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A review on the ecology and management of the Samaria Gorge,
a Greek biosphere reserve
Ioannis Spanos, Panagiotis Platis, Ioannis Meliadis and
Alexandros Tsiontis
NAGREF, Forest Research Institute, 570 06 Vassilika,
Thessaloniki, Greece.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
ispanos@fri.gr,
ispanos1@otenet.gr.
Tel: +30 231 0 461171. Fax: +30 231 0 461341.
Accepted 14 April, 2008 |
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This paper refers to ecological values of one of the famous
Greek national parks. It concerns the White Mountains (2,453
m altitude) including a world biosphere reserve, that
situated in western Crete. The area includes extensive cave
systems and flat internal upland plains encircled by
mountains. The typical landscape consists of deep gorges,
steep and imposing vertical rocks forming narrow openings.
The steepest, tallest and narrowest opening of the White
Mountains is the Samaria Gorge, that was proclaimed as
National Park by the Greek Government in 1962 and a
Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1981. The Gorge is famous as
a mountainous limestone area with steep rocky slopes and
canyons up to 600 m deep. The area is characterized by the
presence of 16 habitats of the European Habitat Directive, 7
of which are of priority. The vascular flora consists of
more than 500 species of trees, shrubs and herbs, 77 of
which are endemic species, 37 rare, and 6 vulnerable. The
forest ecosystems are broadleaved evergreen woodlands,
pines, cypress, maples, wetlands, garrique, maquis, phrygana
and chasmophytes. The fauna is very rich in species with 16
mammals (nine are referred to in the Red Book including the
endemic Capra aegagrus cretica) and 69 birds (12 are
included in annex I of the Directive 79/409/E.U. and eight
in the Red Book). The special values of the studied area and
the impact of human activities to local land-use were
clearly described and taken into consideration by the
General
Management Plant.
Key
words:
Samaria Gorge, World Biosphere Reserve, Crete, Lefka Ori,
general management plan. |
