Torfeno Branishte

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The upper part of Torfeno Branishte north of Cherni Vrah, with Lavcheto Peak (‘Small Lion’, 2052 m) on the right.

The lower northern part of Torfeno Branishte from Vrah Ushite (‘Ears Peak’); Cherni Vrah in the background.

Torfeno Branishte (Bulgarian: Торфено бранище / ‘Turf Reserve’) is a nature reserve on Vitosha Mountain in Bulgaria. The reserve has a surface area of 728.8 ha comprising the parts of Big Plateau and the Kapaklivets Plateau between the peaks of Cherni Vrah (2290 m), Ushite (1906 m), and Chernata Skala (1869 m), including the upper watersheds of the Vladayska, Boyanska and Dragalevska Rivers.

Torfeno Branishte was created in 1935 to preserve the pristine turf communities in the Subalpine zone of Vitosha, with hundreds of moss and algae species. The turf surface is 0.6 to 2 m thick, increasing by 1 mm annually. The territory is virtually treeless, with some scrub communities such as sallow, juniper and blueberry, and occasional mountain pine.

Access to the reserve is strictly forbidden because along with its conservation status Torfeno Branishte is also a drinking water catchment area.