Vikos-Aoos National Park
Encyclopedia
The Vikos–Aoös National Park ( Ethnikós Drymós Víkou–Aóou) is a national park
in the region of Epirus
in northwestern Greece
. The park, founded in 1973, is one of ten national parks in mainland Greece and is located 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of the city of Ioannina in the northern part of the Pindus
mountain range. It is named after the two major gorges of the area and encompasses 12600 hectares (31,135 acre) of mountainous terrain, with numerous rivers, lakes, cave
s, deep canyon
s, dense coniferous and deciduous
forest. The park is part of the Natura 2000
ecological network and one of UNESCO
Geopark
s and spans an elevation range from 550 to 2497 m (1,804.5 to 8,192.3 ft). Over 100,000 people visit the park each year and take part in activities including rafting, canoe-kayaking, hiking and mountain biking.
The core of the park, an area of 3400 hectares (8,402 acre), comprises the spectacular Vikos Gorge
, carved by the Voidomatis river. The gorge's main part is 12 km (7 mi) long and attains a depth of 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft). The Aoös gorge, mount Tymfi
(2497 metres (8,192.3 ft) at Gamila peak), and a number of traditionally preserved settlements form the park's peripheral zone. The park's remoteness and relatively small human population, combined with the great variation of biotope
s and microclimatic conditions favors the existence of a rich variety of flora (1,800 species) in the area. Vikos–Aoös National Park supports a wide diversity of fauna, with a plethora of large mammals such as the brown bear
, for which the park is one of the last European strongholds, and a variety of natural habitats and ecosystems that rank it among the most valuable parks for nature conservation in Greece.
The first evidence of human presence in the area is dated between 17,000 and 10,000 years ago. The area of the park has been sparsely populated throughout historical times, however from the 17th to the 19th century the local communities of Zagori
acquired an autonomous status, flourished economically due to increased trade, and became a major center of folk medicine
. In recent decades, ecotourism
is seen as a remedy to the economic decline of heavily depopulated local settlements, while preserving the natural environment and local architecture.
Vikos Gorge is located on the southern slopes of mount Tymfi. Its main part is located between the villages of Vikos and Monodendri and attains a depth of about 1000 m (3,281 ft), with a southeast-northwest direction. The landscape of the 20 km (12 mi) long gorge, 12 km (7 mi) which belongs to the park's core zone, presents a diverse relief and is characterized by abrupt changes in altitude. At one point the gorge measures 900 m (2,953 ft) deep and 1100 m (3,609 ft) wide from rim to rim, and as a result is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the deepest canyon
in the world in proportion to its width, though some gorge lobbyists contest that claim. Steep slopes and precipitous rocky cliffs dominate in the middle and higher zones respectively. Numerous gullies
dissect both sides of the gorge and the weathering action of water down its walls creates extended scree
s.
The Vikos Gorge has been carved over millions of years by the Voidomatis river, a tributary of the Aoös. The Voidomatis is mostly seasonal, with year-round flow occurring only in the lower part of the gorge. Due to its nature, the area of the gorge is precipitous and impassable most of the year.
As the Vikos Gorge is a deep cross section of the mountain, its slopes expose a series of rock formations of various ages. The upper layers, at a depth of 0–200 m (656.2 ft), consist of relatively young Eocene
limestone
, at a depth of 200 m (656.2 ft)–700 m (2,296.6 ft) they consist of a stratum
from the Campanian
era, while below 700 m (2,296.6 ft) they consist of Jurassic
and Cretaceous
limestone. In the deepest layers, grey Jurassic dolomite
is dominant. Sedimentary and lithological
investigation in the Voidomatis basin revealed that the innermost alluvial
deposits consist of limestone-derived material, carried by the Voidomatis river from higher elevations by glacial action about 30,000 years ago. The subsequent (middle) deposits are the product of de-glaciation and the extended run-off from the uplands about 20,000 years ago, while the outer unit is attributed to human activities associated with pastoralism
, which caused extended deforestation and soil erosion. The Voidomatis basin contains evidence for three major phases of glaciation, with the two largest and earliest taking place during the Middle Pleistocene
. The final phase of glacial activity probably occurred during the Last Glacial Maximum
, between 22,000 to 20,000 ago.
A special feature of the limestone, resulting from its weathering by water, is its karstic
nature. During the large Middle Pleistocene
glaciations, surface runoff from glacial meltwaters would have fed directly into the river channel network because much of the upland limestone terrain was covered by ice, and many conduits in the karst would have been choked with sediment or permanently frozen. As a result, the glacier snouts came close to the modern valley bottoms. In contrast, during interglacial
and interstadial periods, more effective coupling occurred between the surface drainage network and the internal karst drainage system. Since limestone dissolves as the water percolates through its pores, an extended underground drainage system has developed, with caves and channels that enlarge with time when their roofs collapse, producing rocky exposures and perpendicular slopes, which is also the reason why the water is scarce. Only when an impenetrable stratum is met, does water appear on the surface.
, the Aoös river passes through channels formed by the bulges of the nearby mountains of Trapezitsa 2022 m (6,634 ft), Tymfi and Raidovouni 1957 m (6,421 ft), creating another gorge that is 10 km (6 mi) long. The canyon has an east-west direction and features numerous stone single-arched bridges
from the 17th to 19th centuries as well as monasteries
built in the local architectural style. It is characterized by the great number of secondary gullies and currents, while the southern part of the gorge is steeper than the northern part. Deep and steep ravines within the perpendicular walls bring down to the Aoös large quantities of limestone-weathering material. The compact dolomite rock
s that lie on the bottom of the gorge date to the Early Jurassic
period and are the oldest rock formations in the Park. Their age has been determined by means of sea fossil
s found inside them.
Between the two gorges lies the Tymfi mountain range. Its highest peaks are Gamila 2497 m (8,192 ft), Astraka 2436 m (7,992 ft), Ploskos 2400 m (7,874 ft), and Lapatos 2251 m (7,385 ft). A unique feature of this area are the natural pools formed by the erosion of local stream beds. In the high-altitude zone of Tymfi, a number of alpine lake
s home to several rare amphibian species are found surrounded by alpine pasture. The biggest lake of the National Park, Drakolimni
("Dragonlake"), a formation that was created after the retreat of the glacier
s, is located at a height of 2000 m (6,562 ft) on mount Tymfi. Its maximum depth is 4.95 m (16 ft), while its surface covers 1 ha (2 acre).
