Ropotamo River
Ropotamo has formed one of the most wild and beautiful landscapes, which can be seen today in Bulgaria. Ropotamo occurs in southeastern Bulgaria, with incredible green areas surrounding it next to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
Rare plant and animal species including many birds, climbing plants and even dolphins can be seen in the Ropotamo .
The area around the stream of Ropotamo was declared a national reserve in 1940, and in 1962 the status of the amazingly beautiful and scenic area has changed to the National Park. In the coming years the strong tourist stream in the region of Ropotamo regularly strains the ecological balance within the park.
Additional factor is that, endangering the natural area is the continuing construction in the surrounding areas, resulting in 20 years ago the park of Ropotamo bbecoming the most threatened protected area in Bulgaria.
With the main idea and prevention of natural and biological potential of the endemic area, Ropotamo , in 1992 had its status changed to a strict regime reserve with an adjacent buffer zone.
The buffer zone should be recategorized as a protected area of the category protected area. As a result of "disturbing" the pressure from influential construction companies and firms which own land in the area of Ropotamo , this has not happenend.
Ropotamo Reserve is guarded and managed by the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water in the city of Bourgas. To a large extent this protection appears to be ineffective and unable to prevent detrimental human impacts on the flora and fauna in the area of Ropotamo .
A ripe example is that in a unique place in nature, Arkutino falls within the reserve which is a three-storey building built to perform the functions of the Visitor Information Center. The building represents a real holiday home for employees of the Environment and Water and their families.
An additional problem is the presence of illegal fishing in a village near the mouth of Ropotamo . The biological imbalance in the region was under the influence of dozens of illegal huts that were built there. Various political decisions are also detrimental to the beautiful nature of the Ropotamo . One of those policy decisions allowed the relocation of the fishing season in Ropotamo to begin a month earlier.
Probably the main tourist attraction in the reserve around the Ropotamo region as it reigns indescribable natural and animal diversity. In its very Firth Ropotamo is calm and deep, and its banks are covered with thick dense forests.
Between the picturesque trees grow large numbers of lianas. Near the coast they are located in shallow areas of the Ropotamo . In the shallow areas and in areas where they formed like the lakes today you can see wild water lilies and marsh reeds.
In the area of Ropotamo and the whole reserve is one of the largest deposits of sea wormwood plant in Bulgaria, which is one of the biggest values of the river reserve.
Sea wormwood (Artemisia maritima) is a herbaceous perennial plant that grows only in sandy areas.
Most of the valuable medical plants are located along the right bank of the river Ropotamo , near its estuary. In Bulgaria's Red Book there is a list of more than 100 plant species that occur along the Ropotamo.
