Box 9E Mediterranean forest: the Aoos Valley (Greece)

Aoos Valley

Source: G Heiss


The south of Europe has a wide variety of forest communities, from the laurel forests on the Macaronesian islands, the Spanish fir forests of the Ronda range in southeast Spain, the Italian fir forests in Calabria, to the Grecian fir forests in southern Greece. The Aoos Valley (Site 58 on Map 9.3) in the Pindos range represents a region where a large number of those southern forest communities are grouped together. The nearby Vicos gorge is one of the most impressive canyons of Europe: vertical rock formations frame the river bed for about 20 km and their tops rise up to 1000 m above the valley bottom. One side-canyon links to the karst 'mesas' (high plateau) of the Astraka (2436 m) and Tymphi range (2496 m). Cliff faces are dissected by deep ravines and display the complete range of Greek forest communities: from the lowland oak forests up to the Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii) forests at the tree-line. The lowland forests of the Aoos gorge are composed of a rich variety of about 20 tree species forming small-scaled patterns.

Remoteness and inaccessibility of the region provide natural protection for a fauna of unique variety, comparable only with that of the Rhodopi mountains stretching from Greece to Bulgaria. Despite poaching, some brown bears survive in the region. Of special interest also are the wolf and wild cat populations as well as the presence of the otter. At least 100 bird species can be found, among them the black stork (Ciconia nigra), the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus) and seven woodpecker species (Dendrocopos spp). Also noticeable is the high number of amphibians (9 species) and reptiles (16 species).

This wildlife paradise is endangered by tourist developments (foreign mountain clubs) and large-scale energy projects. Plans for hydroelectric power stations threaten the very existence of the Calda valley (a side valley) and the Aoos valley itself. Although two national parks (Vikos-Aoos with 12 600 ha and Pindos with 6927 ha) do already exist in the area, the level of protection and management still needs improvement.