A number of vertical caves and precipices are found in the area around the village of Papingo, which lies near Gamila and Astraka peaks. Some of them bear names inspired from mythology
, such as the Hole of Odysseus
and Chasm of Epos
. These are being studied and explored by caving enthusiasts. The cave of "Provatina" ("Ewe's Cave"), with a depth of 408 m (1,339 ft), one of the deepest worldwide, was first discovered in 1965 by British speleologists
of the Cambridge University Caving Club
, and has since then been surveyed by a large number of expeditions. The nearby Chasm of Epos, with a depth of 451 m (1,480 ft), drains the water coming from the surrounding plateaus.
Mount Tymfi represents a series of uplifted fault blocks and faulted escarpment
s and is largely composed of Palaeocene-Eocene
limestone, with some exposures of Campanian
-Jurassic
dolomite and limestone on the northern scarp. The lower slopes are dominated by younger flysch
rocks, which consist of thin beds of graded sandstones intercalated with softer, fissile siltstone
s. Extended glacial conditions prevailed on the uplands of Mount Tymfi during the Late Quaternary period, ca. 28,000 years ago. The glacial landscape is well-developed, especially on the southern slopes of Mount Tymfi, across the Astraka-Gamila plateau, and in the upland terrain above the villages of Skamneli
and Tsepelovo
, where lateral and terminal moraine
s form major landscape features. Additional forms of glacial deposits, which extend down to 850 m (2,789 ft) above sea level, include rock glacier
s and limestone pavement
s.
region, are sparsely populated with a total population of 1,515 people. The villages have a nucleus-like form, with the houses situated around the central square and interconnected by rocky pathways. Historically, all the villages of the Zagori region were connected by a system of paths or small roads and they functioned more like a single entity rather than as separate communities.
The economic affluence of Zagori's past is still reflected in the architecture of the villages, while today the preservation of the local architectural legacy is enshrined in a law which dictates that all buildings in the area must be constructed with local traditional materials and in compliance with local architecture. One of the characteristic features of the National Park are its stone bridges, which were the only connection to the outside world until roads were built in the 1950s. Sixteen of these stone bridges and seven churches in the region have been listed as protected historical monuments.
. The Mediterranean character is characterized by the annual distribution of precipitation
, high in the winter months and experiencing a drought
period of two to three months in summer. The continental climatic element is attributed to the high amplitude of annual temperature variation, to such a degree that the difference between mean maximum and mean minimum annual temperature, exceeds 40 °C (104 °F). The climate of the area is quite unique due to the complex relief, variation in altitude, and the position of the area with regard to the Ionian Sea
coastline. The mean annual temperature and annual precipitation are 11.9 °C (53 °F) and 1100.9 millimetre respectively. Extremely low temperatures occur in the area during the winter months. Compared to Mediterranean bioclimatic divisions, the area belongs to the humid zone
with cold winters.
and fauna
. There are three main habitat
zones: Sub-mediterranean woodland which mainly consists of deciduous broadleaf forests and woodlands and extends up to an elevation of about 1500 m (4,921 ft). Combined areas of agricultural land with tree hedges and various woodlot
s, in addition to semi-open shrubland
s and rocky sites of the lower and middle slopes near human settlements. Uplands with subalpine
grassland
s and rocky cliffs. This habitat is found above 1500 m (4,921 ft) altitude and hosts important bird species such as the Mediterranean Golden Eagle
.
and coniferous trees and a great variety of wildflower
s. An important element of the region's flora, apart from the rich variety of plant species, is the high degree of endemism in Balkan (23%) and Greek species (5.8%). Recent studies on the flora of the National Park counted 873 vascular plant
s, including more than 250 medicinal, aromatic, and poisonous taxa. The park's forests are abundant in species associated with the cool local climate, such as Wych Elm, Nettle-leaved Bellflower
, Horse-chestnut and Large-leaved Linden
. In the valley of the Vikos Gorge, Platanus orientalis
form an azonal gallery forest along the banks of the Voidomatis. The woodland in the mountain area around the village of Papingo is characterized by the predominance of different juniper species, such as Juniperus communis
, foetidissima
, oxycedrus
and excelsa
. In the upper hills Juniperus foetidissima
dominates, with exceptionally high (more than 10 m (33 ft)) trees. At higher altitudes, pure conifer forests of either pine
or fir
are found.
Studies on the non-vascular flora recorded the presence of about 150 moss
species in the area of the national park, including one newly described taxon
. Many herbs of the Vikos Gorge and other areas within the park were regarded to have medicinal properties and were once harvested by local healers, colloquially referred to as "Vikos doctors
" . These herbal healers used special recipes that were often copies of ancient Greek recipes of Hippocrates
or Dioscorides
and became famous beyond the borders of Greece. The plants used in these recipes include the lemon balm Melissa officinalis, Tilia tomentosa
, the spearmint Mentha spicata, the gas-plant Dictamnus albus
, St John’s Wort Hypericum perforatum, absinth Artemisia absinthium
, the very popular Sideritis raeseri
, known colloquially in Greece as “mountain tea”, and the elder bush Sambucus nigra
. A chemical screening of these native plant species has shown that a high number of them are characterized by biologically active
ingredients. A collection of 2,500 dried species of local plants and herbs is exhibited in the local natural history museum in the village of Koukouli.
Vikos–Aoös National Park preserves one of the richest mountain and forest ecosystems in terms of wildlife diversity in Greece. Numerous species of large mammal
s such as wolves, fox
es, wild horses, and roe deer
are found in the area year-round. Otter
s and wild cat
s live around the area of Tymfi
, with the latter being quite rare. The Pindus
range, of which Vikos–Aoös is part, is home to the endangered brown bear
and lynx
, and is also the southernmost point of their European habitat. One of the park's special attractions is the existence of the Balkan chamois
deer (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), a rare species that lives at higher altitudes far from human activity, especially at the rocky cliffs of the gorges, for example in Megas Lakos, a secondary ravine of the Vikos Gorge.
A total of 121 bird species have been observed in the park, with twenty-six of them being considered of conservation priority. The area hosts fifteen raptor
species and populations of bird species with limited distribution in Greece, such as the Hazel Grouse
, Tengmalm's Owl
, Wallcreeper
and Willow Tit
. The two bird communities that inhabit the subalpine and forest ecosystems are considered among the most complete in Greece: The first community includes species that nest and feed in the subalpine area, like the Alpine Chough
, Shore Lark
, Western Rock Nuthatch
and Alpine Swift
, while the second comprises birds of prey like the Griffon Vulture
, Egyptian Vulture
, Peregrine Falcon
and Common Kestrel
, that search for food in a wider zone.
