State: Plovdiv, SmolyanArea: 15677,46 ха
Ownership: state - 39%; municipality - 14%; private - 47%;
Description:
Persenk is located in the central part of the Western Rhodopes, between the rivers Vucha and Chepelarska. It covers the high-mountain areas of the ridges Chernatitsa and Persenk, as well as a part of the Belocherkovski ridge to the north. The site’s western limit passes along the slopes in the grounds of the villages of Chukurovo, Ljaskovo and Breze, its southern one – above the Shirokolushka river valley, its eastern one – beyond Zornitsa, Studenets and Orehovo up to Sitovo and Lilkovo to the north. About 70% of the site’s territory is covered by forests, mostly coniferous Picea abies with a small share of broadleaved and mixed. There are also open areas -pastures, farmland and shrubbery. The grassland habitats are quite diverse, but the mesophyte communities of Agrostis capillaris and Festuca rubra, as well as xeromesophytous and xerothermal grass communities of Festuca valesiaca, F. stoijanovii, F. panciciana, etc. predominate there (Bondev 1991).
Birds:
Persenk is one of the most important sites in the country on a European Union scale for the breeding Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus, Grey-headed woodpecker Picus canus and Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus. The Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius and the Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus also breed there in representative numbers.
Threats:
The region of Persenk is surrounded by relatively densely populated areas of district and municipality centres. The area is particularly sensitive to forestry, but also to water management and tourism. The forest habitats are highly affected by the intensive forestry and overexploitation of forest resources, as well as by illegal cutting. This cause change of the quality of forest ecosystems, disturb the natural water regime of the whole region, as well as erosion and sliding processes. The investment plans for building of many micro water power stations along the river streams will further increase the negative impact on the overall water balance in the region. Removal of old semi dead trees and those with holes limits the possibilities for woodpeckers and owls to find proper breeding grounds and food. Forest fires in the coniferous forests and the burning of Juniper cause destruction of habitats. The region of Persenk is preferable destination for tourism. The development of ski tourism is the most serious threat to the both forest and alpine habitats. Construction activities related to the development of tourist infrastructure cause deterioration and destruction of valuable habitats in the easy accessible areas. The general threats to birds are the fragmentation and change of habitats. Direct threats to birds are caused by poaching (taking chicks and eggs from the nests, shooting of raptors and owls, using of traps and poison), rock climbing and off road traffic of motor vehicles, etc. The high mountain areas of Persenk are a subject of serious interest for development of wind turbine farms and micro hydropower plants. This development could disturb the free movement of birds, especially the birds of prey, and will limit to a significant extent the access of birds to the suitable habitats. They will cause direct collision and killing of them, fragmentation and loss of valuable the habitats.
Legal protection:
About 51% of the area coincides with the Persenk CORINE Site designated in 1998 because of its European value for rare and threatened habitats, plant and animal species, including birds. Less than 1% of the site’s territory is protected by the national nature conservation law – represented by one protected area and 2 nature monuments. In 2005 the area was designated as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
