For Special Protection Areas (SPA),
Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and
for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION
• 2. SITE LOCATION
• 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
• 4. SITE DESCRIPTION
• 5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS
• 6. SITE MANAGEMENT
• 7. MAP OF THE SITE

1. SITE IDENTIFICATION

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1.1 Type

A

1.2 Site code

BG0002072

1.3 Site name

Melnishki piramidi

1.4 First Compilation date

2005-10

1.5 Update date

2015-07

1.6 Respondent:

Name/Organisation:	Ministry of Environment and Water, “National Nature Protection Service” Directorate
Address:	Sofia  22    Sofia    1000  Kn. Maria Luiza Blvd.
Email:	natura2000@moew.government.bg

1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates

Date site classified as SPA:	2007-12
National legal reference of SPA designation	Site classified as SPA by Council of Ministers Decision No. 802/04.12.2007 (promulgated SG 107/2007).

Explanation(s):

Site classified as SPA by Council of Ministers Decision No. 802/04.12.2007 (promulgated SG 107/2007). Issued designation order by the Minister of Environment and Water with prohibitions and restrictions on activities contradicting the conservation objectives of the site – Order No. RD – 283/16.03.2010 (promulgated SG 29/2010).

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	23.434722
Latitude:	41.504167

2.2 Area [ha]

13580.0516

2.3 Marine area [%]

0.0000

2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):

No information provided

2.5 Administrative region code and name

NUTS level 2 code	Region Name
BG41	Yugozapaden

2.6 Biogeographical Region(s)

Alpine

(8.00 %)

Continental

(92.00 %)

3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

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3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them

No habitat types are reported for the site

3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them

Species					Population in the site						Site assessment
G	Code	Scientific Name	S	NP	T	Size		Unit	Cat.	D.qual.	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Min	Max				Pop.	Con.	Iso.	Glo.
B	A402	Accipiter brevipes			r	1	2	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A085	Accipiter gentilis			p	1	1	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A086	Accipiter nisus			p	2	2	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A465	Alectoris graeca graeca			p	15	20	p		G	C	A	B	C
B	A255	Anthus campestris			r	25	30	p		G	C	A	C	B
B	A089	Aquila pomarina			r	1	2	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A215	Bubo bubo			p	1	1	p		G	C	A	C	C
B	A087	Buteo buteo			c				P	DD	C	B	C	C
B	A087	Buteo buteo			p	3	3	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A403	Buteo rufinus			p	3	4	p		G	C	B	C	B
B	A243	Calandrella brachydactyla			r	120	120	p		G	B	A	C	B
B	A224	Caprimulgus europaeus			c				P	DD	C	B	C	C
B	A224	Caprimulgus europaeus			r	18	20	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A031	Ciconia ciconia			r	3	3	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A080	Circaetus gallicus			c				P	DD	C	A	C	C
B	A080	Circaetus gallicus			r	2	3	p		G	C	A	C	C
B	A231	Coracias garrulus			r	8	8	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A238	Dendrocopos medius			p	15	15	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A429	Dendrocopos syriacus			p	30	40	p		G	C	A	C	C
B	A236	Dryocopus martius			p	1	4	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A379	Emberiza hortulana			c				P	DD	C	B	C	C
B	A379	Emberiza hortulana			r	35	40	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A103	Falco peregrinus			r	2	2	p		G	C	A	C	C
B	A103	Falco peregrinus			c	1	1	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A099	Falco subbuteo			c				P	DD	C	B	C	C
B	A099	Falco subbuteo			r	1	1	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A096	Falco tinnunculus			p	2	9	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A442	Ficedula semitorquata			r	5	6	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A092	Hieraaetus pennatus			r	1	1	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A439	Hippolais olivetorum			r	10	20	p		G	C	A	C	C
B	A338	Lanius collurio			r	150	600	p		G	C	A	C	B
B	A339	Lanius minor			r	5	6	p		G	C	A	C	C
B	A433	Lanius nubicus			r	3	4	p		G	C	A	C	C
B	A246	Lullula arborea			p	70	105	p		G	C	A	C	C
B	A242	Melanocorypha calandra			p	500	600	p		G	B	A	C	A
B	A230	Merops apiaster			r	55	55	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A072	Pernis apivorus			c				P	DD	C	A	C	B
B	A072	Pernis apivorus			r	3	5	p		G	C	A	C	B
B	A234	Picus canus			p	5	6	p		G	C	A	C	C
B	A307	Sylvia nisoria			r	11	104	p		G	C	A	C	B

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
• Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)

3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)