Vikos-Aoös also contains a variety of suitable habitats that support dense populations of amphibians and reptiles. Vipera ursinii
lives in the subalpine meadows and is considered a threatened taxon. The amphibian Alpine Newt
s (Triturus Alpestris), living in the alpine lakes of the Tymfi
region, mostly in Drakolimni, are associated with local folktales of dragons and dragon battles. Yellow-bellied Toad
s (Bombina variegata) are also common in that same area. Numerous fish, such as brown trout
, roach, and barbel are to be found in the park's rivers. Regarding invertebrate species, due to the structural complexity of the forests and the co-existence of various small biotopes, i.e. streams, ponds, forest openings, rocky sites, dead trees, old pollards, and coppices, a very diverse fauna exists. This occurs especially at the various ecotones, including often very specialized species.
climatic conditions prevailed that permitted the hunting of the ibex
and the chamois on a seasonal basis. Important epipaleolithic
artifacts have been unearthed from a rock shelter
on the banks of the Voidomatis. During the 9th–4th centuries B.C., a small Molossian
settlement existed between Monodendri
and Vitsa
, including stone houses and two cemeteries that have yielded important findings. However, for most of the historical period the local population was sparse. The land was mainly used for pastoralism and supplying firewood.
In the era of Ottoman rule, and especially from the 17th to the 19th century, the local Greek Orthodox
communities were granted special privileges by the Ottoman authorities. At that time the area of Zagori
acquired an autonomous status
inside the Ottoman Empire
, whereby the locals were exempt from the fiscal extortion that crippled the more prosperous lowland communities. During this period large groups of villagers emigrated to metropolitan centers. Many among them became members of successful professional classes before finally returning to their home villages, endowing the region with wealth and building luxurious mansions. In such an environment, the art of herbal healing by the so called Vikos doctors developed and flourished. This was accompanied by an impressive cultural and intellectual life that produced many renowned scholars and benefactors of Greece.
The area is nowadays sparsely populated as the result of urbanization
after World War II
. Many of the dwellings now remain shut, while abandonment of the traditional rural economy has affected the cultural landscape. Epirus
, of which Vikos–Aoös is part, is considered one of the most underdeveloped regions in Greece. Tourism constitutes the principal source of revenue for the local economy, although it has a highly seasonal character. Intense development in terms of accommodation and tourism infrastructure occurred in the 1980s, mainly through state initiatives.
The administration and management of the Vikos–Aoös National Park belongs to two district forest offices, supervised by a forest
directorate at the prefecture level. Moreover, the office of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
in the village of Papingo plays an essential role in management issues. Apart from government efforts, incentives have been given to local management organizations and the local population to participate in the protection of the park. In the park's core, according to the law, forestry activities, grazing, hunting, and fishing are prohibited. In the peripheral zone there are no such restrictions, but the Forest Service can take any necessary measure for the realization of the aims of the park. Apart from the above-mentioned activities, dangers to the park include land erosion
, landslides, and wildfires which threaten the local flora and fauna. Another issue is the impact of tourism in recent decades. On the other hand, extreme geophysical conditions make the construction and maintenance of the necessary infrastructure network, mainly access routes and telecommunications, difficult.
The vast area of the National Park and the present lack of road infrastructure make remote sensing
the only means for monitoring the human activities in the area and their impact on the ecosystem
. An analysis has begun by taking a detailed picture of the territory covering at least the following items: orography
and slopes, road networks, land cover and use, human settlements, and tourist sites. The use of remote sensing
and geographic information system
techniques is of essential value for the park's management and constitutes the basis for further evaluations and impact analysis.
The objective of the present state and regional policy is to carefully combine tourism development in the area with the preservation of its natural and cultural heritage. Ecotourism
poses an ideal solution, since it has the potential of bringing about the desired balance between socio-economic development and environmental protection. Specific objectives of ecotourism development include reviving traditional activities such as small-scale farming and stock-raising, as well as establishing a network of communities of chamois biotopes.
The rivers in the Vikos–Aoös area are a destination for rafting
and canoe
-kayaking
. Additional forms of adventure sports include climbing
, hiking
and mountain biking
along local paths in order to observe the area's natural features and architecture. Popular trails in the region include the crossing of the Vikos Gorge, which lasts approximately six to seven hours and is considered of medium difficulty, as well as hiking around the peaks of Tymfi. Several viewpoint are accessible only on foot, such as the Oxya and Beloe outlooks, and the 15th century Monastery of Saint Paraskevi that offer panoramic views to the Vikos Gorge.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in the region of Epirus
Epirus (region)
Epirus is a geographical and historical region in southeastern Europe, shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay of Vlorë in the north to the Ambracian Gulf in the south...
in northwestern Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The park, founded in 1973, is one of ten national parks in mainland Greece and is located 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of the city of Ioannina in the northern part of the Pindus
Pindus
The Pindus mountain range is located in northern Greece and southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km long, with a maximum elevation of 2637 m . Because it runs along the border of Thessaly and Epirus, the Pindus range is often called the "spine of Greece"...
mountain range. It is named after the two major gorges of the area and encompasses 12600 hectares (31,135 acre) of mountainous terrain, with numerous rivers, lakes, cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s, deep canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
s, dense coniferous and deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
forest. The park is part of the Natura 2000
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...
ecological network and one of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Geopark
Geopark
A Geopark is defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in its UNESCO Geoparks International Network of Geoparks programme as follows:...
s and spans an elevation range from 550 to 2497 m (1,804.5 to 8,192.3 ft). Over 100,000 people visit the park each year and take part in activities including rafting, canoe-kayaking, hiking and mountain biking.
The core of the park, an area of 3400 hectares (8,402 acre), comprises the spectacular Vikos Gorge
Vikos Gorge
The Vikos Gorge is a gorge in the Pindus Mountains of northern Greece. It lies on the southern slopes of Mount Tymfi, with a length of about 20 km, depth ranging from 450 m to 1600 m and width from 400 m to some meters at its narrowest part....
, carved by the Voidomatis river. The gorge's main part is 12 km (7 mi) long and attains a depth of 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft). The Aoös gorge, mount Tymfi
Tymfi
Tymfi or Mt Tymphe, Timfi, also Tymphi is a mountain in the northern Pindus mountain range, northwestern Greece. It is part of the regional unit of Ioannina and lies in the region of Zagori, just a few meters south of the 40° parallel...
