The Art of Protecting Bedechka
The Bedechka Park in Stara Zagora, threatened by several controversial development plans, has become a community-driven symbol for ecological and cultural preservation. Civic-led advocacy and creative initiatives have transformed it into Bulgaria’s first land art and heritage park.
Bedechka Park in Stara Zagora is a significant green space known for its ecological, historical, and cultural value. Established as a river park in the mid-20th century, it has continuously faced threats from urbanisation and residential development. For over a decade, the Save Bedechka Association has led a grassroots battle to protect the park. In 2023, the Art Collective On The Street joined the effort, and together with an engaged local community, initiated a powerful civic and artistic movement to preserve the park as a vital natural and cultural sanctuary.
At the heart of the park stands the iconic 700-year-old Plane Tree (“Stariyat Chinar”), officially protected since 1960 as a natural landmark. Recent biodiversity studies have highlighted the park’s rich ecosystems, including river habitats and protected species, such as otters and bats. Civic advocacy, supported by these ecological findings, led to the park’s legal reinstatement as green space, successfully halting several controversial development plans and securing its status within the city’s spatial plan.
The Art of Protecting Bedechka project has creatively expanded the park’s identity by establishing it as Bulgaria’s first land art park. Using natural materials, artists have created installations that blend with the landscape, reinforcing the connection between culture and nature. A major milestone was the 2024 wood sculpture symposium, which featured both established and emerging artists, and laid the groundwork for long-term cultural tourism and environmental education.
The annual Green On (“Na Zeleno”) festival has further amplified public participation. The first edition in 2023 attracted about 3,000 visitors; in 2024, the number rose to over 7,000. The programme includes eco-educational workshops, sports, performances, and art installations. The festival gathers together a diverse audience, including refugees and young people from various countries, creating new spaces for intercultural dialogue and collective action.
In 2022, archaeological excavations revealed a necropolis dating from the Roman to the medieval period, reinforcing the site’s historical significance. Plans are underway, in collaboration with the Stara Zagora Regional History Museum and local authorities, to integrate this layer of heritage into the park’s future.
A documentary was produced to narrate the story of Bedechka and the citizens working to protect it. The project is exemplary for the tensions it highlights between urban development and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage – a dynamic faced by many European cities.
The preservation of Bedechka Park aligns with wider European sustainability goals. In a region undergoing transformation under the EU’s Just Transition Mechanism, Bedechka illustrates how civic engagement, cultural initiatives and environmental stewardship can support a greener, more inclusive future.
“A bottom-up initiative reversing the planned transformation of a park into a residential area. It showcases civic activism for the protection of cultural and natural heritage, relevant in the broader European and Eastern European post-socialist transition, where public land was widely privatised,” the Awards’ Jury noted.
“An example of how public green spaces can be protected and become sites of memory, creativity and leisure – and how they can be recognised for their environmental relevance, particularly in addressing the effects of climate change,” the Jury highlighted.
Contact: Mircho Hristov | The Art of Protecting Bedechka / Art Collective On The Street Association | artcollectivestz@gmail.com | www.artstz.org