Vardim Island
Encyclopedia
Vardim Island is the third largest Bulgaria
n Danubian
island (after Belene Island
and Kozloduy Island
). Located east of the town of Svishtov
, opposite the village of Vardim
(in Svishtov municipality, Veliko Tarnovo Province
) and part of the Belene Danubian Archipelago
, it is a protected wetland
and bird nesting area of national importance.
The island lies about 300 m north of the Bulgarian bank of the Danube, between the 542nd and 546th kilometre from the origin of the river. An inlet-type forest often forms when a part of the island is flooded during the spring high water.
Vardim Rocks
at Hell Gates
in Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands
in Antarctica are named after Vardim Island and the adjacent settlement of Vardim.
and elm
can be observed on Vardim Island, as well as the White Willow
, White Poplar
, Black Acacia
, Black Poplar
, Snowflake
, etc.
According to the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, the island is one of the five most important nesting areas in the country for the Great Cormorant
, the Black-crowned Night Heron
and the Common Spoonbill
, making it a site of international ornithological importance. A total of 21 nationally protected species nidificate on the island. Of the 75 bird species that can be observed on Vardim Island, 31 are of Europe
an importance: 2 fall into category SPEC1, 11 in SPEC2 and 18 in SPEC3. The Sea Eagle
can be seen on the island, and until 1985 other species to be observed on it included the Squacco Heron
, Glossy Ibis
and Pygmy Cormorant
.
s, The Old Oak area was proclaimed a natural reserve on 5 March 1971 by the Ministry of Forests and Forest Industry. The reserve spreads over an area of 0.718 km², of which 0.646 afforested and 0.072 unforested. On 2 July 1998 it was recategorized as a protected area
with an area of 0.987 km² by the Committee for the Preservation of the Environment with the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria
.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n Danubian
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
island (after Belene Island
Belene Island
Belene Island or Persin Island is the biggest island in Bulgarian waters. The island is formed by the Danube River splitting into two branches passing north and south of it. The international frontier between Bulgaria and Romania follows the north branch of the river and therefore Belene Island...
and Kozloduy Island
Kozloduy Island
Kozloduy Island is the second largest Bulgarian Danubian island . Located opposite the town of Kozloduy, it is 7.5 km in length and between 0.5 and 1.6 km in width, with an area of 6.1 km²....
). Located east of the town of Svishtov
Svishtov
Svishtov is a town in northern Bulgaria, located in Veliko Tarnovo Province on the right bank of the Danube river opposite the Romanian town of Zimnicea. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Svishtov Municipality...
, opposite the village of Vardim
Vardim
Vardim is a village in Svishtov Municipality, Veliko Tarnovo Province, north central Bulgaria, located on the right bank of the Danube river. The village of Vardim is located in the central part of the Danubian plain about 10 km east of Svishtov towards Ruse...
(in Svishtov municipality, Veliko Tarnovo Province
Veliko Tarnovo Province
Veliko Tarnovo is a province in the middle of the northern part of Bulgaria. Its capital city, Veliko Tarnovo, is of historical significance as it is known as the capital of Medieval Bulgaria...
) and part of the Belene Danubian Archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
, it is a protected wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
and bird nesting area of national importance.
The island lies about 300 m north of the Bulgarian bank of the Danube, between the 542nd and 546th kilometre from the origin of the river. An inlet-type forest often forms when a part of the island is flooded during the spring high water.
Vardim Rocks
Vardim Rocks
Vardim Rocks are a group of rocks situated on the south side of Hell Gates, facing Devils Point in the southwest extremity of Byers Peninsula on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Extending in east-west direction. The two principal islets in the group are extending ...
at Hell Gates
Hell Gates
Hell Gates is a narrow boat passage between Vardim Rocks and Devils Point on Byers Peninsula, at the southwest end of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands. The name dates back to about 1821 and was applied by early sealers in the area because many lives and ships were lost here.-Map:*...
in Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...
in Antarctica are named after Vardim Island and the adjacent settlement of Vardim.
Biodiversity
Besides the Vardim Oak, a specific hygrophile type of Summer Oak, other types of oakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
can be observed on Vardim Island, as well as the White Willow
White Willow
Salix alba is a species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia. The name derives from the white tone to the undersides of the leaves....
, White Poplar
White Poplar
Populus alba, commonly called abele, silver poplar, silverleaf poplar, or white poplar, is a species of poplar, most closely related to the aspens . It is native from Spain and Morocco through central Europe to central Asia...
, Black Acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
, Black Poplar
Black Poplar
Populus nigra, the black poplar, is a species of cottonwood poplar, the type species of section Aigeiros of the genus Populus, native to Europe, southwest and central Asia, and northwest Africa....
, Snowflake
Snowflake (plant)
Spring Snowflake and Summer Snowflake or Loddon Lily are bulbous plants belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. They are the only species currently classified in the genus Leucojum...
, etc.
According to the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, the island is one of the five most important nesting areas in the country for the Great Cormorant
Great Cormorant
The Great Cormorant , known as the Great Black Cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the Black Cormorant in Australia and the Black Shag further south in New Zealand, is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds...
, the Black-crowned Night Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
The Black-crowned Night Heron commonly abbreviated to just Night Heron in Eurasia, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, except in the coldest regions and Australasia .-Description:Adults are...
and the Common Spoonbill
Common Spoonbill
The Eurasian Spoonbill or Common Spoonbill is a wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae, breeding in southern Eurasia from Spain to Japan, and also in North Africa. In Europe, only The Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Hungary and Greece have sizeable populations...
, making it a site of international ornithological importance. A total of 21 nationally protected species nidificate on the island. Of the 75 bird species that can be observed on Vardim Island, 31 are of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an importance: 2 fall into category SPEC1, 11 in SPEC2 and 18 in SPEC3. The Sea Eagle
Sea eagle (bird)
A sea eagle is any of the birds of prey in the genus Haliaeetus in the bird of prey family Accipitridae....
can be seen on the island, and until 1985 other species to be observed on it included the Squacco Heron
Squacco Heron
The Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides, is a small heron, long, of which the body is , with wingspan. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East.-Behaviour:...
, Glossy Ibis
Glossy Ibis
The Glossy Ibis is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae.This is the most widespread ibis species, breeding in scattered sites in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic and Caribbean region of the Americas...
and Pygmy Cormorant
Pygmy Cormorant
The Pygmy Cormorant is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It breeds in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia. It is partially migratory, with northern populations wintering further south, mostly within in its breeding range...
.
The Old Oak
In order to protect the natural Vardim Oak plantations and the large number of waderWader
Waders, called shorebirds in North America , are members of the order Charadriiformes, excluding the more marine web-footed seabird groups. The latter are the skuas , gulls , terns , skimmers , and auks...
s, The Old Oak area was proclaimed a natural reserve on 5 March 1971 by the Ministry of Forests and Forest Industry. The reserve spreads over an area of 0.718 km², of which 0.646 afforested and 0.072 unforested. On 2 July 1998 it was recategorized as a protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
with an area of 0.987 km² by the Committee for the Preservation of the Environment with the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria
Council of Ministers of Bulgaria
The Council of Ministers is the main authority of the executive power in the Republic of Bulgaria. It consists of the Prime Minister of Bulgaria and all the specialized ministers....
.
