Palanta

The SCI Palanta was designated to protect and improve the  favourable status of valuable habitats, such as rare dry steppic grasslands, characterized by thermophilous vegetation. In addition, the site includes calcareous rocky slopes, inaccessible caves, common juniper formations, and thermophilic subcontinental peri-Pannonic scrubs. The forest habitats of Community importance present in the area are thermophilic Pannonian woods with downy oak (Quercus pubescens), as well as beech, beech-fir forests, and linden-maple forests of slopes, screes and ravines.

Preserving this area is crucial for rare steppe species that have found refuge here. Among them are Onosma viridis, the greater pasque flower, red viper’s bugloss, pennycress, and the steppe iris, all of which contribute to the local gene pool. The site is also home to several protected bat species and large carnivores, including the grey wolf (Canis lupus) and the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx).

The greatest threat to thermophilous habitats is the decline of traditional land management, leading to overgrowth by native and non-native woody species, which in turn causes a loss of biodiversity and the disappearance of rare species. To ensure the conservation and restoration of this area, it is essential to reintroduce traditional land-use practices such as grazing, which will help maintain this unique landscape for future generations.