(2497 metres (8,192.3 ft) at Gamila peak), and a number of traditionally preserved settlements form the park's peripheral zone. The park's remoteness and relatively small human population, combined with the great variation of biotope
Biotope
Biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals. Biotope is almost synonymous with the term habitat, but while the subject of a habitat is a species or a population, the subject of a biotope is a biological community.It...
s and microclimatic conditions favors the existence of a rich variety of flora (1,800 species) in the area. Vikos–Aoös National Park supports a wide diversity of fauna, with a plethora of large mammals such as the brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
, for which the park is one of the last European strongholds, and a variety of natural habitats and ecosystems that rank it among the most valuable parks for nature conservation in Greece.
The first evidence of human presence in the area is dated between 17,000 and 10,000 years ago. The area of the park has been sparsely populated throughout historical times, however from the 17th to the 19th century the local communities of Zagori
Zagori
Zagori , is a region and a municipality in the Pindus mountains in Epirus, in northwestern Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Asprangeloi. It has an area of some 1,000 square kilometres and contains 45 villages known as Zagoria , and is in the shape of an upturned equilateral...
acquired an autonomous status, flourished economically due to increased trade, and became a major center of folk medicine
Folk medicine
-Description:Refers to healing practices and ideas of body physiology and health preservation known to a limited segment of the population in a culture, transmitted informally as general knowledge, and practiced or applied by anyone in the culture having prior experience.All cultures and societies...
. In recent decades, ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
is seen as a remedy to the economic decline of heavily depopulated local settlements, while preserving the natural environment and local architecture.
Vikos Gorge
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
in the world in proportion to its width, though some gorge lobbyists contest that claim. Steep slopes and precipitous rocky cliffs dominate in the middle and higher zones respectively. Numerous gullies
Gully
A gully is a landform created by running water, eroding sharply into soil, typically on a hillside. Gullies resemble large ditches or small valleys, but are metres to tens of metres in depth and width...
dissect both sides of the gorge and the weathering action of water down its walls creates extended scree
Scree
Scree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
s.
The Vikos Gorge has been carved over millions of years by the Voidomatis river, a tributary of the Aoös. The Voidomatis is mostly seasonal, with year-round flow occurring only in the lower part of the gorge. Due to its nature, the area of the gorge is precipitous and impassable most of the year.
As the Vikos Gorge is a deep cross section of the mountain, its slopes expose a series of rock formations of various ages. The upper layers, at a depth of 0–200 m (656.2 ft), consist of relatively young Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, at a depth of 200 m (656.2 ft)–700 m (2,296.6 ft) they consist of a stratum
Stratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers...
from the Campanian
Campanian
The Campanian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous epoch . The Campanian spans the time from 83.5 ± 0.7 Ma to 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma ...
era, while below 700 m (2,296.6 ft) they consist of Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
and Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
limestone. In the deepest layers, grey Jurassic dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
is dominant. Sedimentary and lithological
Lithology
The lithology of a rock unit is a description of its physical characteristics visible at outcrop, in hand or core samples or with low magnification microscopy, such as colour, texture, grain size, or composition. It may be either a detailed description of these characteristics or be a summary of...
investigation in the Voidomatis basin revealed that the innermost alluvial
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
deposits consist of limestone-derived material, carried by the Voidomatis river from higher elevations by glacial action about 30,000 years ago. The subsequent (middle) deposits are the product of de-glaciation and the extended run-off from the uplands about 20,000 years ago, while the outer unit is attributed to human activities associated with pastoralism
Pastoralism
Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. It may have a mobile aspect, moving the herds in search of fresh pasture and...
, which caused extended deforestation and soil erosion. The Voidomatis basin contains evidence for three major phases of glaciation, with the two largest and earliest taking place during the Middle Pleistocene
Middle Pleistocene
The Middle Pleistocene, more specifically referred to as the Ionian stage, is a period of geologic time from ca. 781 to 126 thousand years ago....
. The final phase of glacial activity probably occurred during the Last Glacial Maximum
Last Glacial Maximum
The Last Glacial Maximum refers to a period in the Earth's climate history when ice sheets were at their maximum extension, between 26,500 and 19,000–20,000 years ago, marking the peak of the last glacial period. During this time, vast ice sheets covered much of North America, northern Europe and...
, between 22,000 to 20,000 ago.
A special feature of the limestone, resulting from its weathering by water, is its karstic
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
nature. During the large Middle Pleistocene
Middle Pleistocene
The Middle Pleistocene, more specifically referred to as the Ionian stage, is a period of geologic time from ca. 781 to 126 thousand years ago....
glaciations, surface runoff from glacial meltwaters would have fed directly into the river channel network because much of the upland limestone terrain was covered by ice, and many conduits in the karst would have been choked with sediment or permanently frozen. As a result, the glacier snouts came close to the modern valley bottoms. In contrast, during interglacial
Interglacial
An Interglacial period is a geological interval of warmer global average temperature lasting thousands of years that separates consecutive glacial periods within an ice age...
and interstadial periods, more effective coupling occurred between the surface drainage network and the internal karst drainage system. Since limestone dissolves as the water percolates through its pores, an extended underground drainage system has developed, with caves and channels that enlarge with time when their roofs collapse, producing rocky exposures and perpendicular slopes, which is also the reason why the water is scarce. Only when an impenetrable stratum is met, does water appear on the surface.
Aoös Gorge
In the northern part of the Park, and very close to the town of KonitsaKonitsa
Konitsa is a town in Epirus, Greece, near the Albanian border. It lies amphi-theatre shaped on a mountain slope of the Pindos mountain range, overlooking the valley where the river Aoos meets the river Voidomatis. The valley is used for farming. Konitsa is a regional centre for many small Pindos...
, the Aoös river passes through channels formed by the bulges of the nearby mountains of Trapezitsa 2022 m (6,634 ft), Tymfi and Raidovouni 1957 m (6,421 ft), creating another gorge that is 10 km (6 mi) long. The canyon has an east-west direction and features numerous stone single-arched bridges
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
from the 17th to 19th centuries as well as monasteries
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
built in the local architectural style. It is characterized by the great number of secondary gullies and currents, while the southern part of the gorge is steeper than the northern part. Deep and steep ravines within the perpendicular walls bring down to the Aoös large quantities of limestone-weathering material. The compact dolomite rock
Dolostone
Dolostone or dolomite rock is a sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite. In old U.S.G.S. publications it was referred to as magnesian limestone. Most dolostone formed as a magnesium replacement of limestone or lime mud prior to lithification. It is...
s that lie on the bottom of the gorge date to the Early Jurassic
Early Jurassic
The Early Jurassic epoch is the earliest of three epochs of the Jurassic period...
period and are the oldest rock formations in the Park. Their age has been determined by means of sea fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s found inside them.
