The Šar-planina vegetation | Прилог познавању вегетације Шар-планине

In the period 1994-1998. multidisciplinary team of the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia was conducting comprehensive research of natural characteristics and ethno-cultural heritage of the Šar-Planina, as basis of the study for declaration of the Šar-Planina National Park within permanent boundaries. The research was particularly focused on the vegetation of this massif. The Šar-Planina is a striking massif in the Centraln Balkans, 85 km long, with the average height of the main ridge of 2.500 m. It stretches along the administrative border between Serbia and Macedonia where some of its highest peaks can be found. Thus, the south slopes of the Šar-Planina belong to Macedonia, the north and northwest to Serbia, while the smaller part of the southwest slopes belongs to Albania. The main ridge of the north and northwest part of the massif is connected through high saddles with its Metohian spurs: Ošljak Ostrovica and Kodža Balkan. Specific geographic location where the Mediterranean and continental influences clash and imbue, great relative height difference, variety of geological base, outstanding soil plasticity with the dominant glacial morphology, rich and complex floristic composition, as well as entanglement of different ecological conditions constantly changing in a small area, have produced and extreme vegetation variousness. In the Šar-Planina 314 vegetation units: 180 associations, 16 sub associations, 59 alliances, 7 sub alliances, 32 orders and 20 classes, have been registered till nowadays. The basic characteristic of these communities is floristic, structural and physiognomic complexness and diversity, as well as uniqueness in the species combinatorics. Particularly valuable are communities whose cenobionts are endemic and relict taxa. Exceptional vegetation, i.e. ecosystem diversity makes the Šar-Planina one of the most interesting massifs of the Balkan Peninsula. It is also one of the essential reasons why a part of this massif has been declared National Park within temporary boundaries (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, 39/1993). Bearing in mind the exceptional importance of the Šar-Planina not only because of its biodiversity but and geodiversity preservation, the Institute for Nature Protection of Serbia is prepring proposal for declaration of the Šar-Planina as National Park within permanent boundaries surrounding in area much larger than the current 39.000 ha.