Annex – Sites in Alpine Biogeographic Region Necessary to Respond to the Conclusions from the Alpine Biogeographical Seminar PREPARED BY KLUB PRZYRODNIKÓW, PTOP “SALAMANDRA” & WWF POLAND, 10 MARCH 2006 Dolina Białki – valley with an unique, well-preserved river in the Polish Carpathians with occurrence of a complete, well maintained, 3220 habitat type (!). This area contains probably over 40 % of the Polish resources of 3220, 3230, 3240 habitat types. This is also an important biotope for fish species: Barbus meridionalis and Cottus gobio. Although the valley contains a small population of Barbus meridionalis, it is semi-isolated with specific ecological features and is a very important F ig: Dolina Białki – (Białka valley); the last river in the Polish population for the conservation Carpathians with natural zonation of herbaceous and ligneous vegetation (3220-3240 habitat types) – still not officially proposed as an of all the varieties of Barbus SCI. Satellite image by ICONOS. meridionalis in Poland. Dolny Dunajec and Biała Tarnowska – the site includes a fragment of the Dunajec river with its tributaries and it is situated on the border area of the Alpine and Continental Biogeographical Regions. It is an essential refuge for some fish species: Barbus meridionalis, Cottus gobio, Lampetra planeri and Aspius aspius. Rivers in this site are included in the Salmon restoration programme in the Carpathian rivers (a Salmo salar reintroduction is now underway). The Dunajec river plays the main role in this programme, as it constitutes the basic migratory route of salmon, starting from the Vistula river up to the upper parts of the Carpathian river basins. The lower part of the Dunajec river and its tributary – Bała Tarnowska – are a few of the Carpathian rivers that have a connection with Vistula river basin (well-retained and not transected by barrages), therefore this site is of special importance for the success of the salmon restoration programme. Dorzecze Górnego Sanu (Upper San river basin) – an important refuge for Barbus meridionalis and Cottus gobio. There are fragments of natural river-beds (Hoczewka river), river bottom rocky thresholds and rock outcroppings. The San river contains a small but well preserved 3220 habitat that belongs to the best representative habitats of this type in this part of the Alpine Region. Górna Ropa ze Zdynią (Upper Ropa river with Zdynia tributary) – two rivers that have the character of sub-mountain streams on Flysch substrate of almost natural rivers-beds and suitable for fish. The site is important for Barbus meridnionalis. PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com Górna Skawa (Upper Skawa river) – important site for Barbus meridionalis and Cottus gobio in north-western part of the region. The site also contains well preserved resources of 3220 habitat. Górna Soła z Koszarawą (Upper Soła river with Koszarawa tributary) – important site for several fish species: Barbus meridionalis, Lampetra planeri and Cottus gobio. One of the few places of Cobbitis taenia occurrence in the Polish Carpathians. Górny Czarny Dunajec – (Upper Czarny Dunajec river) – short, transacted by several barrages river fragment, but preserved in its natural form and a good habitat for some fish species. It is an important shelter for Lampetra planeri and it contains some patches of rare in Poland 3220 habitat type. Górny Dunajec (Upper Dunajec river) – important site for Barbus meridionalis and Cottus gobio. Góry Słonne (Słonne Mountains) – mountainous region in eastern Poland on the northern border of the Alpine region. The site belongs to the most interesting natural part of the Carpathians. There are mountainous beech forests on the ridge of mountains and dry- ground forests on the slopes of the San river valleys and in parts of the valley bottom. The proposed site contains well- preserved fauna and it is the most important (apart from the Bieszczady Mountains) place for the occurrence of Carabus zawadzkii, Canis lupus and 9130 habitat in Góry Słonne, nature reserve Buczyna w Wańkowej near Lynx lynx, as well as an Olszanica, still not officially proposed as an SCI. Photo by Przemysław essential shelter for Triturus Kunysz montadoni on the northern border of the region. The San river, in its fragment that borders the proposed site, constitutes an important habitat for Gobio kessleri. The geographical range of this fish reaches the Alpine Region in the proposed site, though its major part is located in the Continental Region. Jasiołka (Jasiołka river) – the river located on the border of the ALP and CONT Regions. It constitutes an important refuge for Barbus meridionalis and the habitat of a large population of Unio crassus. Additionally, small, but well represented fragments of 91E0 habitat are present on the river’s banks. PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com Łososina (Łososina river) – the river constitutes an important shelter for Barbus meridionalis. It is also included in the Salmon restoration programme (a salmon reintroduction effort is