Tymfi
Alpine lake
Alpine lakes are classified as lakes or reservoirs at high altitudes, usually starting around 5,000 feet in elevation above sea level or above the tree line....
s home to several rare amphibian species are found surrounded by alpine pasture. The biggest lake of the National Park, Drakolimni
Drakolimni
Drakolimni is the name of several alpine or sub-alpine lakes in northwestern Greece Epirus region: the ones in mountain Tymfi and Smolikas are the most widely known...
("Dragonlake"), a formation that was created after the retreat of the glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s, is located at a height of 2000 m (6,562 ft) on mount Tymfi. Its maximum depth is 4.95 m (16 ft), while its surface covers 1 ha (2 acre).
A number of vertical caves and precipices are found in the area around the village of Papingo, which lies near Gamila and Astraka peaks. Some of them bear names inspired from mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, such as the Hole of Odysseus
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
and Chasm of Epos
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
. These are being studied and explored by caving enthusiasts. The cave of "Provatina" ("Ewe's Cave"), with a depth of 408 m (1,339 ft), one of the deepest worldwide, was first discovered in 1965 by British speleologists
Speleology
Speleology is the scientific study of caves and other karst features, their make-up, structure, physical properties, history, life forms, and the processes by which they form and change over time...
of the Cambridge University Caving Club
Cambridge University Caving Club
The Cambridge University Caving Club was founded in 1949. The club organizes SRT training, social events, and weekend caving trips as well as longer expeditions.Currently, annual expeditions are carried out to the Ardèche region of France for sport...
, and has since then been surveyed by a large number of expeditions. The nearby Chasm of Epos, with a depth of 451 m (1,480 ft), drains the water coming from the surrounding plateaus.
Mount Tymfi represents a series of uplifted fault blocks and faulted escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
s and is largely composed of Palaeocene-Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
limestone, with some exposures of Campanian
Campanian
The Campanian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous epoch . The Campanian spans the time from 83.5 ± 0.7 Ma to 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma ...
-Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
dolomite and limestone on the northern scarp. The lower slopes are dominated by younger flysch
Flysch
Flysch is a sequence of sedimentary rocks that is deposited in a deep marine facies in the foreland basin of a developing orogen. Flysch is typically deposited during an early stage of the orogenesis. When the orogen evolves the foreland basin becomes shallower and molasse is deposited on top of...
rocks, which consist of thin beds of graded sandstones intercalated with softer, fissile siltstone
Siltstone
Siltstone is a sedimentary rock which has a grain size in the silt range, finer than sandstone and coarser than claystones.- Description :As its name implies, it is primarily composed of silt sized particles, defined as grains 1/16 - 1/256 mm or 4 to 8 on the Krumbein phi scale...
s. Extended glacial conditions prevailed on the uplands of Mount Tymfi during the Late Quaternary period, ca. 28,000 years ago. The glacial landscape is well-developed, especially on the southern slopes of Mount Tymfi, across the Astraka-Gamila plateau, and in the upland terrain above the villages of Skamneli
Skamneli
Skamneli is a village in the Zagori region , 54 km north of Ioannina. It is built in the fringes of mountain Tymfi , at a height of 1160 m.- Name :...
and Tsepelovo
Tsepelovo
Tsepelovo , older form: -on is a village in the Zagori region . It stands at a height of 1,200 meters in a panoramic location on the mountain range of Tymfi. It is the biggest of the 45 villages of Zagori and it was the seat of Tymfi municipality...
, where lateral and terminal moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
s form major landscape features. Additional forms of glacial deposits, which extend down to 850 m (2,789 ft) above sea level, include rock glacier
Rock glacier
Rock glaciers are distinctive geomorphological landforms of angular rock debris frozen in interstitial ice which may extend outward and downslope from talus cones, glaciers or terminal moraines of glaciers. There are two types of rock glaciers: periglacial glaciers, or talus-derived glaciers, and...
s and limestone pavement
Limestone pavement
A limestone pavement is a natural karst landform consisting of a flat, incised surface of exposed limestone that resembles an artificial pavement. The term is mainly used in the UK where many of these landforms have developed distinctive surface patterning resembling block of paving...
s.
Settlements
There are four villages inside the Vikos–Aoös National Park, and an additional nine near the borders of the peripheral zone. All of these settlements, in the western part of the ZagoriZagori
Zagori , is a region and a municipality in the Pindus mountains in Epirus, in northwestern Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Asprangeloi. It has an area of some 1,000 square kilometres and contains 45 villages known as Zagoria , and is in the shape of an upturned equilateral...
region, are sparsely populated with a total population of 1,515 people. The villages have a nucleus-like form, with the houses situated around the central square and interconnected by rocky pathways. Historically, all the villages of the Zagori region were connected by a system of paths or small roads and they functioned more like a single entity rather than as separate communities.
The economic affluence of Zagori's past is still reflected in the architecture of the villages, while today the preservation of the local architectural legacy is enshrined in a law which dictates that all buildings in the area must be constructed with local traditional materials and in compliance with local architecture. One of the characteristic features of the National Park are its stone bridges, which were the only connection to the outside world until roads were built in the 1950s. Sixteen of these stone bridges and seven churches in the region have been listed as protected historical monuments.
