The owners and managers of the 25th largest ornamental plant nurseries in Bulgaria established the Bulgarian association of ornamental plant nurseries (BAOPN) on 3th of February 2011 to protect the interests of the business in the nursery industry. Since its foundation BAOPN has become a full member of European Nurserystock Association (ENA).
In 2014 BAOPN created the Standard for production and trade of ornamental plants in Bulgaria and the Technical and quality requirements for production and trade of ornamental plants. The standard is in accordance with the European Technical & Quality Standards for Nursery Stocks (version 2010) approved by ENA and the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
BAOPN develops activities in partnership with the University of Forestry (Sofia, Bulgaria), the Bulgarian Executive Agency of plant variety testing, approbation and seed control, the Union of the Landscape Architects, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Association of the students in landscape architecture.
BAOPN has the ambition to perform the branch strategic tasks as the proliferation of the Standard, the development of Certificate system, lobbying, image making through the national fair Green Fest and initiatives in national and international forums.
One of the BAOPN’s main aim is to promote the dialogue between the professionals, the institutions and the society in order to develop the Bulgarian ornamental plant production and to provide better conditions for Bulgarian nurseries.