Central Greece Photograph by Pedro Regato/ WWF MedPO   Palaearctic Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub   15,300 square miles (39,500 square kilometers) -- about the size of New Hampshire and Hawaii combined Critical/Endangered

· Bears to Butterflies
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Bears to Butterflies

In this ecoregion, towering, old growth forests of pines and firs survive at the highest reaches of the mountains, while in the valleys and deep canyons a wide variety of oak trees dominate. In some areas of this ecoregion, more than 35 percent of the plants are endemic. The diverse forests of this ecoregion host an amazing diversity of birds, including large breeding colonies of pelicans and egrets. From birds to bears to butterflies, the wildlife of this ecoregion is as varied as the landscape.

Special Features

This ecoregion covers a wide range of elevations and habitats, including deep canyons and steep mountains. The wide range in altitudes in this ecoregion results in two major forest zones. A conifer zone, with trees such as a subspecies of Austrian Pine and the endemic Greek fir, characterizes the highest elevations. High in the mountains near the timberline, juniper woodlands take over the landscape. In the valleys and canyons of the middle and lower elevations, mixed broadleaf forests dominate. These forests have an amazing diversity of oak species.

	The highest reaches of this ecoregion still have significant old-growth forest stands because people cannot get up the steep slopes and canyons to reach them. This seems to be a case of having the right altitude!

Wild Side

In the beautiful mountain lakes of the Pindus Mountain Conifer and Broadleaf Mixed Forests ecoregion, large breeding colonies of herons, spoonbills, egrets, and pelicans fish the cool waters. This is one of only a few areas in Europe to find the rare Dalmatian pelican. In these mountains, wolves patrol the forests in search of prey. At dusk, the howling of jackals can be heard as they prepare for their nightly hunt. Massive brown bears dig their dens on the hillsides in preparation for the cold, snowy winters.

Cause for Concern

The forests of this ecoregion have faced many threats over the course of human history, including heavy livestock grazing, agriculture, and firewood collecting. The human impact in this ecoregion remains high today, although the greatest threats now come from the development of mountain tourism and ski facilities. Because of the instability of the soil on steep mountains, road building and clear-cutting operations have led to dangerous landslides and the collapse of steep mountain slopes. Mining for bauxite, overgrazing, and over-collecting of plants are also threatening the great biodiversity of this ecoregion.

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