Climate
The climate of the Vikos–Aoös National Park is Mediterranean, transitioning to continentalContinental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
. The Mediterranean character is characterized by the annual distribution of precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
, high in the winter months and experiencing a drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
period of two to three months in summer. The continental climatic element is attributed to the high amplitude of annual temperature variation, to such a degree that the difference between mean maximum and mean minimum annual temperature, exceeds 40 °C (104 °F). The climate of the area is quite unique due to the complex relief, variation in altitude, and the position of the area with regard to the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
coastline. The mean annual temperature and annual precipitation are 11.9 °C (53 °F) and 1100.9 millimetre respectively. Extremely low temperatures occur in the area during the winter months. Compared to Mediterranean bioclimatic divisions, the area belongs to the humid zone
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
with cold winters.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Nov | Dec | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily mean °C (°F) | (38.7) |
(39.2) |
(43.0) |
(48.2) |
15.4 (59.7) |
(65.7) |
22.0 (70.0) |
21.1 (64.6) |
18.1 (54.1) |
(54.1) |
(46.0) |
(40.1) |
| Precipitation Precipitation (meteorology) In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation... mm (inches) |
110.4 (4.35) |
108.3 (4.26) |
(3.52) |
108.9 (4.29) |
68.8 (2.71) |
(2.06) |
(1.45) |
(1.44) |
(2.37) |
128.8 (5.07) |
156.8 (6.17) |
143.4 (5.65) |
Wildlife
The park's varied geology and topography have resulted in a unique variety of floraFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
. There are three main habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
zones: Sub-mediterranean woodland which mainly consists of deciduous broadleaf forests and woodlands and extends up to an elevation of about 1500 m (4,921 ft). Combined areas of agricultural land with tree hedges and various woodlot
Woodlot
A woodlot is a term used in North America to refer to a segment of a woodland or forest capable of small-scale production of forest products such as wood fuel, sap for maple syrup, sawlogs, as well as recreational uses like bird watching, bushwalking, and wildflower appreciation...
s, in addition to semi-open shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
s and rocky sites of the lower and middle slopes near human settlements. Uplands with subalpine
Subalpine
The subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s and rocky cliffs. This habitat is found above 1500 m (4,921 ft) altitude and hosts important bird species such as the Mediterranean Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
.
Flora
The forests are composed of diverse species of deciduousDeciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
and coniferous trees and a great variety of wildflower
Wildflower
A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more...
s. An important element of the region's flora, apart from the rich variety of plant species, is the high degree of endemism in Balkan (23%) and Greek species (5.8%). Recent studies on the flora of the National Park counted 873 vascular plant
Vascular plant
Vascular plants are those plants that have lignified tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant. Vascular plants include the clubmosses, Equisetum, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms...
s, including more than 250 medicinal, aromatic, and poisonous taxa. The park's forests are abundant in species associated with the cool local climate, such as Wych Elm, Nettle-leaved Bellflower
Campanula trachelium
Campanula trachelium or Nettle-leaved Bellflower is a species of bellflower found in North America and Germany.Campanula trachelium is a Eurasian blue wildflower native to Denmark and England and now naturalized in southeast Ireland...
, Horse-chestnut and Large-leaved Linden
Tilia platyphyllos
Tilia platyphyllos is a deciduous tree native to much of Europe, including locally in southwestern Great Britain, growing on lime-rich soils. The common name Large-leaved Linden is in standard use throughout the English-speaking world except in Britain, where it has largely been replaced by the...
. In the valley of the Vikos Gorge, Platanus orientalis
Platanus orientalis
Platanus orientalis, or the Oriental plane, is a large, deciduous tree of the Platanaceae family, known for its longevity and spreading crown. The species name derives from its historical distribution eastward from the Balkans, where it was recognized in ancient Greek history and literature....
form an azonal gallery forest along the banks of the Voidomatis. The woodland in the mountain area around the village of Papingo is characterized by the predominance of different juniper species, such as Juniperus communis
Juniperus communis
Juniperus communis, the Common Juniper, is a species in the genus Juniperus, in the family Cupressaceae. It has the largest range of any woody plant, throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic south in mountains to around 30°N latitude in North America, Europe and Asia.-...
, foetidissima
Juniperus foetidissima
Juniperus foetidissima is a juniper native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, from southern Albania and northern Greece across Turkey to Syria and the Lebanon, the Caucasus mountains, the Alborz mountains of northern Iran, and east to southwestern Turkmenistan...
, oxycedrus
Juniperus oxycedrus
Juniperus oxycedrus is a species of juniper, native across the Mediterranean region from Morocco and Portugal, north to southern France, east to westernmost Iran, and south to Lebanon and Israel, growing on a variety of rocky sites from sea level up...
and excelsa
Juniperus excelsa
Juniperus excelsa is a juniper found throughout the eastern Mediterranean, from northeastern Greece and southern Bulgaria across Turkey to Syria and the Lebanon, and the Caucasus mountains. A subspecies, J. excelsa subsp...
. In the upper hills Juniperus foetidissima
Juniperus foetidissima
Juniperus foetidissima is a juniper native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, from southern Albania and northern Greece across Turkey to Syria and the Lebanon, the Caucasus mountains, the Alborz mountains of northern Iran, and east to southwestern Turkmenistan...
dominates, with exceptionally high (more than 10 m (33 ft)) trees. At higher altitudes, pure conifer forests of either pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
or fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
are found.
Studies on the non-vascular flora recorded the presence of about 150 moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
species in the area of the national park, including one newly described taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
. Many herbs of the Vikos Gorge and other areas within the park were regarded to have medicinal properties and were once harvested by local healers, colloquially referred to as "Vikos doctors
Vikos doctors
Vikos doctors were folk healers or practical medical practitioners from the Greek area of Zagori in the 18-19th century. - Etymology :The Greek word ἰατρός is often translated as physician...
" . These herbal healers used special recipes that were often copies of ancient Greek recipes of Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
or Dioscorides
Pedanius Dioscorides
Pedanius Dioscorides was a Greek physician, pharmacologist and botanist, the author of a 5-volume encyclopedia about herbal medicine and related medicinal substances , that was widely read for more than 1,500 years.-Life:...
and became famous beyond the borders of Greece. The plants used in these recipes include the lemon balm Melissa officinalis, Tilia tomentosa
Tilia tomentosa
Tilia tomentosa is a species of Tilia native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, from Hungary and the Balkans east to western Turkey, occurring at moderate altitudes....
, the spearmint Mentha spicata, the gas-plant Dictamnus albus
Dictamnus
Dictamnus is a genus of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae, with a single species, Dictamnus albus. It is known variously as Burning-bush, False Dittany, White Dittany, Gas-plant and Fraxinella. It is a perennial herb, native to southern Europe, north Africa and throughout...
, St John’s Wort Hypericum perforatum, absinth Artemisia absinthium
Artemisia absinthium
Artemisia absinthium is a species of wormwood, native to temperate regions of Eurasia and northern Africa....
, the very popular Sideritis raeseri
Sideritis
Sideritis is a genus of flowering plants well known for their medicinal properties...
