SUPPORTED RESERVE “VELYOV VIR” (WATER LILIES)

Area Descriptions

The reserve is better known with its old name – The Water Lilies. It was declared a reserve in 1962 to protect the large natural community of white water lilies, yellow water lilies, spring snowflakes and the typical for the area dense forest of ash trees. The area ofthe supported reserve is 13.6 hectares and it includes a part of the old riverbed of Ropotamo River. The road to Velyov Vir marsh passes under a shady tunnel of trees and climbing plants. You can go into the marsh along a purpose built wooden bridge. Pedestrian access to the reserve is established by Order of the Ministry of Environment and Water regarding the trails in the area of Ropotamo reserve. The trail is a deviation off the main road Burgas - Primorsko, just before the bridge over Ropotamo River.

Another way of accessing the reserve is a combined route – by boat and on foot. The boat trip is along the upper stream of the river and lasts 20 minutes in one direction. Then there is a short walk to Velyov Vir.

The burduche (yellow water lily/rose) (Nuphar lutea) is a water plant. The species is included in the Red Book of Bulgaria (1985) under the category "rare" and is protected under the Biological Variety Act and the Medicinal Plants Act. In the new Red List of Bulgaria it is entered under the category "endangered". In Bourgas district it grows in the reserves Velyov Vir and Ropotamo, as well as along Veleka River and in Mouth of Veleka River Protected Area.