DADIA – LEFKIMI – SOUFLI NATIONAL PARK (DADIA

FOREST):

The Continuous Degradation Of Its Heterogeneity Over Time And The Impact On Its Ecological Value

Forest densification leads to a reduction in biodiversity and the occurrence of mega-fires

The National Park (NP) of Dadia – Lefkimi – Soufli (generally known as Dadia NP) is located in the semi-mountainous areas of central Evros (NE Greece) and shows a wide variety of land cover and land use, which makes it globally renowned for its ecological value. The factors that contributed to the creation of this mosaic (such as extensive grazing and cultivation of mountainous/semi-mountainous fields) were maintained in the area until the early 70s. This, combined with the diverse terrain (with ravines and rocky outcrops) and reduced human presence, constituted an ideal environment for the presence of high biodiversity of many different groups of fauna and flora. Of particular importance was the presence of birds of prey. Thirty-six (36) out of 38 European species have been recorded in the Dadia ΝP, of which 19-21 species breed in this forest in large numbers, including the unique Balkan colony of the black vulture (Aegypius monachus). In 1980, the Dadia forest was declared a Protected Area to preserve its ecological value, but although traditional activities such as extensive grazing and existing smallscale agriculture were allowed, they gradually began to be abandoned.

Changes In Livestock Activity Over Time In The Dadia Np And Effects On Afforestation

Extensive livestock activity was one of the pillars of the economy of the Prefecture of Evros and the Dadia NP, but after the 1980s it began to steadily decline, especially in the last decades. Surveys carried out in 1998 and 2016 (Poirazidis et al. 2018) identified a large decline in all qualitative and quantitative characteristics of livestock farming/activity. In 1999, in the boundaries of the Dadia NP, 60 active owners of livestock farms were recorded, while in 2016 the number had fallen to 30 (a 50% decrease). The number of grazing animals followed an even greater downward trend, reaching a 60% decrease. In 1999, a total of 13,976 heads of all three livestock species were recorded (with goats making up 79% of the animals), while in 2016, out of a total of 5,505 heads, goats accounted for 82% of the total (Figure 1).

The sharp decrease in livestock numbers resulted in a corresponding decrease in grazing in the areas of the Dadia NP, where areas with intense grazing were observed in 2016 only to the south of the NP (Figure 2). This decrease has continued to be even more pronounced in recent years. In 2023, livestock farming in the area has practically disappeared, with few animals remaining in the Dadia NP.