, known colloquially in Greece as “mountain tea”, and the elder bush Sambucus nigra
Sambucus nigra
Sambucus nigra is a species complex of elder native to most of Europe.It is most commonly called Elder, Elderberry, Black Elder, European Elder, European Elderberry, European Black Elderberry, Common Elder, or Elder Bush when distinction from other species of Sambucus is needed...
. A chemical screening of these native plant species has shown that a high number of them are characterized by biologically active
Biological activity
In pharmacology, biological activity or pharmacological activity describes the beneficial or adverse effects of a drug on living matter. When a drug is a complex chemical mixture, this activity is exerted by the substance's active ingredient or pharmacophore but can be modified by the other...
ingredients. A collection of 2,500 dried species of local plants and herbs is exhibited in the local natural history museum in the village of Koukouli.
Fauna
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s such as wolves, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, wild horses, and roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
are found in the area year-round. Otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s and wild cat
Wild cat
The wildcat is a small cat with several subspecies and a very broad distribution, found throughout most of Africa, Europe, and southwest and central Asia into India, China, and Mongolia. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar or smaller size. Sometimes included is...
s live around the area of Tymfi
Tymfi
Tymfi or Mt Tymphe, Timfi, also Tymphi is a mountain in the northern Pindus mountain range, northwestern Greece. It is part of the regional unit of Ioannina and lies in the region of Zagori, just a few meters south of the 40° parallel...
, with the latter being quite rare. The Pindus
Pindus
The Pindus mountain range is located in northern Greece and southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km long, with a maximum elevation of 2637 m . Because it runs along the border of Thessaly and Epirus, the Pindus range is often called the "spine of Greece"...
range, of which Vikos–Aoös is part, is home to the endangered brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
, and is also the southernmost point of their European habitat. One of the park's special attractions is the existence of the Balkan chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
deer (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), a rare species that lives at higher altitudes far from human activity, especially at the rocky cliffs of the gorges, for example in Megas Lakos, a secondary ravine of the Vikos Gorge.
A total of 121 bird species have been observed in the park, with twenty-six of them being considered of conservation priority. The area hosts fifteen raptor
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
species and populations of bird species with limited distribution in Greece, such as the Hazel Grouse
Hazel Grouse
The Hazel Grouse or Hazel Hen is one of the smaller members of the grouse family of birds. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia and central and eastern Europe in dense, damp, mixed coniferous woodland, preferably with some spruce.The nest is on the ground, and 3–6 eggs is...
, Tengmalm's Owl
Tengmalm's Owl
Boreal Owl, Aegolius funereus, is a small owl. It is also known as the Tengmalm's Owl after Swedish naturalist Peter Gustaf Tengmalm. Other names for the owl include Richardson's Owl, Funeral Owl , Sparrow Owl and Pearl Owl...
, Wallcreeper
Wallcreeper
The Wallcreeper is a small passerine bird found throughout the high mountains of Eurasia. It is the only member of the genus Tichodroma.-Taxonomy and etymology:...
and Willow Tit
Willow Tit
The Willow Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and northern Asia. It is more of a conifer specialist than the closely related Marsh Tit, which explains it breeding much further north...
. The two bird communities that inhabit the subalpine and forest ecosystems are considered among the most complete in Greece: The first community includes species that nest and feed in the subalpine area, like the Alpine Chough
Alpine Chough
The Alpine Chough , or Yellow-billed Chough, is a bird in the crow family, one of only two species in the genus Pyrrhocorax. Its two subspecies breed in high mountains from Spain east through southern Europe and North Africa to Central Asia, India and China, and it may nest at a higher altitude...
, Shore Lark
Shore Lark
The Shore Lark , called the Horned Lark in North America, is a species of bird in the genus Eremophila.- Description :...
, Western Rock Nuthatch
Western Rock Nuthatch
The Western Rock Nuthatch, Sitta neumayer is a small passerine bird which breeds from Serbia east through Greece and Turkey to Iran. This nuthatch is largely resident apart from some post-breeding dispersal...
and Alpine Swift
Alpine Swift
The Alpine Swift syn. is a species of Swift. The bird is superficially similar to a large Barn Swallow or House Martin. It is, however, completely unrelated to those passerine species, since swifts are in the order Apodiformes...
, while the second comprises birds of prey like the Griffon Vulture
Griffon Vulture
The Griffon Vulture is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.The Griffon Vulture is long with a wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh and females typically weigh , while in the Indian subspecies the vultures average...
, Egyptian Vulture
Egyptian Vulture
The Egyptian Vulture is a small Old World vulture, found widely distributed from southwestern Europe and northern Africa to southern Asia. It is the only living member of the genus Neophron. It has sometimes also been known as the White Scavenger Vulture or Pharaoh's Chicken...
, Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
and Common Kestrel
Common Kestrel
The Common Kestrel is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European Kestrel, Eurasian Kestrel, or Old World Kestrel. In Britain, where no other brown falcon occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".This species...
, that search for food in a wider zone.
Vikos-Aoös also contains a variety of suitable habitats that support dense populations of amphibians and reptiles. Vipera ursinii
Vipera ursinii
Vipera ursinii is a venomous viper and a very widespread species, found from southeastern France all the way to China . No subspecies are currently recognized...
lives in the subalpine meadows and is considered a threatened taxon. The amphibian Alpine Newt
Alpine Newt
The Alpine Newt is a newt of the Salamander order Caudata in the class of Amphibians.-Description:...
s (Triturus Alpestris), living in the alpine lakes of the Tymfi
Tymfi
Tymfi or Mt Tymphe, Timfi, also Tymphi is a mountain in the northern Pindus mountain range, northwestern Greece. It is part of the regional unit of Ioannina and lies in the region of Zagori, just a few meters south of the 40° parallel...
region, mostly in Drakolimni, are associated with local folktales of dragons and dragon battles. Yellow-bellied Toad
Yellow-bellied toad
The Yellow-Bellied Toad belongs to the order of Anura, the archaeobatrachial family of Bombinatoridae, and to the genus of fire-bellied toads.- Anatomy :...
s (Bombina variegata) are also common in that same area. Numerous fish, such as brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
, roach, and barbel are to be found in the park's rivers. Regarding invertebrate species, due to the structural complexity of the forests and the co-existence of various small biotopes, i.e. streams, ponds, forest openings, rocky sites, dead trees, old pollards, and coppices, a very diverse fauna exists. This occurs especially at the various ecotones, including often very specialized species.
