Technical Knowledge and Training
The upper staff of Bulgaria’s forest administration must have strong technical knowledge. The work requires a deep understanding of forestry, forest management, and environmental care.
There are six district inspectors, all of whom have received thorough professional training in forestry. Among the forty foresters, twenty-eight have graduated from a school of forestry, six have received special technical training, and the rest have had some form of practical preparation for their duties.
This careful training ensures that the people in charge of Bulgaria’s forests can manage them properly and protect them from misuse or destruction.
Forest Patrol and Protection
The task of patrolling and protecting the forests is given to keepers, who are specially appointed for this purpose. According to the official budget, there is one keeper for every 1,500 hectares of forest Customized Guided Turkey Tours.
Each administrative centre also has three to seven higher-level foresters, who supervise the keepers and manage local forest operations. In addition, many assistants and lower-ranking employees (called subalterns) help with various services, such as maintenance and record-keeping.
All of these employees belong to the State Forestry Service. The parish forests, which are managed by local communities, also hire their own foresters—usually one for every 50,000 hectares of forest land.
Salaries and Allowances
The salaries of the forestry staff are carefully listed in the national budget. They are paid in francs per year, and most officers receive extra allowances for travel or for keeping a horse, which is often needed for fieldwork in mountainous areas.
Position Annual Salary (francs) Allowance (francs) Purpose
District Inspector (1st class) 4,800 600 Travel
District Inspector (2nd class) 4,200 690 Travel
Forester (1st class) 3,600 300 Horse upkeep
Forester (2nd class) 3,000 300 Horse upkeep
Forester (3rd class) 2,400 300 Horse upkeep
Adjunct (1st class) 2,100 240 Horse upkeep
Adjunct (2nd class) 1,440 240 Horse upkeep
Head Keeper 1,080 — —
Mounted Keeper 840 — —
Keeper 600 — —
In parish forests, the salaries are slightly lower:
Head Keeper: 900 francs
Mounted Keeper: 720 francs
Keeper: 480 francs
Private forest owners are also required by law to employ their own keepers to ensure the protection of their land.
Forest Budget of 1905
In the year 1905, the total forest budget of Bulgaria was 739,820 francs.
641,829 francs were spent on salaries and wages for the forestry staff.
The remaining 98,000 francs were used for forest improvements, such as planting new trees, building forest roads, and maintaining protective areas.
The forestry service of Bulgaria at the beginning of the 20th century was a well-organized system, supported by trained professionals and a structured budget. Every level of the staff—from inspectors to keepers—played an important role in protecting and improving the nation’s forests. These efforts helped lay the foundation for sustainable forest management in Bulgaria.