Species					Population in the site				Motivation
Group	CODE	Scientific Name	S	NP	Size		Unit	Cat.	Species Annex		Other categories
					Min	Max		C|R|V|P	IV	V	A	B	C	D
B	A247	Alauda arvensis			160	160	p						X
B	A218	Athene noctua			30	30	p						X
B	A366	Carduelis cannabina			40	40	p						X
B	A363	Carduelis chloris			40	40	p						X
B	A347	Corvus monedula			5	5	p							X
B	A113	Coturnix coturnix			55	55	p						X
B	A377	Emberiza cirlus			400	400	p						X
B	A382	Emberiza melanocephala			400	400	p						X
B	A269	Erithacus rubecula			1100	1100	p						X
B	A359	Fringilla coelebs			1300	1300	p						X
B	A244	Galerida cristata			80	80	p						X
B	A251	Hirundo rustica			700	700	p						X
B	A233	Jynx torquilla			60	60	p						X
B	A271	Luscinia megarhynchos			300	300	p						X
B	A383	Miliaria calandra			600	600	p						X
B	A280	Monticola saxatilis			13	13	p						X
B	A278	Oenanthe hispanica			30	30	p						X
B	A214	Otus scops			15	15	p						X
B	A329	Parus caeruleus			80	80	p						X
B	A443	Parus lugubris			60	60	p						X
B	A235	Picus viridis			80	80	p						X
B	A276	Saxicola torquata			7	7	p						X
B	A210	Streptopelia turtur			55	55	p						X
B	A311	Sylvia atricapilla			600	600	p						X
B	A304	Sylvia cantillans			250	250	p						X
B	A305	Sylvia melanocephala			50	50	p						X
B	A283	Turdus merula			800	800	p						X
B	A285	Turdus philomelos			300	300	p						X

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, Fu = Fungi, I = Invertebrates, L = Lichens, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• CODE: for Birds, Annex IV and V species the code as provided in the reference portal should be used in addition to the scientific name
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting, (see reference portal)
• Cat.: Abundance categories: C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present
• Motivation categories: IV, V: Annex Species (Habitats Directive), A: National Red List data; B: Endemics; C: International Conventions; D: other reasons

4. SITE DESCRIPTION

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4.1 General site character

Habitat class	% Cover
N06	1.00
N08	6.00
N09	18.00
N12	12.00
N15	8.00
N16	36.00
N17	0.00
N19	12.00
N20	0.00
N21	2.00
N22	3.00
N23	2.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

The Melnik Pyramids cover the territory around the town of Melnik to the south of the villages Gorna Sushitsa and Paskarevo and to the north of the villages Katuntsi and Kalimantsi. It is a hilly-ridge area with heavily indented relief, well outlined short slopes with different orientation, favouring active erosion processes. The climate is transitory Mediterranean. The area is characterized by a great variety of mosaic habitats with significant Mediterranean influence. Most of the area is covered by pastures and shrubs, as well as broadleaved forests of Quercus pubescens, Quercus frainetto, Quercus cerris, and Carpinus orientalis. The Oriental Hornbeam Carpinus orientalis prevails, often forming pure forest and scrub formations or associations with Mediterranean elements of Red Juniper Juniperus oxycedris, etc. Typical for the region are the evergreen shrub communities of Phyllirea latifolia with xerothermal grass vegetation. There are small compact patches of Quercus coccifera forests as well.

4.2 Quality and importance

The region of the Melnik Pyramids supports 113 breeding bird species, 12 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (1985). Of the birds occurring there 49 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 19 of them being listed in category SPEC 2 and 30 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe. The area provides suitable habitats for 32 species, included in Annex 2 of the Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 26 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive. The site is of global importance as a representative example of the Mediterranean biome. Five biome-restricted species, typical for the Mediterranean biome, occur there – Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala, Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum, Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica, Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans and Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala. For the Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra the region of the Melnik Pyramids is one of the most important sites in Bulgaria on a European Union level, where the species breed. The site supports considerable populations of Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus, Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus, Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla, Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria, Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum, Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio, Woodlark Lullula arborea and Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis on national level. In addition to the twelve species of birds of prey, which nest in the region, the raptors, which nests in Southern Pirin regularly, use the Melnik Pyramids as hunting area.

