The SCI Plešivské stráne 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, thermophilic subcontinental peri-Pannonic scrubs, and thermophilic Pannonian woods with downy oak (Quercus pubescens). Cooler areas are home to calcareous beech forests, while steep rocky slopes provide ideal conditions for linden-maple forests of slopes, screes and ravines.
greater pasque flower (Pulsatilla grandis)
Austrian dragonhead (Dracocephalum austriacum)
Preserving this area is crucial for rare steppe species that have found refuge here. Among them are the greater pasque flower and the Austrian dragonhead, which enrich the local grassland’s gene pool. Among rare invertebrates, the Eurasian toothed grasshopper can be found here. The great capricorn beetle is bound with oak trees, whether in forests or in open wood pastures. The site is also home to several protected bat species.
great capricorn beetle (Cerambyx cerdo)
greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum)
Eurasian toothed grasshopper (Stenobothrus eurasius)
The greatest threat to these thermophilous habitats is the decline of traditional land management, leading to overgrowth by both native and non-native woody species, which results in a loss of biodiversity and the disappearance of species strictly dependent on open steppe ecosystems. To protect these species and habitats, it is essential to reintroduce traditional land-use practices such as grazing, which will help preserve this unique site for future generations.