Kamchia

The merging of two small rivulets, springing from the eastern Balkan Range - Luda Kamchia and Golyama Kamchia, forms the Kamchia River. Running down through the Balkan Range it meanders through unique woodland called Longoza and flows into the Black Sea. The area around the mouth and lower course of the river is remarkable for its variety of habitats - unique flooded forests called Longoz, wide beaches with sand dunes and old riverbeds. The total area of the protected habitats in the reserve, together with Kamchia Sands Protected Area, adds up to 1.200 ha. The area of the reserve is 842.1 ha, some 764 ha of it is afforested, and the rest 78.1 ha is not afforested (34.5 ha of meadows, 0.4 ha of channels, 3.3ha of openings, 21.8 ha of swamps, 9.9 ha of marshlands etc.) The reserve is under the protection of UNESCO.

The Longoz forests in the lower course of the river are the best representatives of their kind throughout Europe. They look like a jungle with creepers interweaving with the trees or hanging down like thick draperies. Over 40 species of beautiful trees, many species of bushes grow in the forests. Ferns, red and yellow water lilies also grow there. There 23 fish species found in the waters of the river and many does, deers, sea hawks and eagles, wild boars, wild cats in the adjoining marshlands. But the most interesting of all are the feathered inhabitants of the area. Kamchia is an Important Bird Area situated on the migratory flyway Via Pontica allowing for the observation of various bird species that stop to rest and feed during migration.