Territory of RMNP
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RMNP includes the central and west area of the Rodopi Mountain-Range and consists the natural border between Greece and Bulgaria. The total area of the Rodopi Mountain-Range is 19.000 sq km and is spread between the two countries. The 82% of the total area of the Rodopi Mountain-Range is located in Bulgaria and 18% is in Greece.
The area of the RMNP is 173.150 ha. The northern boundaries are consisted of the Greek-Bulgarian borders; they start from the region of Kato Neurokopi, at prefecture of Drama and they end at the region of Dimario at prefecture of Xanthi. The southern boundaries are consisted of the north-east slopes of Falakro Mountain and along Nestos River.
Administratively the RMNP belongs to the Region of East Macedonia and Thrace and more specifically to the Prefectures of Drama and Xanthi and to the Municipalities of Kato Neurokopi, Drama, Paranesti, Miki and Xanthi. The Forestry Departments which are involved in the forest management in the RMNP are the Forestry of Xanthi, Drama, Stavroupoli and Kato Neurokopi.
Feature of the RMNP
The RMNP is one of the most ecologically significant regions in Greece, since inside the park can be met all the vegetation zones of Europe, from the eumediterranean zone of the evergreen broadleaves to the zone of cold resistant conifers (Spruce, Scots Pine and Birch). Furthermore, one of the main characteristics of the RMNP is that it has very productive forests and each of them has unique ecological features, like the old growth forest of Frakto, the unique Birch forest in Greece, the preserved natural monument of Thichla – Chaidou and the Spruce forest of Elatia.
One of the main characteristic of the region is the intense mountainous landscape with high altitudes, stiff slopes, variable exposures and sub-alpine areas. This terrain has as result the presence of a complex hydrographic system where the Nestos River with its two reservoirs (Thisavros and Platanovrysi) is dominating.
This dense hydrographic network was the reason that the population who dwells and dwelled into the region have built many beautiful stone structures in order for the villages to communicate with each other or to use the power of water for their daily needs. Inside the RMNP can be found many traditional arcuate stone bridges traditional stone watermills. Some of them are maintained until nowadays.
