Paper short abstract:

Based on a case study, the paper aims to examine strategies and practises of people settling in villages located within or in close proximity to protected natural areas in their strive to take advantage of protected regimes and to develop their family business in rural areas.

Paper long abstract:

Local population of villages located within or in close proximity to protected natural areas faces both constraints and opportunities for economic activities, which are created in result of conservation policies and regimes. Such is the region of the village of Bulgarevo, situated in the Northeast part of the country. Being near the Black sea, it is also a newly developing tourist destination. Therefore, the village, thanks to its geographical and natural characteristics and its location away from the major sea resorts, attracts not only tourists, but also people who buy properties here, as well as returnees who were born and raised in the village. Some of these new-comers use it as a get-away (permanently or for the warmer months) from the noise, polluted air and hectic lifestyle in bigger cities. Many of the settlers, however, are also business-oriented - farmers and tourism entrepreneurs, striving to overcome the obstacles and to take advantage of protected regimes. Namely, cases of people who choose to develop their family business in this particular rural area and thus make place for themselves in the village are in the focus of the here proposed paper.

The information was gathered in 2020 and 2021 within the scope of the ethnographic research project "Life in protected zones and areas: challenges, conflicts, benefits" (КP-06-N40/12, 2019-2022), supported by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria.