The present study deals with examining the condition of urban soils and their potential to deliver soil-related regulating ecosystem services concerning the level of anthropogenic pressure in different functional zones of Sofia, Bulgaria. Analyses of data for selected characteristics of superficial 0-10 cm soil layer of urban soils were performed. Soils were sampled from 30 experimental plots within a geo-referred network covering urban and peri-urban territories. The concentrations of heavy metals Cu, Zn, Pb and Fe were analysed to determine the level of pollution, while soil pH, cation-exchange capacity (CEC), total carbon and total nitrogen content were used as indicators for assessing the regulating ecosystem service “soil quality”. The results demonstrate the differences in the potential of four functional zones – green zones, industrial zones, residential zones and zones for urban agriculture, to regulate and maintain “soil quality”. The purpose of the assessment is to outline the zones with the potential for implicating mitigation measures in urban and peri-urban zones, based on maps of soil quality, which contributes to focusing more attention on the protection and restoration of urban soils, to reduce soil pollution and to increase the reuse of urban soils.

The present study is focused on examining the changes of key weather parameters using detailed daily data for the period 1985-2021 in an area of interest situated in Rila mountain in Bulgaria which is a territory that is prone to wildfires. Using this long-term horizon, the research defines the main climate factor trends and relates them with real events of wildfires by using the Angström index and statistical methods with focus on outlining specific weather conditions that indicate fire risk. As a result, the Angström index was proven to be a reliable source for determining the potential weather conditions for fire occurrence in the area of interest, part of protected area BG0000496 Rilski manastir. Low relative humidity was identified as the main factor influencing fire occurrence in the reviewed real wildfire events. Specific range and behavior of the key weather parameters, influencing wildfire occurrence were detected. These findings could be a good source of information when elaborating a forest fire prevention system and may help for appropriate prioritization of factors and management of resources.

This study develops a framework based on three indices—Soil Moisture Index (SMI), Leaf Area Index (LAI), and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and analyzes their spatial variation across the Parangalitsa Reserve from 2015 to 2024. While spectral indices like NDVI and LAI are well-established tools for monitoring Earth’s processes, this research goes beyond their general application by tailoring these indices to the specific context of a high-value protected area. The framework is designed to identify areas with significant deviations in index values over time, which may signal ecological changes influenced by both natural and anthropogenic factors. By relating these deviations with land cover, slope inclination, and aspect, this study introduces a more holistic perspective to uncover meaningful patterns. The results reveal an overlap of deviations in the indices, particularly within coniferous forest areas, highlighting potential regions for targeted in-situ observations. This approach can improve forest management and monitoring by providing a framework for identifying ecologically sensitive areas. The research emphasizes the utility of proven spectral indices when integrated into a targeted, site-specific framework that contributes to forest management and ecological monitoring by providing a replicable methodology for pre-assessing sensitive ecosystems. By enabling a deeper understanding of localized dynamics, the study bridges the gap between well-documented methodologies and their practical application in safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services in protected areas.

The present research investigates the possibilities of the available online resources and GIS analytic tools to facilitate integrating the spatial context in urban and regional planning by testing a GIS-based location analysis that uses widely available data for identifying an appropriate site for National Children’s hospital in Bulgaria. The elaborated methodology is easy to use, employs accessible online resources, and could be applied in different scales. The aim is to produce a comprehensible instrument that could be adopted by public authorities and used for informed political decision-making. A series of geospatial analyses are used to evaluate the potential location and its alternatives based on transport accessibility, population density in the service area, and public transport connectivity. The analyses are based on the online resources of Google Maps that are used to evaluate the transport accessibility to all the possible locations using different perspectives. The pedestrian access to public transport is also calculated to assess the different modes of transport available. To assess the locations according to the transport accessibility of the population, tools from ArcGIS Pro Network analyst are used. Accessibility is considered from the patient's perspective. The results are analyzed to make a supposition of the alternatives and to come up with a conclusion about whether the already chosen location is a sensible choice from a transport accessibility perspective. The outcomes of the research could help policymakers understand some of the spatial complexities associated with the demand and the accessibility dimensions of healthcare access. The article emphasizes the significance of integrating the spatial context in urban and regional planning and the possibilities of the new technologies to facilitate that task. This methodology for location analysis could be also used for other public services and urban-related matters.

The study presents a new look on the socio-ecological relations in retrospective, focusing on their formation and adaptation over time in Velingrad Municipality, Bulgaria. The dependencies between the main components of the system are outlined and the main disturbances in terms of presses and pulses are examined. Examples of trade-offs and synergies are also offered to better understand the cross-scale dynamics of the studied components. The reaction of the system to pulses in its growth phase of the adaptive cycle is reviewed. In addition, the contemporary state of the main components of the coupled human-natural system is analysed in order to identify the slow and fast variables that determine the trajectory of the system at present. The resilience thinking concept is applied in analyzing the processes within the coupled human-natural system and in identifying the mechanisms that may enhance its capacity to absorb shocks.