Human history
The first evidence of human presence in the area is dated to between 17,000 and 10,000 years ago. During this period, favorableclimatic conditions prevailed that permitted the hunting of the ibex
Capra (genus)
Capra is a genus of mammals, the goats or wild goats, composed of up to nine species including the wild goat, the markhor and several species known as ibex....
and the chamois on a seasonal basis. Important epipaleolithic
Epipaleolithic
The Epipaleolithic Age was a period in the development of human technology marked by more advanced stone blades and other tools than the earlier Paleolithic age, although still before the development of agriculture in the Neolithic age...
artifacts have been unearthed from a rock shelter
Rock shelter
A rock shelter is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff....
on the banks of the Voidomatis. During the 9th–4th centuries B.C., a small Molossian
Molossians
The Molossians were an ancient Greek tribe that inhabited the region of Epirus since the Mycenaean era. On their northeast frontier they had the Chaonians and to their southern frontier the kingdom of the Thesprotians, to their north were the Illyrians. The Molossians were part of the League of...
settlement existed between Monodendri
Monodendri (Ioannina)
Monodendri is a village in the Ioannina Prefecture in Greece. It is part of the municipal unit of Central Zagori in the Zagori region, and is located 41 km north of the city of Ioannina....
and Vitsa
Vitsa
Vitsa is one of the largest villages of central Zagori. It is situated at an altitude of 955m on a mountain slope near the Vikos gorge with roads linking it to Greek National Road 6. Vitsa is famous for its old double-arched bridge of Missios.-History:...
, including stone houses and two cemeteries that have yielded important findings. However, for most of the historical period the local population was sparse. The land was mainly used for pastoralism and supplying firewood.
In the era of Ottoman rule, and especially from the 17th to the 19th century, the local Greek Orthodox
Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
communities were granted special privileges by the Ottoman authorities. At that time the area of Zagori
Zagori
Zagori , is a region and a municipality in the Pindus mountains in Epirus, in northwestern Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Asprangeloi. It has an area of some 1,000 square kilometres and contains 45 villages known as Zagoria , and is in the shape of an upturned equilateral...
acquired an autonomous status
Koinon of the Zagorisians
The Koinon of the Zagorisians , alternatively Commons of the Zagorisians, League of the Zagorisians, League of Zagori, or Nohaye Zagor in Turkish, was an autonomous region of the Ottoman Empire....
inside the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, whereby the locals were exempt from the fiscal extortion that crippled the more prosperous lowland communities. During this period large groups of villagers emigrated to metropolitan centers. Many among them became members of successful professional classes before finally returning to their home villages, endowing the region with wealth and building luxurious mansions. In such an environment, the art of herbal healing by the so called Vikos doctors developed and flourished. This was accompanied by an impressive cultural and intellectual life that produced many renowned scholars and benefactors of Greece.
The area is nowadays sparsely populated as the result of urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Many of the dwellings now remain shut, while abandonment of the traditional rural economy has affected the cultural landscape. Epirus
Epirus (region)
Epirus is a geographical and historical region in southeastern Europe, shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay of Vlorë in the north to the Ambracian Gulf in the south...
, of which Vikos–Aoös is part, is considered one of the most underdeveloped regions in Greece. Tourism constitutes the principal source of revenue for the local economy, although it has a highly seasonal character. Intense development in terms of accommodation and tourism infrastructure occurred in the 1980s, mainly through state initiatives.
Park management
Vikos–Aoös was designated as a National Park in 1973, in an effort by the Greek Government to conserve the richness of the local fauna and flora and the geological formations of the area.The administration and management of the Vikos–Aoös National Park belongs to two district forest offices, supervised by a forest
directorate at the prefecture level. Moreover, the office of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
in the village of Papingo plays an essential role in management issues. Apart from government efforts, incentives have been given to local management organizations and the local population to participate in the protection of the park. In the park's core, according to the law, forestry activities, grazing, hunting, and fishing are prohibited. In the peripheral zone there are no such restrictions, but the Forest Service can take any necessary measure for the realization of the aims of the park. Apart from the above-mentioned activities, dangers to the park include land erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
, landslides, and wildfires which threaten the local flora and fauna. Another issue is the impact of tourism in recent decades. On the other hand, extreme geophysical conditions make the construction and maintenance of the necessary infrastructure network, mainly access routes and telecommunications, difficult.
The vast area of the National Park and the present lack of road infrastructure make remote sensing
Remote sensing
Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon, without making physical contact with the object. In modern usage, the term generally refers to the use of aerial sensor technologies to detect and classify objects on Earth by means of propagated signals Remote sensing...
the only means for monitoring the human activities in the area and their impact on the ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
. An analysis has begun by taking a detailed picture of the territory covering at least the following items: orography
Orography
Orography is the study of the formation and relief of mountains, and can more broadly include hills, and any part of a region's elevated terrain...
and slopes, road networks, land cover and use, human settlements, and tourist sites. The use of remote sensing
Remote sensing
Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon, without making physical contact with the object. In modern usage, the term generally refers to the use of aerial sensor technologies to detect and classify objects on Earth by means of propagated signals Remote sensing...
and geographic information system
Geographic Information System
A geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
techniques is of essential value for the park's management and constitutes the basis for further evaluations and impact analysis.
The objective of the present state and regional policy is to carefully combine tourism development in the area with the preservation of its natural and cultural heritage. Ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
poses an ideal solution, since it has the potential of bringing about the desired balance between socio-economic development and environmental protection. Specific objectives of ecotourism development include reviving traditional activities such as small-scale farming and stock-raising, as well as establishing a network of communities of chamois biotopes.
Recreation
Vikos–Aoös National Park is a natural tourist attraction, with high ecotourism and agrotourism potential. The local tourism industry has been favored by national and European funds and provides modest accommodation and tourism services, with respect to the local tradition and culture. Characteristically, the Federation of Nature and National Parks of Europe (FNNPE) stated that "the need for a sustainable form of tourism has never been greater in the area".The rivers in the Vikos–Aoös area are a destination for rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
and canoe
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
-kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
. Additional forms of adventure sports include climbing
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
along local paths in order to observe the area's natural features and architecture. Popular trails in the region include the crossing of the Vikos Gorge, which lasts approximately six to seven hours and is considered of medium difficulty, as well as hiking around the peaks of Tymfi. Several viewpoint are accessible only on foot, such as the Oxya and Beloe outlooks, and the 15th century Monastery of Saint Paraskevi that offer panoramic views to the Vikos Gorge.