Philippos’ Forests comprise a network of six forests spanning 103,000 acres across the Regional Units of Imathia and Pieria. Their primary focus is sustainable forest management and conservation, ensuring a harmonious balance between nature and human activity.
Philippos’ Forests boast remarkable biodiversity, playing a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystem functions and supporting human well-being.
North Kastania Forest Information
The forest of North Kastania extends in a hilly area, which is located at the northernmost point of the part of the Pieria Mountains, within the Regional Unit of Pieria. The above sea altitude of the forest ranges from 100 meters, within the streams, to 400 meters, while it is mainly west and south. The total area of the forest estate amounts to 1,176 hectares (ha) with a boundary line that follows, mainly, natural lines. The forest is divided into fifteen (15) sections or nineteen (19) stands.
Flora
The main forestry species of the forest are, among others:
- Deciduous oaks (Quercus frainetto, Q. pubescens. Q. cerris)
- Silver linden or European white linden (Tilia tomentosa)
- Plane tree (Platanus orientalis)
- Flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus)
- Wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis)
- Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum)
- Oriental hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis) etc.
The natural forest vegetation in the Private Forest of Kastania – North is part of the Mediterranean Vegetation Zone of Quercetalia pubescentis.
Avifauna
- Snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
- Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
- Eagle Hawk (Buteo rufinus)
- Mountain Partridge (Greek alectoris)
- Turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur)
- Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
- Blackbird (Turdus merula)
- Crested Lark (Galerida tristate)
- Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola)
- Common snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
- Song Thrush (Turdus philomellos)
- Cedar thrush (Turdus pilaris)
- Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
- Alpine chough (Pyrrocorax graculus)
- Eurasian magpie (Pica pica)
- Raven (Corvus corone)
- Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops)
- Sparrow (Passer sp.)
- Green Swift (Picus viridis)
Mammals
- Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)
- Wild boar (Sus scrofa)
- Wolf (Canis lupus)
- Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
- Jackal (Canis aureus),
- Wildcat (Felis silvestris)
- Hare (Lepus europaeus)
- Ferret (Martes foina)
- Hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor)
- Weasel (Mustela nirvalis)
- Badger (Meles meles)
- Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
Amphibians
- Frog (Rana spp)
- Common toad (Bufo bufo) etc.
Reptiles
- Green lizard (Lacerta viridis)
- European blind snake (Typhlops vermicularis)
- Javelin Sand Boa (Eryx jaculus)
- Caspian whipsnake (Dolichopus caspius)
- Four-lined snake (Elaphe quatrolineata)
- Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus)
- Smooth snake(Coronella austriaca)
- Aegean wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii)
- Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)
- Balkan wall lizard (Podarcis taurica)
- European glass lizard (Pseudopus apodus)
- Slow worm (Anguis fragilis)
- Grass snake (Natirx natrix)
- Dice snake(Natrix tessellata)
- European cat snake (Telescopus fallax)
- Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus)
- Dahl’s whip snake (Platyceps najadum)
- Balkan whip snake (Hierophis gemonensis)
- Horned viper (Vipera ammodytes)
Emergency Phone Directory
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FOREST GUARD 1
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