State: PlevenArea: 22260,24 ха
Ownership: state - 9%; municipality - 30%; private - 61%;
Description:
Nikopolsko Plateau is located in northern Bulgaria, the Danubian plain south of the town of Nikopol. To the north it borders on the Danube and the town, to the west and south – on the Osam river, to the east – on the Svishtov-Belene lowland, being limited by the villages of Dragash Voyvoda, Byala Voda and Dekov. Nikopolsko Plateau has a karst nature. A ridge with numerous rock exposures is formed above the Osam River. On the east it looses height and gradually descends to the lowland. The road Svishtov – Nikopol passes through its territory. Most of the plateau is occupied by farmland, xerothermal (with Dichantium ischaemum, Poa bulbosa, Chrysopogon grillus and Stipa tirsa) and mesoxerothermal (Poa bulbosa, Lolium perenne, Cynodon dactylon, etc.) grass associations in the ravines, at places overgrown with shrubs dominated by Carpinus orientalis. A big share of the territory is occupied by a mosaic of broadleaved forests mainly mixed ones of Quercus pubescens with undergrowth of Cotynus coggygria, but also single patches of mixed forests of Tilia tomentosa, Q. cerris and Acer campeste. Along the Osam River there are still preserved riverine forests of of Salix alba. Hybrid poplar plantations predominate along the river (Bondev, 1991). In the plateau’s western part around the Osam river there are flooded areas, remnants of former river beds, wet meadows, and open rocky terrain.
Birds:
Nikopolsko Plateau supports 92 breeding bird species, 16 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (1985). Of the birds occurring there 43 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 2 of them being listed in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened, 11 in SPEC 2 and 30 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe. The area provides suitable habitats for 27 species, included in Annex 2 of the Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 25 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive. The site one of the most important in the country on a European Union scale for the Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus, European Roller Coracias garrulus, Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus and Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris. It is of European importance for the European Bee-eater Merops apiaster, which breeds there in significant numbers. Nikopolsko Plateau holds also representative breeding populations of a complex of threatened species as Black Stork Ciconia nigra, Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus, Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus, Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina, Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor and Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio. In the region of Nikopolsko plateau occur 15 species of rare an dendemic plant species, most o fwhich with steppic origin. One of the most numerous colonies of the Souslik Spermophilus citellus in North Bulgaria occur there
Threats:
Nikopolsko Plateau is surrounded by settlements, relatively well developed infrastructure and diversity of land use practices. There are several settlements on its territories as well. The town of Nikopol is situated on the vicinity of its north-east border. The whole area are easy 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. Pastures further away from settlements are not used completely because of the smaller number of animals today compared with the past. Decreasing of grazing following by succession cause loss of grassland habitats for birds. Other activities leading to deterioration of valuable habitats for birds are the rapid expansion of stone pits during the last two years, mainly illegal ones, as well as the insufficient waste management. The forest habitats are highly affected by the intensive forestry, intentional forest fires and afforestation with non-indigenous species. The cutting of riverine forests along the Osam River could cause complete loss of that habitat. The area is vulnerable to activities related to industrialization, urbanization, road development, as well as electricity production through wind turbines, 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), gliding, hang-gliding, off road traffic of motor vehicles, etc.
Legal protection:
About 18% of the proposed SPA territory is a part of the “Persina” Nature Park, designated in the year 2000 to protect the remarkable ecosystems typical for the Danube River. The park includes another 2 protected areas and one nature monument – cave. In 2005 the site is designated also as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
