Greece - National Park of Dadia - Lefkimi - Souflion

Situated at the southeast end of the Rhodope mountain range, at the crossroads of two continents, the National Park of Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest (DNP) is of exceptional ecological significance at European level. Characterised by a rich habitat mosaic on a network of low hills in a transitional climate zone between the Mediterranean and the continental, the DNP extends over an area of 42,800ha in Evros Prefecture. It is located at the easternmost edge of a huge forested area that extends all the way west and north along the Rhodope mountain range, while major forested areas are absent for hundreds of kilometres eastwards. Pine trees predominate in the area of the National Park, forming coniferous forests of Pinus brutia, with P. nigra found at the lowest altitudes of its known distribution, while mixed and deciduous forests also occur over a large expanse. Geologically, the northern part of the DNP is dominated by Tertiary ophiolith complexes, while the south mainly consists of Paleogene volcanic and sedimentary rocks.