Olympus: the mountain of Gods and Muses | Page 5

The unknown Greece - mini travel guides Protection Policy Photo: Natalia Lytra Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece and the second highest mountain in the Balkans. The terrain contains many charming and splendid features amongst which are sheer rocky peaks, deep gorges, alpine fields and thick forest all combining to create the rare magic of Mount Olympus. In total there are 52 peaks ranging from altitudes of 760 m to 2918 m (2493 ft to 9573 ft) which combined with the sheer ravines create scenes of unique beauty. Stefani ­ Olympus In 1938, Olympus, the highest Greek mountain, the residence of the twelve ancient gods, was the first area which was declared as a National Park, and the aim was “... preserving in perpetuity the natural environment of the area, meaning the flora and fauna, the natural landscapes, as well as its cultural and other values of the area...” Scientific research had to be supported and people had to become aware of the environmental conditions. Furthermore tourism had to be developed in the wider area. In 1981 UNESCO declared Olympus a "Biosphere Reserve”. The European Community has included Olympus in the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 and in the list of “The Most Important Bird areas of the European Community”. Specific laws prohibit any kind of exploitation in the east side of the mountain, about 10,000 acres, which constitute the core of the National Park. The wider area around it was designated as “peripheral zone of the National Park” so that its management and exploitation won’t affect negatively the protection of the core. Published by: Nature Friends ­ Greece | www.nfgr.org In 1985 the whole Olympus has been declared an archaeological and historical place in order to preserve its monumental and historical physiognomy. Climate The climate of Olympus is affected by its geographical location, size, volume, strata and the exposure of the mountain slopes. Generally speaking it has a Mediterranean climate, warm and dry in the summer and wet in the winter. For approximately seven months of the year it is covered in snow (from November to May). The average temperature in the winter ranges from ­20°C to +10°C (­4 °F to 50 °F) and in the summer from 0°C to 20°C (32°F to 68°F) , though this is not to say that there are not some exceptions that fall outside these ranges. Every 100 m up Mount Olympus the temperature drops by approximately half a degree. Thus if at sea level the temperature is 20°C ( 68°F) at the same time on Mytikas Peak (2918 m) the temperature will be approximately 5°C (41°F). Finally strong winds are a common phenomenon on Mount Olympus and sometimes the wind reaches speeds of over 100 km per hour. Flora Over 1,700 species of plants have been recorded on Mount Olympus which represent 25% of all Greek flora. Most of those plants exist in low altitudes. Half of those can be found only in the Balkan Peninsula and 23 of them are native plants. The tree­fossil, Jankaea heldreichii, from the glacial era presents great interest to the scientists. Fauna Thirty ­ two species of mammals have been recorded on Mount Olympus the most common being the chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), deer (Capreolus capreolus), wolf (Canis lupus), wild pig (Sus scrofa), fox (Vulpes vulpes), The unknown Greece ­ mini travell guides, Issue 1 Olympus ­ the mountain of Gods and Muses 5