Corsica Island, France Photograph by Pedro Regato/ WWF MedPO   Mediterranean Sea: Corsica Island Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub   1,400 square miles (3,600 square kilometers) -- about the size of Delaware Critical/Endangered

· A Magical Mix
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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A Magical Mix

In the extensive old-growth forests of Corsica Island, it is still possible to find pine trees that are between 800 and 1,000 years old. On the steep, inaccessible mountainsides of this ecoregion, diverse forests are filled with the sounds of endemic bird species. The many different forest types and habitats of this ecoregion are also home to rare deer and many other animals. The oak forests at low elevations give way to mixtures of oak and pine forests at middle elevations. And at the highest elevations, pine trees predominate on south-facing slopes where the climate is cold and humid, while silver fir and beech trees cover the north-facing slopes. The very highest summits are filled with an array of alder, juniper, and maple trees. Half of the plant species in this ecoregion are endemic.

Special Features

From deep canyons to steep mountain massifs, this ecoregion includes a wide range of elevations and habitats. The climate changes sharply as altitude increases, ranging from warm and dry on the lower plains to cold and humid high in the mountains. These diverse conditions throughout the region create several forest zones and provide diverse habitats for many species. For example, on the summits and north-facing slopes of the highest mountains, an unusual "Euroserbian" climate exists, with rigorous winters, frequent snow, and no summer drought period. Throughout this ecoregion, there are many tree species that are relics of past climatic conditions.

	The endemic Corsican red deer was once wiped out on Corsica. But as a result of a successful reintroduction from Sardinia Island, where some deer survived in the wild, a population was restored on its native land.

Wild Side

In forests of towering oak trees, rare Corsican deer browse on fresh buds and branch tips. This ecoregion is one of the few places in the world where you can find these gentle animals. It is also the only home of a small bird called the Coriscan nuthatch, which flits about in old-growth pine forests on the island. Vultures are common sights as they circle in the skies, searching for carrion. An endemic Corsican salamander hides from passing birds under rocks and in the cool, moist leaf-litter beneath evergreen oaks. An endemic species of wild sheep can also be found in these forests, grazing on grasses in open meadows and gaps in the forests caused by fallen trees. The forest floor is also home to a number of endemic plants, including small orchids and ferns.

Cause for Concern

While the human population on the island of Corsica has remained relatively low (with only 261,000 inhabitants on the whole island), the forests have faced severe threats from logging and grazing. Some areas of old-growth forest have been cut, leaving very few old trees and completely changing the forest composition. The problem in this ecoregion is not so much the extent of logging but the lack of proper forestry management. In addition, inadequate management of grazing by cattle and sheep has degraded some of the forest habitats.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.