Area: 409,11 ха
Ownership: state - 35%; municipality - 12%; private - 53%;
Description:
Zlato pole is former bed of Maritsa River located several kilometers away from Dimitrovgrad, south of the village of Zlato Pole. On the south it is limited by the railway to Svilengrad and the village of Raynovo. It is the biggest wetland with natural origin along Maritsa River. The wetland complex includes several ponds, reedbeds, islands, pastures, arable lands and dispersed oak forests, located near the Murtvitsata, as well as part of Maritsa river with riverine forests, dominated by willows.
Birds:
In spite its small territory Zlato pole supports 80 bird species, 24 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (1985). Of the birds occurring there 35 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 3 of them being listed in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened, 11 in SPEC 2 and 21 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe. The area provides suitable habitats for 28 species, included in Annex 2 of the Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 26 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive. The site is one of the most important places in Bulgaria and along the Maritsa as a night roost and wintering site for the globally threatened Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus. The region is a typical breeding habitat of the Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes.
Threats:
The area of Zlato pole is small area situated close to densely populated settlements. It is very sensitive to water management and all the human activities related to forestry or cause disturbance to birds. The hydrological regime of the wetlands depends entirely on the connection with Maritsa River. Cutting of trees and shrubs along Maritsa River, and the oxbow itself cause deterioration and even loss of valuable habitats for breeding and roosting of birds, especially the Levant Sparrowhawk and the Pygmy Cormorant. Because of the easy access of the area there is high disturbance to birds caused by illegal hunting on protected species, illegal net fishing, as well as intentional direct disturbance to Pygmy cormorant in its roosting sites.
Legal protection:
The Zlato pole Protected Area was designated in 2001 to protect the wetland – habitat for threatened waterfowl, reptiles and plant species. It covers 20% of the site’s territory. In 2005 the area was designated as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
