Estado: BlagoevgradÁrea: 8837,25 ха
Propiedad: state - 32%; municipality - 33%; private - 35%;
Descripción:
Rupite is a site, covering the Struma river valley south of the town of Sandanski down to the Greek border. It includes a part of the Marikostinovska kettle plain. The soils are mainly sedimental (along the riverbed), moltic, delluvialprolluvial, shallow soils. Close to the village of Rupite there are rock massifs and mineral springs. The relief is hilly at certain places, but mostly plain. The climate is transitory Mediterranean. The only flooded riverine forest in the Bulgarian section of the Struma, composed mainly of white poplar Populus alba, is located there. The rare plants Parvotricetum myrianthum, Amygdalus webbi, Dracunculus vulgaris, Colchicum bivonae, etc. occur there. Most of the area is covered by open habitats – farmland and pastures, overgrown by xerothermal grass communities with prevalence of Dichantium schaemum, Poa bulbosa and Crysopogon gryllus. Big territories are covered by shrubs, where the mixed Paliurus spina-cristi-Juniperus oxycedrus shrub communities or Juniperus oxycedrus with xerothermal grass communities prevail. There are spots of sparse broadleaved forest dominated by Quercus pubescens and Q. virgiliana with Mediterranean elements (Bondev, 1991).
Aves:
The area of Rupite supports 141 bird species, 33 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (1985). Of the birds occurring there 63 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 2 of them being listed in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened, 19 in SPEC 2 and 42 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe. The area provides suitable habitats for 56 species, included in Annex 2 of the Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 52 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive. Rupite is one of the most important sites in Bulgaria on a European Union scale for the conservation of the breeding Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes, Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus and White Stork Ciconia ciconia. The site also supports considerable country populations of the Olive-tree warbler Hippolais olivetorum, Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus and Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor. The globally threatened Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus occurs there on migration and in winter.
Amenazas:
The area of Rupite is situated in relatively densely populated area with intensive landuse. It is sensitive to human activities related to agriculture, water management, forestry, urbanization and infrastructure development. The main threats related to water management are the correction of Struma riverbed and the drainage of the surrounding territories. This cause deterioration of the wet habitats, deepening the ground water level and further drainage of the area. The investment projects for construction of micro hydro-power stations along the rivers of Lebnitsa and Struma additionally cause of destruction of riverine habitats and change of the overal water balance of the area. Cutting of riverine forests along Struma river, as well as the illegal cutting of trees there will cause complete loss of that habitat and limit possibilities of Levant Sparrowhawk to find nesting grounds. Because the vicinity of big border checkpoint and existence of famous religious places within the area numerous construction activities take place there. Most of these activities do not take into consideration the nature values of the area and lead to fragmentation, deterioration and even loss of valuable habitats. Illegal waste deposits are spread through the whole area, particularly along the roads. The threats to the birds at the existing wetlands (mainly fishponds) are the intentional disturbance and killing of fish-eating birds, as well as the Otter.
La protección legal:
So far 1.3% of the site is under protection by the national nature conservation law. It is represented by one protected area with the same name designated in 1980 and 1 nature monument – “Kozhuha”, designated in 1975. About 3% of the territory overlaps with the CORINE Site – “Malkiya Kozhuh”. It has been appointed in 1998 because of its European value for habitats, rare and threatened plant and animal species, including birds. In 2005 the area was designated as Important Bird Area by the BirdLife International.
