detecting and mapping forest fire burned areas.

Received: 10 May 2025 / Accepted: 27 June 2025 / Available online: 18 August 2025

Open Access: This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Katerina Churkova

Agricultural Academy of Bulgaria, Research Institute of Mountain Stockbreeding and Agriculture, 281 Vasil Levski Str., 5600 Troyan, Bulgaria. E-mail: katerina.churkova@abv.bg

In the period 2020–2022 in the experimental field of the Research Institute of Mountain Stockbreeding and Agriculture – Troyan a research experiment has been conducted with the following species of perennial leguminous meadow grasses: birdʼs-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), hybrid clover (Trifolium hybridum L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.). The experiment aimed to monitor the composition of the structural fibre components of the forage cell walls average two-year period. The dry matter digestibility and energy nutritional value was determined. The legume crops studied were found to have different compositions of forage cell wall fractions. The forage mass of red clover showed the lowest content of neutral and acid detergent fibre (30.87 % and 21.49 %), and acid detergent lignin (8.11 %) and the highest dry matter digestibility (73.11 %). The alfalfa forage had the highest hemicellulose values (11.17 %) and that of hybrid clover had the maximum cellulose values (24.06 %). Good energy nutritive value was recorded by the forage of birdʼs-foot-trefoil and white clover.

Received: 05 May 2025 / Accepted: 03 July 2025 / Available online: 18 August 2025

Open Access: This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Tsvetomira Todorova (1)*, Gradimir Gruychev (1), Peter Zhelev (2),
Evgeni Tsavkov (2), Dilian Georgiev (3,4), Krasimira Petkova (5),
Evlogi Angelov (1), and Nikolay Kodzhabashev (1)

1. Wildlife Management Department, University of Forestry, 10 St. K. Ohridski Blvd., 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria. *E-mail: tsvetomira_rumenova@abv.bg
2. Department of Dendrology, University of Forestry, 10 St. K. Ohridski Blvd., 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria.
3. Department of General Animal Husbandry, Section Ecology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
4. Departament of Ecology and Environmental Conservation, University of Plovdiv, 24 Tzar Assen Str., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
5. Department of Silviculture, University of Forestry, 10 St. K. Ohridski Blvd., 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria.

Common Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus L., 1758) is a widespread species in Europe including Bulgaria, with increasing population trend. Understanding its diet is essential for assessing its ecological role and predicting responses to habitat changes. This study examines the feeding spectrum in autumn and winter of the species in Bulgaria based on crop content analysis of 54 specimens collected from 11 hunting areas between 2022 and 2024. A total of 21 dietary components were identified, including 17 plant and 4 animal taxa. The primary food resources were sunflower seeds, maize, and acorns, with seasonal variations in diet composition. The study confirms the opportunistic feeding behaviour of the Wood pigeon, influenced by food availability. While cereals and acorns remain staple components, molluscs and insects played a minor role. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the species’ feeding habits in Bulgaria and provide a basis for future ecological and conservation research.

Received: 13 May 2025 / Accepted: 13 July 2025 / Available online: 18 August 2025

Open Access: This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Maria Hristova

Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Ecology and Landscape Architecture,
University of Forestry, 10 Kliment Ohridski Blvd., 1797 Sofia. E-mail: m.pl.hristova@gmail.com

Ecological information about plant communities can contribute to better landscape design.
Grime’s CSR model, which categorises plant species as competitors (C), stress-tolerators (S), and ruderals (R), is fundamental to understanding plant community assembly. Seed size is a crucial trait that influences germination success and species establishment, especially when seeds are sown in situ. In landscape architecture, mulches are commonly used for sowing because they help retain soil moisture and suppress weed growth. This study investigates two main aspects in combination with different mulching substrates: (1) how CSR (competitor–stress-tolerator–ruderal) strategies influence species composition, and (2) how seed size affects initial germination. It also examines which adaptive strategies are associated with species that become dominant under specific mulch conditions. An experimental study was conducted using two types of mulch – organic (compost) and mineral (sand) – and three different seed mixtures containing perennial herbaceous plants. Species cover was assessed in the third year after sowing. Additional data on seed weight, adaptive strategy, and maximum species height were retrieved from published databases. The statistical analyses were performed using generalised linear models. The findings highlight the role of adaptive strategy in determining species dominance. The type of mulch affects the dominant adaptive strategy. Dominant plants in sand mulch had a higher R-score. In compost, the C-score was the highest, whereas in plots without mulch, the S-score prevails. Seed size also played a significant role in germination across various substrates. These results have important implications for species selection in wildflower meadow design. Understanding the interaction between adaptive strategy and mulch type can enhance the success of perennial plant communities by optimising species compositions. Planning the management of established wildflower meadows can also be aided.

Received: 27 May 2025 / Accepted: 21 July 2025 / Available online: 18 August 2025

Open Access: This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.