October marked the realization of our idea to draw attention to a pressing issue in Vitosha Nature Park—the many areas affected by erosion caused by intensive tourist activity. Although this problem is common across most protected areas in Bulgaria, it is rarely discussed openly.

This motivated us to highlight the negative impact that our presence and movement have on nature within national and nature parks. Let us remember that these areas are protected in order to conserve natural resources and safeguard their ability to regenerate as part of natural ecological cycles. Thanks to these cycles, we have access to drinking water, fertile soil, and natural spaces for rest and recovery—benefits essential to both our physical and psycho-emotional wellbeing.

Let us now return to the implementation of our pilot demonstration anti-erosion installation in Vitosha Nature Park. The initiative was carried out in partnership with the University of Forestry in Sofia and the Vitosha Nature Park Directorate. We selected a site approximately 30 meters long and 3 meters wide, located at an altitude of 1350 m above sea level, along the Knyazhevo–Zlatnite Mostove route, at coordinates 42.6223792 N, 23.2288546 E.

This section is essentially a shortcut, used mainly by downhill riders, which further accelerates erosion. Precisely because of this heavy use, we consider the site well suited for a demonstration installation. Our negative impact on the mountain extends beyond tourism and also includes issues such as illegal logging and construction on land that should serve entirely different ecological functions.

To build the installation, we used wooden stakes and high-quality hemp rope. We also placed two information boards—one at the top and one at the bottom of the section. We invite you to pause for a moment, read the information, and share it with others. We hope the installation will remain intact long enough to support our ongoing research.

Stay healthy, and enjoy nature without taking away from its integrity.

The installation is part of the educational and awareness-raising initiatives supported by the NBS Academy project.