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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
The diversity of the vascular flora on the Serbian side of Stara Planina (the other part is in Bulgaria) is at least 1742 plant species and sub-species, of which 160 (9.3% of all recorded species and sub-species) are local or regional endemics. The diversity of the vascular flora on the Serbian side of Stara Planina (the other part is in Bulgaria) is at least 1742 plant species and sub-species, of which 160 (9.3% of all recorded species and sub-species) are local or regional endemics.On Stara Planina, up to now, 344 species of mosses have been recorded (Bryophytes), among which are a large number officially under various regimes of protection. Especially threatened are species which live on rotting tree trunks in bogs. A great threat to these species represent hydrogeographic constructions, resulting in significant changes of water balance in the habitats of these species. Buxbaumia viridis, a species protected by the Bern Convention and Habitat Directive in entire Europe since only a small number of micro- habitats remain (rotting tree trunks) on which this species thrives. A similar case is with the species Dicranum viride which is also protected by the Bern Convention together with the white bog mosses Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum cuspidatum, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum rubellum, Sphagnum squarrosum and Sphagnum subsecundum protected by the Habitat Directive. On Stara Planina thrive the following Bryophytes recorded on the European Red List for Bryophytes: Brachythecium geheebii, Bryum neodamense, Encalyptra microstoma, Grimmia caespiticia, Lophozia dscendens, Paraleucobryum sauteri and Pseudoleskea saviana. Constructing the ski-centre on Jabučko Ravnište and by captivating the Dojkin Spring, two of the most importan bogs on Stara Planina will be destroyed. This will result in a direct threat to the following moss species: Anastrophyllum minutum, Barbilophozia floerkei, Barbilophozia hatcheri, Bazzania trilobata, azzania tricrenata, Lophozia adscendens, Leiocolea badensis, Leiocolea collaris, Leiocolea hetrocolpos andi Scapania aequiloba as well as mosses : Amphidium mougeotii, Anomodon rugelii, Buxbaumia viridis, Cynodontium brutonii, Dichodontium palustre, Dicranum fuscescens, Dicranum viride, Diphyscium foliosum, Encalypta ciliata, Grimmia caespiticia, Physcomitrium piriforme, Pohlia longicolla, Orthotrichum obtusifolium, Paraleucobrium sauteri, Pseudoleskea saviana, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum cuspidatum, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum rubellum, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subsecundum, Tetraphis pellucidai and Timmia bavarica. The diversity of the vascular flora on the Serbian side of Stara Planina (the other side is in Bulgaria) is at least 1195 plant species, of which 116 (9.7% of all recorded species) are local or regional endemics. The endemics are the most threatened category and as such, the most significant floral elements of biodevirsity. An example of how dangerous wild tourist development may be is the case of the Wingde Bell (Campanula calycialata), recently exterminated, growing only on Stara Planina (summit of Babin Zub), a part of its vulnerable population destroyed during the first phase of the project. On Stara planina live 9 species from the International Red List (Cota macrantha, Dianthus banaticus, Scabiosa fumaroides, Pedicualris heterodonta, Tozzia alpina, Acer heldreichii, Delphinium fissum and Viola dacica), 42 species on the European Red List of which 4 are critically endangered (Lycopodium complanatum, Pinus mugo, Rosa balcanica, Androsace elongata), three species are protected are protected by the Habitat Directive (Gentiana lutea), 45 species on the CITES list (41 species of orchids), 179 species which are according to IUCN regionally endangered, 14 species on the National Red List, as well as 153 species protected by law and directives of the Republic of Serbia. Also, 21 plant species are locally critically endangered (IUCN YUCR): Lathyrus pancici, Alnus viridis, Androsace elongata, Angelica brachyradia, Bupleurum pachnospermum, Campanula thyrsoidea, Clematis alpina, Eranthis hyemalis, Gentiana lutea, Heracleum verticillatum, Pinus mugo, Juniperus sabine, Knautia ambiqua, Lycopodium complanatum, Oenanthe stenoloba, Peucidanum minutifolium, Rosa balcanica, Senecio pancicii, Swertia punctata, Tozzia alpina, Trifolium badium var. pseudobachium. From the Directive of Natural Rarities (Official Gazette Republic of Serbia No 50/93), 40 species are present and is thus illegal to damage and destroy their habitat. The Bern Convention also protects 2 species growing on Stara Planina: Campanula abietina and Lilium jankae. Bogs are habitats for numerous endemic plant species. On the bogs of Stara Planina grow on average between 50 and 70 endemic species. We wish to point out that Jabučko Ravnište is the largest bog and that it is threatened by the illegal construction of the tourist settlement, concrete buildings and parking place, planned on this site. The second largest mountain bog, Dojkino Vrelo will be utilised as a source of water and thus, the bog will be dried up. The most important endemic species on these bogs are: Senecio pancicii, Ciscium heterotrichum, Cardamine aeris, Barbarea balcana, Geum coccinum, Rumex balcanicus, Silene asterias and Dactylorhiza cordygera. Besides these, one of the most important is the insectivorous plant Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) – a rare and very endangered plant species which has already disappeared from the other regions of Serbia. We remind you that mountain bogs today represent one of the rarest and most treatened World ecosystems. According to IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) categorization, this are very sensitive ecosystems where even the most minute changes in biotic and abiotic factors are fateful (the disappearance of only one or two species, results in their total disappearance). Beside this, bogs are centres of biodiversity and for their protection is responible also our country (Serbia) and by the paragraphs of the Directive on Habitats signed in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. As a type of wet habitat, which can not be renewed, the Ramsar Convention (at the 8th Conference, 2003) identifies the bogs together with mangrove forests and coral reefs as the most sensitive and most endangered habitats on our Planet, resulting in the urgency of primary activities for their protection and conservation (Global Review of Wetland Resources and Priorities for Wetland Inventory). A special threat are the planned accumulations and facilities for the production of artificial snow resulting in the changes of water balance in this region, increased erosion and other disruptions of the ground due to the compression of snow, as well as the ammonia released during its production. Beside the basic threatening factors, a threat represent the physical changes of the terrain. Some other endemic species, endangered from the construction of parking places and ski tracks are: Jovibarba heuffelii, Minuartia bulgarica, Silene lerchenfoldianae, Campanula trojanensis, Saxifraga paniculata, Symphyandra wanneri, Alyssium wierzbickii i Alium melanantherum… It is very important to mention that the biodeversity of the forest vegetation (Piceetum excelsae serbicum, Fagetum subapinum serbicum и Fagetum submontanum mixtum silicicolum) prevents erosion on mountain slopes. The construction of ski-tracks would initiate the unavoidable erosion processes which already happened on some parts of the mountain where illegal activities have already taken place (Babin Zub).
