The objective of the project is to map the riparian vegetation in the Skopje Valley and document the status and condition of the habitats along the rivers Vardar, Lepenec, Treska and Serava in the Skopje region. The emphasis of the research is on determining the conservation status of riparian habitats, where main threats have been identified and recommendations for preservation and revitalization of habitats of interest have been given. Recommendations for inclusion of these habitats in the spatial planning and planning documents of Skopje and the municipalities in the city have been given too.
The research identified five types of riparian habitats from three different habitat groups – freshwater habitats (3: Freshwater Habitats), natural and semi-natural grassland formations (6: Natural and semi-natural grassland formations) and forests (9: Forests).
In this study the habitats are defined according to the classification of Appendix I of the Habitat Directive (Annex I), which is also used in defining sites for the Naturе 2000 network.
