Ivaylovgrad

The nature in Ivailograd municipality is extremely picturesque. The hills are blooming with pink drifts of almond blossom, during the summer, the air intoxicates with scents of figs and tabaco, during the autumn the vines are heavy with grapes. The winter in the region is almost unknown. The southern winds, carrying the caress of the White sea, melts the snow before it heaps up.

The climate of the area is transient - Mediterranean. The municipality is 820 sq. km. and falls entirely within East - Rhodope physical - geographical area. The altitude of the region moving from 70 to 700 m. The relief of the region is hilly and even. The average annual rainfall is from 725 to 925 ml. per square foot and average temperatures are 21-23 degrees, which is above average for the country. Ivaylovgrad is ecologically clean area. No presence of large industrial facilities that pollute the environment. Ivailovgrad Dam is located in the municipality, which has a 14 km long coastline.

The municipality is rich in old coniferous and deciduous forests, and therefore specific to the municipality is logging. Its flora and fauna is full of rare natural beauty that are protected natural sites. Eastern Rhodopes are one of the region with the greatest biodiversity. The National Strategy for Biodiversity points it as one of the richest in species and a conservation site of highest priority in Bulgaria. Over 1335 species of plants, 350 species of butterflies, 21 species of fish, 10 amphibians, 26 reptiles, 273 species of birds and 59 mammals are inhabiting the region.

Primary for the Eastern Rhodopes and Ivaylovgrad municipality is the forest vegetation. The largest areas are occupied by oak forests. There are 7 species of oak, which form pure and mixed forests. Beech forests, play an essential role in snow cover in winter and the regulation of water regime in the valleys of the rivers Arda and Byala.

It is the second largest protected area in the Eastern Rhodopes (1532 hectares), declared to protect the unique landscape of Bulgaria with a wide variety of rare and endangered plants and animals. The White River with a beautiful set of curves (the villages of hardware and Copper Beech), where they reserved one of the few in our natural forests in the national Red Book and eastern sycamore lianas.