Area: 146820,48 ха
Ownership: state - 49%; municipality - 31%; private - 20%;
Description:
The boundaries of the area almost coincide with the orographic scope of the western share of the main Balkan Mountain chain, to the north-west stretching from the grounds of the villages Rakovitsa and Podgore to Petrohan and Ponor Mountain to the south and the Proboynitsa river valley and the Vratsa Mountain to the south-east. The area includes the Belogradchik Rocks and the adjacent higher part of the pre-Balkan – a line of karst hills on the south-east. It covers also the territory of Chuprene biosphere reserve and Gornata Koriya reserve. It includes mainly semi-mountain forest habitats. The broadleaved forests have the biggest share – 80,264 ha. Half of them are beech forests of Fagus sylvatica и F. sylvatica subsp. moesiaca. About 50% of the beech forests are between 80 and 250 years old. The forests of Querqus frainetto, Q.cerris, Q.dalechampii and Carpinus betulus have coppice origin. The coniferous forests cover 2,080 ha, mainly spruce Picea abies, on the territory of Chuprene biosphere reserve and spruce – fir in Gornata Koriya. The spruce forests are the only natural and compact forests of this kind in the Western Balkan and are comparatively well preserved of human impact. The open terrain (pastures, farmland, rocks, etc.) covers an area of about 54,300 ha. In spite of the comparatively small area of rock formations and complexes, they are the most valuable habitat in the region, providing nesting conditions for some rare and threatened birds of prey and the Black Stork Ciconia nigra.
Birds:
Generally the Western Balkan supports rich biodiversity. Its birdlife has not been sufficiently studied: 160 breeding bird species have been recorded there, 62 of which are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004). Four species are listed in category SPEC 1 (globally threatened), 22 in SPEC 2 and 36 in SPEC 3 (threatened in Europe). Thirty one of the species occurring there are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria. The Western Balkan supports one of the most numerous populations of the Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca and the Corncrake Crex crex in Bulgaria. Four globally threatened species occur there – the Saker Falcon Falco cherrug and Corncrake Crex crex, the Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca and Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni. The Saker Falcon, Corncrake and Imperial Eagle have considerable populations in the Western Balkan. The Lesser Kestrel is under risk of extinction from the region. The area is representative for the alpine biome, because of the complex of breeding alpine species - Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria, Yellow-billed (Alpine) Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus and Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris. It is among the most valuable areas in the country on a European Union level for conservation of a complex of 22 breeding species - Corncrake, Imperial Eagle, Saker, Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes, Ural Owl Strix uralensis, Tengmalm`s Owl Aegolius funereus, Woodlark Lullula arborea, Semi-collared Flycatcher Ficedula semitorquata, Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva, Capercallie Tetrao urogallus, Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus, Peregrine Falco peregrinus, Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius, Middle-spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius, White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos, Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus, European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus, Eagle Owl Bubo bubo, Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana, Red-backed Shrike /Lanius collurio/ and Lesser Grey Shrike /Lanius minor/. During the recent years the Capercallie is in risk of extinction from the region. Western Balkan is a site of European importance for the conservation of the Rock Partridge, Little Owl Athene noctua, Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus, Common Quail Coturnix coturnix, Wryneck Jynx torquilla, Greenfinch Carduelis chloris and Blackbird Turdus merula.
Threats:
Western Balkan is a huge area with diversity of habitats, presence of settlements, relatively well developed infrastructure and diversity of land use practices. Lowland habitats are easily accessible to people and are sensitive to human activities related to agriculture, livestock, infrastructure and urbanization. Grazing is carried out on the pastures close to the villages. Around 70% of the animal fodder is provided through grazing in the summer and hay in the winter. Pastures are used on a simple rotational basis - those which are used for grazing in one year are mown for hay in the following year. Pastures further away from settlements are not used completely because of the smaller number of animals today compared with the past. This together with the high level of emigration of people from the region causes abandonment of the land and deterioration of key habitats for Corncrake and other threatened species of EU importance. Other activities leading to deterioration of bird habitats are the expansion of stone pits, and insufficient waste management. The forest habitats are highly affected by the intensive forestry. Forest fires cause destruction of habitats. Rocky habitats are threatened by detonations made by treasure hunters. Big investment projects for building ski resorts threaten higher parts of the territory of the Western Balkan. The area is vulnerable to activities related to industrialization, urbanization, as well as electricity production through wind generators, which could significantly damage the habitats. Direct threats to birds are caused by poaching (taking chicks and eggs from the nests, shooting of raptors and owls), rock climbing, gliding, hang-gliding, off road traffic of motor vehicles, etc.
Legal protection:
Only 1% of the area is under legal protection according to the national law. The “Tchuprene” reserve was designated in 1973 for protection of the only compact coniferous forest in the Western Balkan. The “Gornata Koriya” reserve was designated in 1968 to protect the coniferous forests. The other protected areas are designated for protection of forest or for protection of caves and landscapes. A significant part of the territory of Western Balkan is under procedure for designation as Nature Park. The Belogradchik Rocks are unique rock complex in the country. The whole Western Balkan, together with Serbian part of the Stara Planina mountain is expected to be declared as geo-park by UNESCO. In 1998 about 33% of the area was appointed as CORINE Sites because of its European value for habitats, rare and threatened plant and animal species, including birds. In 1997 a small part of the area was designated as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. In 2005 the whole territory of Western Balkan was designated as IBA. About 80,000 ha of the IBA is recognized also as Important Plant Area in 2003, because of the valuable forest, meadows and rocky habitats.
