State: KyustendilArea: 2494,71 ха
Ownership: state - 50%; municipality - 32%; private - 18%;
Description:
The site is located in south-western Bulgaria, in the triangle between Nevestino, Dupnitsa and Boboshevo, north of the village of Skrino and Skrinski Gordge on the Struma. It covers a hilly area to the north of the villages of Vukovski Hanove, Lokvata and Mali Varbovnik, reaching east to the village of Kamenik. To the south its territory stretches to the villages of Tsiklovo and Vukovo, turning to the south-west and following the road Skrino – Pastuh and encompassing a part of the river gorge. There are several types of habitats on the site’s territory, but most important for the national Ecological Network are the wet meadows and pastures and partially – the rock exposures in the region of the gorge.
Birds:
The site is of international importance for the conservation of the globally threatened Corncrake Crex crex, breeding there in considerable numbers. Other threatened species, subject to special conservation measures, like the Eagle Owl Bubo bubo, the Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus, etc., also breed there.
Threats:
The area is very sensitive to the human activities related to traditional use of the meadows and pastures. The most serious threats are the haymaking activities, which do not take into account the breeding period of the corncrake as well as the conversion of grasslands into arable land or forests. The changes in the hydrological regime of the area cause negative changes in the humidity of the meadows. There are plans for construction of micro hydropower station along Struma River inside the Skrino gorge, which will harm the riverine ecosystem there.
Legal protection:
The territory is not protected by the national nature conservation law. Skrino Gorge is under procedure for designation as protected area. In 2005 it was designated as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