4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site

The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site

4.4 Ownership (optional)

No information provided

4.5 Documentation (optional)

Initial proposal and description of the site made by Dr. Petar Iankov - Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, Bulgaria, 1111 Sofia, P.O.Box 50, phone (+359 2) 9715855, fax (+359 2) 9715856, www.bspb.org ; B. Nikolov - CEIE, 1303 Sofia, 17A "S.Vratchanski” Str., (+3592)9808497; Dr.P.Shurulinkov - Institute of Zoology, BAS, 1 "Tzar Osvoboditel" blvd., 1000 Sofia.Data revised by a team of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (http://www.bas.bg).Documents: BDZP/BirdLife Balgariya. 2005. “Nacionalna banka za ornitologichna informacia 1988-2005”, Balgarsko Druzhestvo za zastita na pticite;Botev, B. and Tz. Peshev, (eds). 1985. Red Data Book of Republic Bulgaria. 2: Animals. Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Science. (In Bulgarian.);MOSV. 2005. Arhiv na zastitenite teritorii v Balgaria. Baza danni (nepubl.);Petrov, .C 1997b. Beliat shturkel (Ciconia ciconia) v Bulgaria. Prirodozashtitna poredica, Kniga 2, BDZP, Plovdiv.;Simeonov, S. 1986. Materiali vurhu razprostranenieto I gnezdovata biologia na chervenogushoto koprivarche (Sylvia cantillans (Pallas) v Bulgaria. – Ekologia. 19, 57-61.;Simeonov, S., T. Michev. 1985. Suvremenno razprostranenie I chislenost na buhala (Bubo bubo(L.) v Bulgaria. – Ekologia, 15, 60-65.;Vatev, I., P. Simeonov, T. Michev, B. Ivanov.1980. Belochelata svrachka (Lanius nubicus Lichtenstein) – gnezdiasht vid v Bulgaria. – Acta zoologica Bulgarica, 15, 115-118.;BirdLife International. 2000. Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, 695pp.Birdlife International. 2004. Birds in Europe: Population estimates, trends and conservation status. Cambridge, UK: Birdlife International (Birdlife Conservation Series No. 12).373pp.;BSPB/BirdLife International. 2005. World Bird Database – Important Birds Areas.Bulgaria. Cambridge. (unpublished);Guidelines for evaluation of protected zones according, which include habitats for birds to art.7, par.3, under the art.6 par.1.3 and 1.4 of the Biodiversity Act. 2005. (In Bulgarian.);Kostadinova, I., M. Mihailov, (comp.) 2002. Guide for NATURA 2000 in Bulgaria. BSPB nature conservation series No5. BSPB, Sofia, 80pp. (In Bulgarian.);Kostadinova, I. 2005. Application of C criteria for Identification of Important Bird Areas of European Union importance in Bulgaria. Preliminarily implementation and analysis of the gaps. – In: Petrova, A. (ed.), Current state of Bulgarian biodiversity – problems and perspectives. Pp. 533-548. Bulgarian Bioplatform, SofiaKouzmanov, G. 1996. L`Aigle pomarin Aquila pomarina en Bulgarie. – In: Meyburg, B.-U. & R. D. Chancellor eds. Eagle Studies. World Working Group on Birds of Prey (WWGBP), Berlin, London & Paris, 319-326.;Michev, T., Tz. Petrov, L. Profirov. 1989. Status, breeding, distribution, numbers and conservation of the White Stork in Bulgaria;MOEW. 1998. CORINE Biotopes Database of the sites of European Importance for the biodiversity. Bulgaria, MOSV (nepubl.);Osieck, E. 2000 Filling in the requirements of the EU Birds Directive: Lessons from the ‘Dutch Case’“. In: European IBA Workshop. 29 March - 2 April 2000, Brussels, Belgium. Proceedings. BirdLife International, 86-99;Simeonov, S. 1970. Uber die Verbreitung mediterraner Vogelarten in Bulgarien. – Die Vogelwelt., 91, 2, 59-67. Waliczky, Z. 2000 “Important Bird Areas of European Union Importance: explanation of the EU Criteria applied in IBA 2000“ In: European IBA Workshop. 29 March - 2 April 2000, Brussels, Belgium. Proceedings. BirdLife International, 12-16

Link(s):http://natura2000.moew.government.bg/Home/ProtectedSite?code=BG0002072&siteType=BirdsDirective

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

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5.1 Designation types at national and regional level (optional):

Code	Cover [%]
BG00	91.00
BG03	9.00

5.2 Relation of the described site with other sites (optional):

Designated at national or regional level:

Type code	Site name	Type	Cover [%]
BG03	MELNIK PYRAMIDS	+	9.00

5.3 Site designation (optional)

There is only one protected area on the site’s territory – “Melnik pyramids” Nature Monument. It was designated in 1978, covers 8.5% of the site area and protects unique sandstone forms. In 1998 CORINE Site with the same name was designated because of its European value for rare and threatened habitats, plant and animal species, including birds. It covers 16.5% of the territory. In 2005 the site was designated also as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.

6. SITE MANAGEMENT

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6.1 Body(ies) responsible for the site management:

Organisation:	Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water -Blagoevgrad; Forestry Departments - Katuntsi, Petrich, Sandanski;
Address:
Email:

6.2 Management Plan(s):

An actual management plan does exist:

	Yes
	No, but in preparation
X	No

6.3 Conservation measures (optional)

No information provided

 

7. MAP OF THE SITE

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