The second week of November greeted environmentalists in Bulgaria with news that the investors in the controversial Super Borovets ski resort project in Rila Mountain would apply for a certificate from the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, a European Union tool used to improve companies' environmental performance. All that sounds pretty good: the investors are finally deciding to construct the ski resort in a way that does not harm the environment, by building energy-efficient passive solar buildings, thus maintaining average temperature without heating or cooling systems; supplying energy to all tourist and sport facilities by using only renewable energy sources; developing systems for refuse management and creating an integrated tourism concept that harmonises with nature.

But how would this be possible? In the first place, what one needs to ski, after putting on one's skis and boots, are ski runs. So, although all the buildings and such would be built in a way that respects nature, trees would undoubtedly be cut down for the slopes. By felling trees, the environment is harmed in at least three ways.

The first one is that the trees in the buffer zone of Rila National Park are very old and part of the protected natural heritage of Bulgaria. The Rila buffer zone was on the list of protected zones of the European environmental network Natura 2000, but as investor interest started welling up for this area, for one reason or another the Government excluded the Rila buffer from Natura 2000, thus allowing construction there.

The second is that by cutting down the trees, the soil loses part of its richness and severe erosion develops in the place of the felled trees. The situation would resemble that of Bansko, where no eye enjoys the view of the snowy ski slopes in the summer, when they resemble only huge, roughly dug holes in the ground.

The third reason not to cut down trees wherever and for any reason is a bit more global in perspective, as such activity contributes to global warming by decreasing the number of natural processors of carbon dioxide. Cutting down trees also chases away the animals by destroying and restricting their natural habitats.

Another huge problem with Super Borovets, one which cannot convince me that it could deserve any kind of environmental certificate, is that given the ever-decreasing amount of snow we are receiving, artificial snow machines would be used. Everybody knows that what the snow the machines produce is not made simply of water, but has added chemicals to it, and this affects the soil, the trees and all the plants that would persist in trying to grow, although big areas of natural life had already been killed.

Separate buildings can, maybe, receive an environmental certificate, but not a whole ski resort. As an "eco" activity, skiing can mean only one thing: hoist the skis on your back, climb the mountain and then descend in areas that are naturally clear of trees, where the powder is natural, and can be called snow.