Trail erosion in the area of the Seven Rila Lakes Cirquе, Rila National Park, Bulgaria

The study is of a pilot nature and aims to investigate and document the trail erosion in the Seven Rila Lakes Cirque, Rila National Park, Bulgaria. The width and maximum depth of the trails were measured in 31 randomly selected points on the trail network. The results show that in half of the studied cases there is а trail degradation, but in other cases, recovery processes are observed.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the environmental health of the Katunsky Biosphere Reserve

This article shows the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the environment of the Katunsky reserve on the eco-trail “To the Land of Lakes and Waterfalls”. The research was carried out by three methods: assessment of trail degradation, camps and phytomass in damaged and reference areas. During the pandemic, a process of severe ecosystem degradation was identified, associated with a dramatic increase in the number of visitors to the reserve. Closed state borders and lifted restrictions on entry and exit to the Altai Republic have made the Katunsky Nature Reserve popular for recreational activities.