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Pirin National Park World Heritage Site

Les noms des biens figurent dans la langue dans laquelle les Etats parties les ont soumis.

Bulgarie (Europe et Amérique du nord)
Date de soumission : 06/02/2006
Catégorie : Naturel
Soumis par : Ministry of Environment and water Tsvetelina Ivanova Bulgaria, 1000 Sofia, blvd.”Marija Luiza”
Etat, province ou région : Blagoevgrad District
Coordonnées North East N41° 53’ 127” E23° 34,1’ 17,2”Central N41° 44’ 33,8” E23° 25’ 49,7”South West N41° 36’ 24” E23° 17’ 43,6”
Ref.: 2090

Description

Pirin National Park is located in the South-Western part of Bulgaria covering a territory of 40’356 ha of Pirin Mountain. Geographically it belongs to the Rila-Rhodopean region and according to the administrative division of Bulgaria falls within the district Blagoevgrad.

Pirin Mountain belongs to the continental-Mediterranean climatic zone where the frequent and abundant rainfalls are characteristic; annual rainfall range from 600 mm at low elevation to 1200 mm in the upper zones. The character of the climate is defined mostly by the Mediterranean draughts. The summers are hot and dry, and the winters are characterized with relatively moderate temperature - higher than in the other mountain regions in Bulgaria.

Pirin Mountain represents a complex high mountain structure rising between the graben valleys of the Struma and Mesta rivers. The Park covers the high elevation areas of Pirin Mountain distinguished by a well-developed alpine relief.

The relief of the Pirin Mountain was re-shaped during the Pleistocene when the mountain was subjected to Alpine-like glaciations. That is why the Pirin relief is notable for its alpine character – strong segmentation, steep slopes, high ridges and deep river valleys – glacial cirques and lakes. Its highest point is peak Vihren (2914 m. –the third highest on the Balkan Peninsula). The lowest point is situated at the entrance of the park near Bansko (950 m.) Today, all glacial forms of the relief are situated within the borders of Pirin National Park. There are 35 cirques, 113 caves, screes, stone-rivers and rock walls.

118 permanent lakes are situated on the territory of Pirin NP with permanent water surface, divided in 6 main habitat groups.

Pirin is one of the most original Bulgarian and Balkan mountain range regarding its flora and vegetation. Isolation of the mountain, high elevation range, various types of rocks and complex geomorphological structure have contributed to a unique plant species mixture that has been very well preserved despite century of human use of the mountain natural resources.

The lower plants are represented with 165 species of algae that represents 30% of Bulgarian algae species; 329 mosses and 367 species of lichens – more than 52 % of the Bulgarian lichen flora.

375 species of fungi have been identified; 6 of them are included in the European Red List of the threatened macromycetes and 6 in Appendix 1 of the Bern Convention.

A total of 1315 species of vascular plants have been discovered on the territory of Pirin NP. This number represents about one third of the Bulgarian flora as a whole. 114 of them are endangered and are included in the Bulgarian Red Data Book.

One of the most important plant speciation spots in Bulgaria is situated in Pirin. Here the endemic component is widely represented: 18 local endemic taxa, 17 Bulgarian endemics (more than 50% of the Bulgarian endemic plants) and 86 Balkan endemics.

Invertebrates constitute the most diverse animal group of Pirin national Park. Thousand of species have been identified.

Due to the torrential and cold rivers, on the park’s territory 6 fish species can be found. Two of them – Leuciscus souffia and Salmo trutta are relicts included in the Bern Convention and EU Directive 92/43.

Pirin provides shelter to 8 species of amphibians and 11 of reptiles; three are glacial relicts: common frog, viviparous lizard and adder. Balkan wall lizard is a Balkan endemic.

As a result of the diversity of landscape, habitat and natural plant communities, Pirin provides shelter to 177 bird species or 44% of the Bulgarian ornitofauna. 143 species are under protection of the national legislation, two are included in the IUCN Red List, 148 – in the Bern Convention and in CITES – 29. The most important representatives of the ornitophauna are the three glacial relicts: Tengmalm’s owl, white-backed woodpecker and three-toed woodpecker. There are 9 Balkan endemic species: the five Balkan endemic subspecies of white-backed woodpecker, shore lark, alpine accentor, crested tit and rock nuthatch.

45 species, or more than a half of the mammals of Bulgaria, live in Pirin. 19 of them are under protection of the national legislation, 12 are included in the IUCN Red List, 37 – in the Bern Convention, 24 – in the EU Directive 92/43 and 3 – in CITES. One species of the vertebrate fauna is a glacial relict – Snow vole (Chionomys nivalis), and 2 Gunter’s vole (Microtus guentheri) and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra ssp. balcanica) are Balkan endemics.