REGIMES FOR CLOSE-TO-NATURE MANAGEMENT OF THE HIGH-MOUNTAIN PASTURES ON THE TERRITORY OF BELASITSA NATURE PARK

Abstract

The high mountain and subalpine treeless part of the territory of Belasitsa Nature Park is occupied by herbaceous and shrub communities. Almost the entire part of the mountain roof is represented by a natural habitat 4060 "Alpine and boreal ericoid communities", with Siberian juniper being the dominant species in the communities. The current state of the vegetation resulted from the lack of economic activities in the treeless area in the last 25 years. Surveys to date have revealed significant change resulting in a reduction in the total area of grassland habitats as a result of colonization with ericoid scrub. Considering the trend of natural succession processes, the management in this area should focus to the restoration and maintenance of grass vegetation except in places with species of high conservation value. In this case, grazing can be a natural tool slowing down this undesired succession. The grassland communities in the highlands of our mountains are semi-natural and this tool could prevent them from becoming entirely juniper scrub, which would result in the loss of remaining natural habitats of conservation value. Research data show that in the past, the load of livestock to the pastures in the area was less than their capacity, i.e. pastures in the park have not been overcrowded. This fact indicates that more intense use of the pastures in the future will not provoke a danger of disturbing plant diversity. Habitat 4060 in Belasitsa occupies an area of 1023.97 ha, or 98% of the total 1037.48 ha of treeless high mountain area, with the remaining 13.51 ha being pastures of conservation importance. The grasslands of conservation importance are represented by three types of natural habitats, which, as a result of juniper succession, are highly fragmented, represented by several separate small areas of several hectares each. Two areas for pastures have been designated along the land borders between Samuilovo and Kolarovo. It is recommended that grazing be done on a rotational basis in the two areas.