Ali Botush Reserve
| Ali Botush Nature Reserve | |
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IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)
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 Location of Ali Botush Reserve
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| Location | Sandanski Municipality and Hadzhidimovo Municipality, Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria |
| Nearest city | Gotse Delchev |
| Coordinates | 41°22′37″N 23°37′14″E / 41.37694°N 23.62056°ECoordinates: 41°22′37″N 23°37′14″E / 41.37694°N 23.62056°E |
| Area | 16.38 km2 |
| Established | 24 November 1951 |
| Governing body | Ministry of Environment and Water |
Ali Botush (Bulgarian: Али ботуш), also spelled Alibotoush, is a nature reserve in the small mountain range of Slavyanka, located on the border between Bulgaria and Greece. The reserve occupies the northern section of the mountain which lies within the territory of Bulgaria and takes its name from the old name of Slavyanka. It is situated in the municipalities of Sandanski and Hadzhidimovo, Blagoevgrad Province. It was declared in 1951 to protect the largest forests of the endemic Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii) in the Balkan Peninsula. Its territory was further expanded several times and spans an area of 1638 ha or 16,38 km2. It was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977.
The reserve was created to protect the largest forests of Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii) in the Balkans and is renowned for its rich flora — over 1500 species found within its limited territory.
The reserve is situated on the northern slopes of the Slavyanka mountain range at altitudes between 1140 and 2212 m. It is separated from the Pirin mountain range further north by the Paril Saddle. The mountain is formed by metamorphic Paleozoic limestone and marble that cover a granite nucleus. The territory of Ali Botush has varied geomorphological forms and a number of ridges, such as Brezata, Saint Constantine, Mitnitsata, Tepleshki Peak and Chaplen Bair.
The reserve falls within the continental Mediterranean climate zone and due to its high altitude it also has Alpine climate. However, the Mediterranean influence is very strong and determines the rainfall regime, which has an autumn-winter maximum and a summer minimum. The mean temperatures in winter are much higher than the average temperatures at the same altitudes in the rest of the country. The influence of the foehn wind is very strong in the winter.
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