conserving important plant areas: investing - Plantlife

LJUPČO MELOVSKI
Section III: Important Plant Area country reports – national overview of IPAs
Belasica IPA, Macedonia
Macedonia (FYR) covers an area of almost 26,000 km² with mountain terrain in
the west and east, and lowland habitats in the centre. Macedonia borders Bulgaria,
Greece,Albania, Kosovo and Serbia and contains two biogeographic zones, the
Alpine and the Continental but the biogeographic division used within the country
is of a finer scale and includes sub-mediterranean and pontic steppes.The valleys
located deep in the continental part have a strong Mediterranean influence.
Macedonia has comparatively a very high level of local and Balkan endemic species,
and relict species in the mountains, forests and “steppes” of the lowlands. 3.6% of
the vascular flora is endemic including two endemic bryophyte species and 114
endemic vascular plant species (including one fern) for e.g. Heptaptera macedonica,
Hedysarum macedonicum, and multiple endemic species from the genera Alkanna,
Centaurea, Silene,Verbascum and Viola. The percentage of near endemic (Balkan
endemic) species is considerably greater including the notable Ramonda nataliae,
Pinus peuce and Stipa rechingeri.Although the flora is well studied, there are often
records for new species (even newly described). Many species reach the borders
of their range in the territory; the southern border for boreal and alpine species,
northern for Mediterranean species and western border Ponto-Caspian and Asia
Minor elements.The diversity of plant communities is also high.
Macedonia (FYR) is a member of the Council of Europe.
Qualifying IPAs
42 IPAs have been selected in Macedonia using all three criteria.Twelve of them are
cross border IPAs with neighbouring countries. Many of the IPAs cover wide areas
(mountain massifs) and some have a relatively small area (some wetlands and sites with
steppe-like vegetation.
Criterion A No. of IPAs Criterion A No. of IPAs Criterion C No. of IPAs
Tax. Group
All sites with A species 40 Vascular plants 40 All sites with C habitats 40
Ai 5 Bryophytes 0 Ci 33
Aii 28 Lichens 0 Cii 40
Aiii 23 Algae 0 HD habitats 38
Aiv 38 Fungi 13 BC habitats 40
HD species 9
BC species 24
Table 18. Qualifying criteria for IPAs in Macedonia: threatened species and habitats
Ai = global threat;Aii = regional threat;Aiii = threatened national endemic;Aiv = threatened near endemic/limited range; Ci = priority threatened habitats as defined by the
Habitats Directive Cii = threatened habitats; HD = Habitats Directive; BC = Bern Convention.
46 CONSERVING IMPORTANT PLANT AREAS: INVESTING IN THE GREEN GOLD OF SOUTH EAST EUROPE