underway in this river). Małe Pieniny (Small Pieniny) – eastern part of the calcareous Pieniny chain, which contains a large concentration of precious natural elements, foremost valleys of the rocky, calcareous slopes, partly in the form of rocky gorges. Apart from the sites in Pieniny and Tatry, it is the only place of occurrence of the 8210 habitat type (calcareous rocky habitats) and the unique – in Polish part of the Alpine Region – location of 5130 habitat Fig: The Homole Gorge contains the single locality of 5130 habitat in the (Juniperus communis forma- Polish ALP region (Male Pieniny shadow pSCI). Yet, the Male Pieniny are tions on calcareous grass- still not officially proposed as an SCI. lands). Additionally, the location of xerothermic grasslands classified as 6210 habitat has been proven in this site. The area is the feeding area for Rhinolophus hipposideros, the breeding roosts of which are located on the border of the Jaworki village. Ostoja Jaśliska (Jaśliska site) – large site in the one of the most precious parts of the Polish Carpathians. Here, large natural forested areas serve as a refuge for large carnivores: Canis lupus, Lynx lynx, Ursus arctos and xylobiothic beetles: the unique location in the Polish Carpathians of Cucujus cinnaberinus, one of two Carpathians populations of Rhysodes sulcatus and the very important population of Rosalia alpina. The northern part of the site contains well formed and preserved semi-natural meadows (6510 habitat type). Moreover, the proposed site contains the only locality in the Polish Carpathians of Eleocharis carniolicus. The caves in Cergowa Mountain are the most important and known winter shelters for bats – essential for Myotis bechsteini, Myotis emarginatus (here the most numerous ones, compared to the whole country) and Rhinolophus hipposideros. The site is of key importance to respond to the conclusions from the Alpine Biogeographical Seminar and for the cohesion of the Natura 2000 network in the Polish part of the Alpine Region. PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com Ostoja nad Wisłokiem (Wisłok river refuge) – it is the river valley located on the border of the Alpine and Continental regions, partly running through the picturesque gorge. The river, which is mostly natural in character, is refuge for Barbus meridionalis and Cottus gobio. On the rocky areas there are small patches of rocky habitat and on the valley slopes contain beech forests (9130 habitat type). There are exceptionally well-formed fragments of 6230 habitat type within the borders of the site. Ostoja Przemyska (Przemyska refuge) – large and important site from the Continental Region, reaching the Alpine Region by its marginal southern part and for this reason it is mentioned. Important site for large carnivores (Canis lupus, The Wisłok gorge in the Ostoja nad Wisłokiem shadow Lynx lynx, Ursus arctos Triturus pSCI. The river constitutes an important habitat for Barbus ), meridionalis and Cottus gobio, and there are numerous montadoni on the northern border of its habitat types from Annex I of the Habitat Directive on its range, probably also important site for slopes. Will it be protected as a Natura 2000 site or several invertebrate species from Annex II destroyed by the Rudawka Rymanowska water reservoir of the Habitat Directive. construction? Photo by Marek Ucieszyński. Raba z Mszanką – (Raba river with Mszanka tributary) – important shelter for Barbus meridionalis, Cottus gobio and Lampetra planneri. One of the few places in the northern part of Carpathians in which fragments of well preserved 3220 habitat type occur. Lampetra planeri found on the 9 September 05 in the Krzywiczanka stream (tributary of Raba), photo by Józef Jeleński. Main habitats of this species are still not officially proposed as SCIs Środkowy Dunajec z Doplywami (Middle Dunajec river with tributaries) – In the Dunajec river valley and its tributaries (Kamienica Gorczańska, Kamienica Sądecka, Ochotnica), there is a group of 3220-3240 habitat types, of which this site is the second largest (the first is the Dolina Białki site) place of occurrence for these habitats. PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com Tarnawka (Tarnawka river) – are located on the border of the alpine and Continental Regions filling the geographical gap in the representativeness of the 9130 habitat type and Triturus montadoni species. It includes a small group of mountains afforested by beech forests and the Tarnawka river gorge (with fragments of alluvial gravel – the 3220 habitat type). Torfowisko na Polanie Biały Potok – (Peat bog in the clearing in Biały Potok) – small fen at the bottom of the Tatry Mountains inhabited by a recently discovered population of Vertigo geyeri. This is one of the two discovered localities of this species and the only one in which the population is in the proper biotope and has chance to be preserved in the future. Uroczyska Beskidu Małego (Beskid Mały Range)- best preserved fragments of the Beskid Mały mountain chain in the northern part of the Alpine Region.