Here is to follow a list of important bird species especially significant for specific localities on Stara Planina. According to the contributed map of the ski centre, quite all localities are more or less in danger of devastation. This means that the local populations of these species will be under under strong negative pressure (many of them probably with a fall in numbers and the narrowing of the local areal of over 50%). Will some of them completely die out from Stara Planina, depends on a number of factors, primarily on the intensity and frequency of the negative effects. Among all of the shown species below, as specially senstitive to the construction of the ski-centre, the following may be separated: T.urogallus (already disappeared?), E.a.balcanica, A.campestris, P.modularis, Ciconia nigra, Aq. chrysaetos, F.peregrinus, F.cherrug, P.gracullus (already disappeared), A. graeca, E.morinellus, S.rusticola, etc.
According to my preliminary evaluation and more detailed analysis of ski track distribution, certainly the most dangerous ski lifts and tracks are those which go along both sides of Bratkova Strana and from Kopren, these to be stopped at all cost, even if to sacrifice the terrain from the ridge of Žarkova Čuka to Golema Reka (river), as well as the terrain from the saddle of Sunčana Dolina (Sunny Valley) to Topli Dol (Warm Valley). Also, very dangerous are tracks around Srebrna Glava (Silver Head) and Dobro Jutro (Good Morning) at the extereme South-East. Least problems in this part would be from tracks from the Tupanac ridge towards the waterflow of the Jelovička Reka (river) and in the direction of Rosomača.
To follow is a review of specially significant bird species at specific important localities on Stara Planina. GOLEMA REKA - DUPLJAK - GOLEMI KAMEN (ridge and slopes) Tetrao urogallusPrunella collarisPrunella modularisNucifraga caryocatactesCircaeetus gallicusPernis apivorusParus cristatusRegulus ignicapillus TOPLODOLSKA REKA - TEMŠTICA (canyon) Ciconia nigraPernis apivorusFalco peregrinusButeo rufinusAquila chrysaetosBubo buboMonticola saxatilisFicedula albicollisHirundo rupestrisEmberiza cia BABIN ZUB (rocks and slopes) Falco peregrinus (irregular nesting)Pyrrhocorax graculus (previous nesting)Prunella collarisHirundo rupestrisAlectoris graeca (previous nesting)Monticola saxatilisSaxicola rubetra JABUČKO RAVNIŠTE (fields, beech forest, bog) Scolopax rusticola (nesting)Phoenicurus phoenicurusSaxicola rubetraCaprimuglus europaeusStrix alucoPerdix perdixDryocopus martiusPhyloscopus sibilatrix MIDŽOR - ŽARKOVA ČUKA - TUPANAR (ridge and slopes) Falco cherrug (nesting)Eudromias morinellusMonticola saxatilisAnthus campestrisEremophila alpestris balcanicaSaxicola rubetra BRATKOVA STRANA - PONOR Spermophilus cittelusTetrao urogallus (previous nesting place)Eremophila alpestris balcanica (most numerous on this locality in relation to Stara Planina)Circaetus gallicusFalco cherrug (probably nesting)Monticola saxatilis TRI ČUKE - ARBINJE Prunella collarisTetrao urogallus (previous nesting place)Eremophila alpestris balcanica Turdus torquatusPrunella modularisParus cristatusDendrocopos leucotosRegulus ingnicapillus KOPREN Aquila chrysaetosSaxicola rubetraEremophila alpestris balcanica Prunella collarisParus montanusDryocopus martiusFicedula parvaRegulus ingnicapillus JELOVIČKI SLIV Scolopax rusticola (nesting)Phoenicurus phoenicurusSaxicola rubetraCaprimuglus europaeusStrix alucoCinclus cinclusPerdix perdixDryocopus martiusSylvia nisoriaPhyloscopus sibilatrix TUPANAC – SREBRNA GLAVA -DOBRO JUTRO Bubo bubo Eremophila alpestris balcanica Saxicola rubetraPhoenicurus ochrurus Phoenicurus phoenicurus Ficedula parvaPrunella collarisPerdix perdixMonticola saxatilisEmberiza cia |
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