| Σχόλιο για τις αξίες |
Like its neighbouring region the Vikos-Aoos National Park, Central Zagori area is very important for both its flora and fauna as well as its magnificent landscape with traditional small villages together with old bridges, churches and monasteries. This area, as well as the whole Zagori region, is considered as one of the most attractive places for visitors in Greece. Within its extensive forests we can find every kind of Greek tree species. Our knowledge of the herbal flora of the area is insufficient and the detailed study could give much interesting information. Of the taxa listed in section 3.3 with motivation D, Achillea abrotanoides is Balkan endemics. In the mixed woodland zone we must mention the presence of the following species (listed also in section 3.3with motivation D): Corylus colurna and Ilex aquifolium in the forested area of Dipotamo village and Atropa belladona in the area of Manassi village. Corylus colurna and Atropa belledona are protected by Greek legislation (Presidential Decree 67/1981), thus receiving the motivation D. Important is also the presence in the riparian forests, of Alnus glutinosa, the populations of which in Greece must be protected.The importance of the fauna of this site is mainly evident from the occurrence of non-bird vertebrate species listed in Annex II of the Directive 92/43/EEC. Among them the Brown Bear, Ursus arctos, is a priority species of this Directive. Its distribution area in Europe is greatly broken up, so that the largest part of the continent is uninhabited by the bear (the only continuous distribution area of the species is in northern Scandinavia and NW Russia). The Greek bear population living in the central and northern Pindos mountain range is the southernmost in Europe. This species and the Otter Lutra lutra are threatened taxa of the Greek fauna placed in the threat categories "Endangered" and "Vulnerable" respectively, according to the Greek Red Data Book. All these Directive species are also mentioned in the Bern Convention lists; moreover, the bear is protected by the Presidential Decree 86/1969. Some Other Important Species have been reported from this area. These are some anuran amphibians, one lizard (Podarcis erhardii), snakes and a small mammal (Sciurus vulgaris) (see section 3.3). All of them are protected by the Bern Convention (motivation C) and the Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981 (motivation D), except the Nose-horned Viper (Vipera ammodytes), which is not mentioned in the latter document. Erhard's Wall Lizard, Podarcis erhardii, is endemic to the Balkans (the subspecies P. e. riveti being distributed in the mainland only). Additionally, Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea and Coronella austriaca are marked with D since they are recorded by the CORINE-Biotopes Project. A diverse avifauna also lives in the area including some birds of prey and other rare taxa, e.g. Pernis apivorus, Neophron percnopterus, Circaetus gallicus, Accipiter nisus, Buteo buteo, Aquila chrysaetos, Ciconia nigra, etc. According to the Greek Red Data Book, the Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) is "Endangered" while the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) are "Vulnerable" species. The Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) is very rare in the wider area of NW Greece.The invertebrate species listed in section 3.3 with motivation D are protected by the Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981. Pieris krueperi is also included in the list of "Threatened Rhopalocera (butterflies) of Europe. |
