State: SofiaArea: 31379,85 ха
Ownership: state - 32%; municipality - 47%; private - 21%;
Description:
The area covers the Ponor Mountain with altitude of 900 to 1,400 m, situated some 50 km north-west of the capital city of Sofia. It is part of the Western Stara Planina (Balkan Mountain Range). The boundaries of Ponor Mountain are outlined in the east by the deep gorge of Iskar River; in the south by Kozle River and Iskretska River. In the west it follows the state border in its section from the grounds of the village of Burlya to Vrudlovtsi and Pepurlitsi. In the north it borders the Koznitsa Ridge of the main Stara Planina chain. It covers mainly open grass terrain terrain - pastures and meadows with calciphyle and mesophyte grass vegetation. The grasslands are surrounded by broadleaved forests of Fagus moesiaca above 1,000 m a.s.l., at places mixed with Carpinus betulus (Bondev 1991), oak forests up to 600 m a.s.l., mixed oak-hornbeam forests between 600 and 1,000 m a.s.l., as well as rocky crests and stony karst terrain and, to a lesser extent, agricultural plots. Ponor Mountain is formed by limestone and dolomites and represents one of the biggest and most characteristic Karst areas in Bulgaria. The water penetrating the calcareous rocks has created large negative Karst forms - whirlpools, potholes (ponor in Bulgarian), and blind valleys. More than 70 caves have been found in the Ponor massif. The largest river running through Ponor Mountain is Iskar River. The other large rivers are Iskretska, Kozle, Ginska, Proboinitsa, Brezenska and Zimevishka Rivers.
Birds:
About 60% of the territory of the massif is covered by grassland communities - a unique mosaic of mountainous pastures, hay meadows, calcareous cliffs and pastoral patches. These habitats and the traditional land use provide suitable conditions breeding and migration of 140 bird species, 50 of which are of European conservation concern (BirdLife International, 2004). Five of them are included in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened, 15 in SPEC 2 and 30 in SPEC 3 as threatened in Europe. Twenty-six species are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria as rare or endangered, as well as 38 species included in Annex 2 of the Biodiversity Act. Ponor Mountain is of global importance for the Corncrake Crex crex breeding there. The area provides suitable habitats for 35 species included into Annex I of the Birds Directive and 8 more migrating species. It is one of the most important sites in the country on a European Union scale for Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus, Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, Corncrake, Eagle Owl Bubo bubo, Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus, Woodlark Lullula arborea, Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria and Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio. Apart from the Corncrake two globally threatened species still breed in Ponor Mountain – the Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca and Saker Falcon Falco cherrug. It supports considerable populations of the Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca, Common Quail Coturnix coturnix, Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis and European Green Woodpecker Picus viridis. Ponor Mountain is important during migration mainly for raptors, including the globally threatened Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni and Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus.
Threats:
The area is sensitive to human activities related mainly to traditional land use practices. 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 of the land and overgrown of grasslands with shrubs and trees. It cause deterioration of key habitats for the Corncrake and other species of European Union importance. In addition the conversion of pastures and meadows into arable land and burning of Juniper Juniperus spp. for expansion of pastures also causes of deterioration and loss of habitats. The drainage of the karst area by piping in lower parts of the mountain affects the quality of meadow habitats. Other activities with negative effects on habitats are the unsustainable forest management, tourism and recreation type of activities not suitable for the region, as well as ideas for development of wind turbine farms. Hunting and poaching, as well as taking chicken and eggs from the nests of birds of prey directly affect bird populations.
Legal protection:
The area of Ponor Mountain is not protected by the national nature conservation legislation. Five protected areas are designated for protection of caves or waterfalls that cover only 0.3% of the area. The proposed SPA overlaps significantly with the “Ponor” CORINE Site designated in 1998 because of its European value for habitats, rare and threatened plant and animal species, including birds. In 1989 a small part of the area was designated as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International – Gintzi IBA. In 1997 a new Important Bird Area was identified there – Zimevitza meadows, which covers small part of the valuable meadows. Since 2005 the whole area of Ponor has been designated as Important Bird Area.
