Biodiversity is an essential component of the environment. It encompasses the diversity of all living organisms in all forms of their natural organisation, their communities and habitats, the ecosystems and the processes that occur within them.

Bulgaria is one of the most biodiversity-rich European countries and ranks third in the European Union in terms of the percentage of its national territory that falls within the European ecological network Natura 2000 (34.9%). In compliance with the European directives on the conservation of habitats, flora, fauna and birds, our country has 55 nature reserves, 3 national parks, 11 nature parks and over 1 000 species of protected plants and animals.

According to the Biodiversity Act, the State shall establish a National Ecological Network, including:
- Protected areas as part of the European Ecological Network Natura 2000in which protected areas may participate
- Protected areas that do not fall under protected areas
- The National Ecological Network includes as a priority CORINE places, Ramsar Sites, important places for plants and ornithological important places

Protected areas are designed to protect or restore the favourable condition of the natural habitats included in them, as well as of the species in their natural range. Management plans are developed for protected areas and updated every 10 years, and for those which are predominantly wetlands, every 5 years. The management plans shall provide for measures to prevent the deterioration of conditions in natural habitat types and species habitats, and the threatening and disturbance of the species for whose conservation the respective protected areas have been designated.

Protected areas, including forests, lands and water areas, are intended to protect the biodiversity of ecosystems and the natural processes occurring within them, as well as characteristic or remarkable sites of non-living nature and landscapes. According to the Protected Areas Act, they are of the following types:
- Reserve
- National Park
- Natural landmark
- Maintained reserve
- Nature Park
- Protected area

Settlements and settlement formations within the boundaries defined by the development and zoning plans or bypass polygons falling within protected areas are not part of them.

The National Ecological Network aims to:
- The long-term conservation of biological, geological and landscape diversity
- The provision of sufficient area and quality of breeding, feeding and resting sites, including during migration, moulting and wintering of wildlife
- Creating conditions for genetic exchange between separated populations and species
- The participation of the Republic of Bulgaria in European and global environmental networks
- Limiting the negative anthropogenic impact on protected areas

The plant, animal and fungal species of the wild flora, fauna and mycota (all species of fungi in a particular area) of the Republic of Bulgaria shall be conserved in their natural environment by:
- Conservation of their habitats in the National Ecological Network
- Placing species under protection or regulated use
- Maintaining or restoring habitat conditions according to the ecological requirements of the species concerned
- Development and implementation of action plans for species at different levels of threat
- Reintroduction of extinct species and restocking of rare and endangered species
- Control and regulation of non-native species that are or could be introduced intentionally or accidentally into the wild and threaten native species