Despite extensive forest destruction in the Middle Ages and later intensive commercial forest management, remnants of virgin forests remained spared in some Central, Eastern and South-Eastern European countries. These virgin forests are the last examples of original forests in this part of Europe. That is why their protection becomes an important issue of current European forestry and nature protection policy. But the knowledge about the location and the area of virgin forests in these countries is incomplete up till now. This article has the prime goal to present a conceptual framework what virgin forests might be (''A conceptual framework for defining of virgin forests'' section). Based on this framework, a working methodology has been tested in Bulgaria and Romania (''Results of the two national projects in Romania and in Bulgaria'' section and further). For this reason two projects have been carried out by the Royal Dutch Society of Nature Conservation (KNNV) in close co-operation with the Forestry Institutes in Romania and in Bulgaria. The results of these projects are described in general terms and further analysis in the future is necessary to describe specific features like forest structure and spatial heterogeneity of these forests. Based on the results of the inventory, principles of sustainable protection and management of the mapped virgin forests were defined and described in the research reports. The usefulness of the inventory became evident already during the EU pre-accession period of both countries while preparing the NATURA 2000 network. The remaining virgin forests of temperate Europe are an inexhaustible source of ecological information about biodiversity, structure, natural processes and overall functioning of undisturbed forest ecosystems. Their research will reveal information which can be used for ecological restoration of man-made forests which are degraded through intensive forestry practices over the last centuries. The last virgin forests of temperate Europe represent an irreplaceable part of the natural capital of Europe and are worth to be protected by law. Their last remnants in South-Eastern and Eastern Europe are endangered by commercial activities. A full inventory of remaining virgin forests in all countries of temperate Europe is a matter of highest urgency. A representative selection of virgin forest sites should be declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.

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The annual pollen influx in the altitudinal zone 1800-2050 m a.s.l. produced by plant communities in the coniferous and subalpine vegetation belts of the northwestern Rila Mts. was analyzed for the period 1994-2008. The results from the five pollen traps placed on south and north slopes of a ridge revealed the dominance of Pinus diploxylon-type (Pinus mugo, Pinus sylvestris) and relatively constant presence of Picea abies and Pinus peuce pollen, with the exception in years of abundant flowering (1997, 1999, 2003 and partly 2005). The species Fagus sylvatica which grows at lower altitudes showed very good capabilities of pollen dispersal upslope. The trapping results indicated a cyclicity in the flowering of beech, with maximal pollen influx values in years 1994, 1999, 2005 and 2007, most probably dependent on the local climatic conditions. Pollen of deciduous trees such as Quercus, Carpinus betulus, Corylus, Alnus, Betula, although in less quantities, was also recorded in the traps. The herb component constituted only a small part of the total annual pollen influx. The results from long-term pollen trapping experiments could be applied to monitor the future trends in forest development in relation to climate change and local disturbances.Key words: pollen monitoring, pollen traps, pollen influx, trees, Rila Mts., Bulgaria ÖzetRila Dağı 1800-2050 m yükseltileri arasındaki zirve altı kuşaktaki bitki toplumlarının ve iğne yapraklı ormanların 1994-2008 yılları arasındaki polen dağılımları incelenmiştir. Sırtların kuzey ve güney bakılarından toplanan toplam 5 adet polen kapanlarından elde edilen bulgulara göre en hâkim türlerin Pinus diploxylon-tipi (Pinus mugo, Pinus sylvestris) ve yoğun çiçeklenme yılları olan (1997, 1999, 2003 ve 2005 yılları hariç) nispeten Picea abies ve Pinus peuce polenlerinin sürekli olarak varlık gösterdiği tespit edilmiştir. Alt yükseltilerde yayılış gösteren Fagus sylvatica'nın yamaç yukarı yönde yoğun bir polen saçımı potansiyeli gösterdiği gözlemlenmiştir. Polen kapanlarıyla elde edilen bulgulara göre, kayın polenlerinin dağılımlarında, büyük ihtimalle mikro iklime bağlı olarak, bilhassa azami çiçeklenmenin gerçekleştiği 1994, 1999, 2005 ve 2007 yıllarında döngüselliğin meydana geldiği görülmüştür. Quercus, Carpinus betulus, Corylus, Alnus, Betula gibi yapraklı türlerin polenlerine de az miktarda da olsa rastlanmıştır. Otsu türlerin polenlerine yıllık toplam polen miktarları arasında çok düşük bir oranda rastlanmıştır. Uzun dönemli polen izleme çalışmaları ile iklim değişikliği ve yerel orman zararlarından ormanlarda doğacak değişikliklerin izlenmesi mümkün olabilecektir.

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