State: HaskovoArea: 4889,00 ха
Ownership: state - 11%; municipality - 66%; private - 23%;
Description:
Harmanliyska Reka is situated in the southeast part of the Upper Thracian Plain. It covers a hilly area along the lower stream of the Harmanliyska river west from the town of Harmanli. To the north it borders to the main road E80, and to the west the site limit goes through the villages of Bryagovo and Ropdopi. The site`s limits reach the village of Ostar kamak to the south. In this part of its course the river forms a deep rocky gorge with vertical cliffs, surrounded by pastures, broadleaved forests and shrubs. The forests are composed mainly of oak Quercus cerris and oriental hornbeam Carpinus orientalis with the participation of Mediterranean elements. The open areas are occupied by xerothermal grass formations and ephemeral species. The pastures are interspersed with shrubs of Christ’s thorn Paliurus spina-cristi and single trees. Part of the site has recently been affected by a big fire, which has changed the state of the oak forests. Currently they are undergoing coppice regeneration and form huge territories of shrubby habitats. Two types of riverine associations occur along the Harmanliyska river – Riverine willow formations Salix spp. and mixed elm–alder groups along the rivers Fraxinus excelsior – Alnus glutinosa
Birds:
The region of Harmaliyska Reka supports 149 bird species, 28 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (1985). Of the birds occurring there 35 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), one of them being listed in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened (the Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus), 20 in SPEC 2 and 42 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe. The area provides suitable habitats for 45 species, included in Annex 2 of the Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 41 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive. The site is one of the most important places in the country on European Union scale for the conservation of the Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum and the Calandra Lark Melanocorhypha calandra, which breed there in considerable numbers. The Great Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla also breeds there in significant numbers.
Threats:
The area of Harmanliyska Reka is used extensively by local people mainly for livestock and to less extend for agriculture and forestry. It is sensitive to intensification of agriculture and forestry, as well as change of land use practices. Reduction in grazing following by succession, as well as conversion of pastures to arable lands cause loss of grassland habitats for birds (Calandra Lark, Short-toed Lark, Corn Bunting) and the Souslik Spermophilus citellus. During the dry years large parts of the site are burned by fires. The forests in Harmanliyska Reka are relatively small patches dispersed amongst open landscapes and along the river. Illegal cutting of trees and firewood collection degrade the quality of forest habitats. Investment project related with construction of a big hydropower station on Harmanliyska river will cause damage to the habitats situated close to the river bed. The east part of the area borders a big city park of the town of Harmanli, which is intensively used and urbanized. These cause disturbance to birds in that part of the site.
Legal protection:
Less than 1% of the site’s territory is under legal protection by the national nature conservation law. The “Defileto” is the biggest protected area in the site, designated in 1973 to protect the landscape features. There are two natural monuments, designated in 1966 also to protect the landscape. A procedure for enlargement of the Defileto Protected area is carried out since 2005 in order to protect the best preserved habitats along the Harmanlyiska river. In 2005 it was designated also as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
