Bulletin of Faculty of Letters, Hosei University

In order to study the possibility of sustainable development of sheep transhumance in Bulgaria since joining the EU in January 2007, an attempt is made to compare with the results of the previous studies since the year 2003. It was clarified that: (ⅰ) the intermediate-stationed transhumance of sheep has been seen also in Bulgaria as an original type, and (ⅱ) due to the change of border, ascending transhumance has been found only after World War Ⅰ in the Aegean Sea coastal area of Greece and in the coastal area of Black Sea, Romania, where the winter stations were settled. These results were obtained based on interviews with people on the large scale transhumance under the socialistic conditions. Among them, the following interesting points are noted: (ⅰ) Shepherd warmly received as high standard technologists, who moved sheep to the peneplains at 1,400-1,700m a.s.l. for the summer camps. (ⅱ) Number of sheep under the socialist regime was about five times more than present and this might have resulted in strong stress for the grass land. (ⅲ) Numbers of sheep and cow decreased sharply after the collapse of the socialist regime in 1989, and as a result, bush invaded to the grass land developing the bush forests in the broad former grass land. Small scale farmers holding fewer than 200 heads of sheep in Bulgaria have been closing their business after joining the EU. On the other hand, there is a policy that they are supported by the subsidy from the EU. In Romania, the small scale farmers keeping fewer than 200 heads of sheep have closed and, instead, the large scale sheep transhumance with 1,000-2,000 heads is developing for the sake of fitting to the hard conditions after joining with the EU, which intends to establish modernized industry. It is worth pointing out that there is a difference between Bulgaria, which took a stringent policy for transhumance under the socialist regime, and Romania, which did not do so. The sheep number of transhumance has increased 10 times after the collapse of the socialist regime in Romania. Land degradation has progressed also after EU Membership. It is thought that both countries should find own way for sustainable development of sheep transhumance.

102 文学部・人文科学研究科 ＞ 紀要 ＞ 法政大学文学部紀要 ＞ 57