- Vardim Island
Vardim Island ( _bg. остров Вардим, "ostrov Vardim") is the third largest
Bulgaria n Danubian island (afterBelene Island andKozloduy Island ). Located east of the town ofSvishtov , opposite the village ofVardim (in Svishtov municipality,Veliko Tarnovo Province ) and part of the Belene DanubianArchipelago , it is a protectedwetland 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.
Biodiversity
Besides the Vardim Oak, a specific hygrophile type of Summer Oak, other types of
oak andelm can be observed on Vardim Island, as well as theWhite Willow ,White Poplar , BlackAcacia ,Black Poplar , Snowflake, etc.cite web|url=http://mks.svishtov.com/kin/kin_sv_bg.html |title=Културно-историческо наследство в община Свищов |publsher=Община Свищов |language=Bulgarian |accessdate=2006-11-17]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 , theBlack-crowned Night Heron and theCommon Spoonbill , making it a site of internationalornithological importance. A total of 21 nationally protected species nidificate on the island.cite web|publisher=Българско дружество за защита на птиците |url=http://www.bspb.org/ovm/18 |title=Остров Вардим |language=Bulgarian |accessdate=2006-11-17] Of the 75 bird species that can be observed on Vardim Island, 31 are ofEurope 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 theSquacco Heron ,Glossy Ibis andPygmy Cormorant .The Old Oak
Infobox_protected_area | name = The Old Oak
location =Veliko Tarnovo Province ,Bulgaria
nearest_city =Svishtov
lat_degrees = 43
lat_minutes = 37
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 25
long_minutes = 28
long_direction = E
area = 0.987 km²
established =2 July 1998 In order to protect the natural Vardim Oak plantations and the large number of
wader s, The Old Oak area was proclaimed a natural reserve on5 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. On2 July 1998 it was recategorized as aprotected area with an area of 0.987 km² by the Committee for the Preservation of the Environment with theCouncil of Ministers of Bulgaria .References
General references
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Notes
External links
* [http://bspb.org/images/ovm_maps/BG018_100.jpgMap including the island at the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds website] bg icon
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