Σχόλιο για τις αξίες |
The occurrence, especially in the extraforestial plant associations, in Vardousia mountain range, of a great number of endemic and rare plants such as Verbascum reiserii, Aubrieta gracilis, Campanula columnaris, Carum heldreichi, Poa trichophylla and Anthemis spruneri render the area as an important one from an ecological point of view. In addition, the presence of Quercus ilex, a fairly rare plant species in Greece, forming dense stands in some places, reinforce the above-mentioned opinion.On the other hand from a faunistic point of view, some of the species recorded as occurring in this site are listed in Annex II of the Directive 92/43/E.E.C. (see section 3.2). The wolf Canis lupus, which is a priority species of the Directive has the southernmost area of its permanent distribution at this site. This animal together with the second of the Directive species, the otter Lutra lutra, are threatened taxa of the Greek fauna, both placed in the category "Vulnerable" according to the Greek Red Data Book. These two species are also mentioned in the lists of the Bern Convention. Greek legislation (Presidential Decree 67/1981) protects the otter. The special zoological significance of this site is also evident from the occurrence here of several Other Important Species (section 3.3). Among these the Blind Mole Talpa caeca and the Roe Deer, Carpeolus carpeolus, are threatened species mentioned in the Greek Red Data Book as "Insufficiently Known" and "Vulnerable" respectively (motivation A). Excepting Talpa and Sus species, all other taxa of section 3.3 are protected by the Bern Convention and most of them by the Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981 (exceptions to the latter are: Rana ridibunda, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Lepus europaeus, Martes foina, Meles meles, Felis silvestris, Sus scrofa and Capreolus capreolus). The Wildcat Felis silvestris is also mentioned by the CITES Convention and together with the anuran amphibians Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea, Rana dalmatina and the lizard Ablepharus kitaibelii, has been evaluated by the CORINE-Biotopes Project. All taxa of section 3.3 mentioned by the Bern and CITES Conventions are marked with C, while those listed in the Appendices of the Presidential Decree and CORINE handbook are indicated by the D motivation. The Edible Dormouse Glis g. pindicus is additionally marked with D since it is a Balkan endemic element, whereas the hare Lepus europaeus and the Wildcat also receive this motivation because of their general rarity. Finally, the wild boar, Sus scrofa, is indicated with D since its populations in Vardousia live at the southernmost edge of the species' distribution range in the Balkans. As a result of this, measures for the protection of the area must be taken. 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" and Plebejus sephirus which is included in the list of "Threatened Rhopalocera (butterflies) of Europe", the IUCN Red List and in the "Listing of biotopes in Europe according to their significance for invertebrates". |