Alexander Tashev and Evgeni Tsavkov

Department of Dendrology, Faculty of Forestry, University of Forestry, 10 Kliment Ohridsky
Blvd., 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria. E-mails: altashev@mail.ru, etsavkov@ltu.bg*

The current study aims to characterise the unique dendroflora of Bulgarian Rhodopes and to gather information for conservation-significant plant species. We found a total of 288 arboreal species belonging to 123 genera and 51 families. It represents 65.2 % of all species, 79.4 % of all genera, and 82.3 % of all families of Bulgarian dendroflora. We present a floristic analysis summarizing the information of species distribution across the Western, Central and Eastern Rhodopes floristic sub-regions and their floristic similarity. The analysis of systematic structure of the Rhodopean dendroflora by divisions, classes, families and genera is done for the whole mountains. The distribution of tree and shrub species by biological type and life form is also presented. The analysis of floristic elements follows the classification of Stefanov (1943). Thermophytes, mesotherms, and microtherms dominate in the mountain centre, while most tree species are stationary. Floristic elements according to Walter’s classification show predominance of Mediterranean elements, followed by European floristic elements. Analysis of the altitudinal distribution of tree and shrub species is also presented. The analysis of conservation significance of the studied species compares data from the Red Data Book of Bulgaria (1984, 2015); the List of Rare, Endangered and Endemic Plants of Europe (1983), the 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants (1998), as well as Bulgarian national legislation acts (Biological Diversity Act 2002, 2007). Relic and endemic species for Rhodope dendroflora are presented. The dendroflora from the Bulgarian part of the Rhodope Mountains is the richest among the floristic regions of Bulgaria and has high conservation value for Bulgaria and Europe. Finally, we present a full systematic list of the dendroflora of the Bulgarian Rhodopes.

Received: 23 December 2025 / Accepted: 25 May 2026 / Available online: 02 June 2026

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

Berthold Heinze (1) and Petar Zhelev (2)

1. Department of Forest Growth, Silviculture & Genetics, Austrian Research Centre for Forests,
Seckendorff-Gudent-Weg 8, 1131 Vienna, Austria. E-mail: Berthold.Heinze@bfw.gv.at
2. Department of Dendrology, University of Forestry, 10 Kliment Ohridski Blvd., 1797 Sofia,
Bulgaria. *E-mail: petar.zhelev@ltu.bg

The study aimed to assess the genetic diversity and population differentiation of Bulgarian Populus tremula L. using chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) markers. Samples were collected from 14 natural populations, and the genetic variation was analysed using PCR–RFLP of six cpDNA regions. A total of 11 cpDNA haplotypes were identified, with the most frequent haplotype occurring in the majority of populations. Haplotypic diversity within populations varied considerably, ranging from monomorphic populations to populations harbouring up to five haplotypes. Overall genetic diversity was moderate to high, while population differentiation was of moderate magnitude, indicating both shared ancestry and local differentiation. Some haplotypes not reported before were identified, indicating distinctive haplotypic compositions and suggesting the presence of regionally important genetic lineages. Comparative analysis with published European data revealed both shared and unique haplotypes. The results are consistent with the hypothesis of Balkans and Bulgaria as part of a complex and important glacial refugium but larger sample set is necessary for more general inferences.

Received: 24 May 2026 / Accepted: 05 June 2026 / Available online: 22 June 2026

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

Bistra Dimitrova    

Faculty of Public Health, Health Care and Tourism, National Sports Academy ‘Vasil Levski’,
Sofia 1700, Bulgaria. E-mail: dimitrova.bistra@yahoo.com

Natural heritage increasingly plays a strategic role in contemporary sustainable tourism policies. Forest landscapes provide essential ecosystem services that support both environmental stability and human well-being. There is limited research specifically addressing how forest environments can support psychophysical balance and well-being. Using an interdisciplinary approach integrating forestry science, recreational studies, and wellness tourism research, the study analyses the potential of forest-based wellness practices such as forest medicine and forest art therapy. The obtained statistical value (p = 0.05) cover the conventional threshold for statistical significance. Nevertheless, the findings indicate that exposure to forest environments and the implementation of forest art therapy may contribute to the reduction of psychological stress, enhancement of emotional resilience, and improvement of oxygenation status through the restoration of mind–body balance. Wellness tourism is rapidly growing globally, with nature-based programmes that support socio-economic sustainability while simultaneously contributing to the conservation of forest environments. The study suggests that natural heritage should be recognised as a strategic resource for health and wellness tourism. This study aims to assess the effects of forest art therapy conducted in Bulgarian forest environments on key indicators of psychological and physiological well-being.

Received: 04 April 2026 / Accepted: 17 June 2026 / Available online: 22 June 2026

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