Protected Areas and World Heritage Programme

IUCN Management Category II and IX (National Park and Biosphere Reserve)

Biogeographical Province 2.17.06 (Mediterranean Sclerophyll)

Geographical Location In the eastern part of mainland Greece near Litochoro, and about 20km south-west of Katerini. In the District of Pieria. 40°02'-40°07'N, 22°18'-22°26'E.

Date and History of Establishment The national park was established on 9 June 1938 and the area accepted as a biosphere reserve in 1981.

Area 3,998ha

Land Tenure State and local community ownership 90%, private ownership 10%

Altitude 600-2,917m

Physical Features Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece and the park includes its eastern slopes and peak. Most of the area of formed of Triassic and Jurassic limestone so that surface water is scarce. Many streams are seasonal and soils dry. Many slopes are covered with large expanses of screes.

Climate Annual temperature is 8°C and rainfall 1200mm per annum.

Vegetation The flora is unique and diverse due to the variety of altitudes and habitats, including rocky slopes. There is 1,468ha of forest including black pine Pinus nigra, Balkan pine P. leucodermis, beech Fagus sylvatica, plane Platanus orientalis, Grecian fir Abies cephalonica and 1,672ha of alpine pasture. Mount Olympus exhibits a clearly zoned vegetation and supports one of the most species-rich floras of any mountain in Europe. The lower slopes are covered with maquis but between about 800m and 1,800m are forests of beech and black pine. Balkan pine forms the tree line which reaches 2,500m in plances and above this are high meadows. Strid (1980) reports at least 1,700 species recorded including about 20 local endemics such as Rhynchosinapis nivalis (R), Campanula oreadum, Cerastium theophrasti, Silene oligantha, S. dionysii, Achillea ambrosiaca, Centaurea litochorea, C. transiens, Alyssum handelii, Festuca olympica, Poa thessala, Genista sakellariadis, Potentilla deorum, Asperula muscosa, Melampyrum ciliatum, Carum adamovici, Ligusticum olympicum and Viola stris-notata. The area also contains Jankaea heldreichii (V) (persistent reports of collection for rock gardens), Viola delphinantha (V) and dwarf birch Beta nana (R). Other species include Omphalodes luciliae, Centaurea incompleta, Aubrietia thessala, Erysimum olympicum, Allium heldreichii, Lilium chalcedonicum, Epipogium aphyllum, Aquilegia amaliae, and Veronica thessalica.

Fauna Mammals include wolf Canis lupus, jackal C. aureus, fox Vulpes vulpes, hare Lepus capensis, red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris and roe deer Capreolus capreolus. Birds include golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos and many other raptors.

Cultural Heritage Mount Olympus is the legendary dwelling place of the gods, due to its height and grandeur.

Local Human Population The park itself is remote with the village of Litohoron about 7km away.

Visitors and Visitor Facilities Access is from the village of Litohoron at the park entrance and there is a dense network of trails and footpaths. Within the park is the abandoned monastery of Aghios Dionysios and four mountain refuges with skiing installations. There are hotels and other accommodation in Litohoron. There are a large number of visitors, notably climbers and botanists.

Scientific Research and Facilities Research has included a number of studies on flora and fauna, including botanical studies by the University of Patras, University of Thessaloniki and Institutions in Denmark and Sweden. There is a meteorological station within the park at 1,200m.

Conservation Value No information

Conservation Management There is a management plan. In the past there has been little active protection to back up the legislation, but most of the area is fairly inaccessible and has remained little disturbed. However, as visitor numbers are increasing annually, new regulations have been put into force.

Management Constraints There have been small amounts of timber extraction and grazing which still need to be excluded from a core zone. Generally, little management has been undertaken. The area is seasonally very dry and there is a fire hazard. Scientific and visitor facilities need planning and developing.

Staff One Forest Service warden and three seasonal staff

Budget 2,000,000-3,000,000 drachmas annually

Local Addresses

Forest Service, Katernin.

References

Malakou, M. (1985). Study of the fauna of Mount Olympus National Park. Hellenic Society of Nature Protection, Athens. (In Greek)

Strid, A. (1979). The endemic plant species of Mount Olympus. Nature Bull. Hellenic Soc. Prot. Nature 5(19-20): 42-54.

Strid, A. (1980). Wild flowers of Mount Olympus. Goulandris Natural History Museum, Kifissia. 362 pp.

Voliotis, D. (1976). Die Gehölzvegetation und die Vegetationzonierung des nordgriechischen Gebirgszuges Voras-Vermion-Pieria-Olymp-Ossa. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 97(1): 120-154.

Date 1983, revised August 1986, December 1988