Estado: Shumen, VarnaÁrea: 84030,41 ха
Propiedad: state - 38%; municipality - 15%; private - 47%;
Descripción:
The Provadiysko and Royaksko plateaus are located in eastern Bulgaria, between the towns of Shumen and Provadiya. On the north and the south they border respectively on the rivers of Provadiyska and Golyama Kamchia. The area includes also the rock massifs of Nevsha – Venchan and Komunari. To the west it reaches the villages of Madara and Blagovo and to the east – the road between the villages of Grozdjovo and Barzitsa. The region is sparsely populated and the settlements are concentrated mainly along the valleys of the rivers, limiting the area, and to a lesser extent – in the watershed of the Glavnitsa River. Half of the territory is occupied by mixed broadleaved forests with a prevalence of Quercus cerris, mixed with Quercus frainetto, Quercus polycarpa, Carpinus betulus, Carpinus orientalis and Fraxinus ornus (Bondev 1991). About one third of these forests are seminal high stand, with the appearance of the former natural mixed broadleaved forests that used to cover huge territories in this region. The remaining part of the forests is coppice with considerably changed structure. Farmlands occupy about 47% of the region’s territory and about 13% is pasture, at places overgrown with shrubs. Rock massifs forming complexes are dispersed in several places in the region.
Aves:
The region of the Provadiysko–Royaksko plateau supports 160 bird species, 36 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (1985). Of the birds occurring there 68 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 4 of them being listed in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened, 19 in SPEC 2 and 45 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe. The area provides suitable habitats (forests, pastures, farmlands and rocky massifs) for 52 species, included in Annex 2 of the Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 49 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive. Provadiysko – Royaksko plateau is one of the most important areas in the country for breeding of Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, Eagle Owl Bubo bubo, Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius, Roller Coracias garrulus, Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus, and Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana and Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria. The Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus, Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus, Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus, Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos and Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus also breed in the area, in considerable numbers. The good nutritious base and the suitable roosting sites attract relatively large quantities of White and Black Storks Ciconia ciconia C. nigra and different birds of prey during spring and autumn migration. The Provadiyska river valley is a bottleneck migration site for storks and birds of prey, where more than 35,000 storks and 3,000 raptors pass and often overnight during autumn or spring migration.
Amenazas:
Because of the settlements situated close to the area, as well as within the area, there is an easy access to certain parts of the area. The area is sensitive to human activities which cause disturbance to birds, especially to those which nest on the rocks - rock climbing, gliding, hang-gliding, tourism activities during the breeding season. Hunting activities and poaching also cause disturbance to birds. Intensive cutting activities in the forests degrade the forest habitats and disturb the birds during the breeding season. Removal of old semi dead and dead trees limits the possibilities for woodpeckers to find proper breeding grounds and food. Rocky habitats are threatened by illegal treasure hunting. Continuing urbanization and turning the grasslands to arable lands are the main reason for fragmentation and loss of valuable habitats. Illegal waste deposits degrade the open habitats. During recent decades the tourism starts to develop more intensively, which could cause negative impact on birds and habitats if the process is not regulated. One of the potential threats both to the habitats and to the birds in the area is the development of wind turbine farms.
La protección legal:
In the Provadiysko–Royaksko plateau there are 4 protected areas but they cover only 0.3% of its territory. The “Slaveikova gora” Protected Area was designated in 1986 to protect the breeding sites of threatened birds of prey. The “Vodenitsata” Protected Area was designated in 1987 also to protect the threatened bird species. “Snejnata Koria” Protected Area was designated in 1966 to protect the old oak forest. The “Golyamata kanara” Protected Area was designated in 1979 to protect the landscape features. In 1997 the area is appointed as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
