NATURAL ENVIRONMENT a. Fauna
In the still existing natural oasis, quails, bee-eaters, thrushes and storks gather from time to time. In the hydrobiosphere of the Prefecture and especially in Kerkini lake there are 227 bird species. Seventy six of them are recorded in the National Red Catalogue, while at least thirty one of them are protected by E.E.C.' s Directive concerning wildlife. What makes an exceptional presence is the buffalos' herd in the area of the Prefecture plus the one of the jackelo in the area of Kerkini lake.
In the surrounding area of Kerkini lake there are at least 10 amphibian species (frogs, salamanders, tritons) 5 snail species, 19 reptile species (lizards, snakes, turtles) and a great variety of insects which play an important part in the food chain and contribute towards the biological resources of the lake.
b. Flora The sprouting in the Prefecture of Serres starts from sandphilic, hydrophilic and aquatic in the hydrobiosphere and ends in forests of broad-leafed and coniferous trees up in the mountains. The genre of trees that particularly grow in the forests of the Prefecture are different types of oak in the low and middle regions, pine-trees and beeches in the high regions. Just a few clumps of fir-trees cover selected areas on the slopes of The lower sprouting offers a great variety of unique types in the whole country and that is because of the climate and soil found in the northern parts of Greece.
c. Subsoil Uranium, lignite, gold, geothermic field, mineral water, compose the spectrum of energy's constant in the Prefecture. Two ancient gold mines, one of them in Aggistro mountain and the other one in Paggeo are under exploration so as to exploit them. Uranium deposits were found in the northern part of Serres, but they remain unexploited because of
d. Mineral Water Springs A 5 km asphalt paved road leads you from Nigrita to "Therma", spa, with a hotel, restaurant and complete spa facilities. The spa is recommended for people who suffer from the gastroenteritis disease and for chronic rheumatism. Apart from the two hot springs used as spas, there is also a drinking water spring which belongs to the category of alkaline acid springs. The water of the spring is mixed with carbonic acid, is bottled and sold widely. "Gerakina" Hotel, property of the Municipal Tourist Enterprise of Nigrita, which was inaugurated and has been running since October 1991, is the ideal place of residence for the bathers of the mineral water springs. It is an ideal place because of the short distance from the springs and the warm hospitality of the staff. The place is also appropriate for the accommodation of athletic events in the Prefecture of Serres, assuring peacefulness, easy transportation to all the Prefecture's centers and training in the complete athletic facilities (football ground with turf, basketball court, indoor gymnasium) all within a distance of 100 m. from the hotel.
Another mineral water spring can be found in Aggistro, whose water is then gathered in a domed tank, where the visitors can take advantage of its remedial virtues. |
The fauna of the Prefecture of Serres is rather abundant. In the mountainous areas of the Prefecture you can see wild boars, deer, hares, bears, wolves, badgers, foxes, wild cats and also birds such as partidges, wood-pigeons, turtle-doves, grouses, blackbirds, bee-eaters, hoopoes and other water-living birds, vultures etc.
There have been established 25 large and small shelters for quarries, including a Controlled Hunting Area of 250.000 square kilometers for pheasants, partridges, hares, wild boars and deer. The annual hunting program allows a more rational settlement of the quarries against a special income fee and a special price for every quarry.
Paggeo, Belles and Vrontou. Specific areas by the seaside are covered with bush sprouting such as heathers and arbutus. Some other areas include bushy-like trees of different kinds. The type of deciduous bushes covers a large area at the lower zone of the Prefecture and especially the area around the mountainous villages and small market towns. In the forests of the Prefecture some of the trees that grow are linden, elm, filbert, willow, poplar, walnut-tree, cornel, chestnut, cypress, cedar, plane-tree etc.
international policy. There were also three very productive lignite mines up until 1950, which at the moment remain inactive, a geothermic field starting from the area of Sidirokastro, where the homonymous health resort is and ending at Therma of Nigrita with an outlet to greenhouses, spas and water bottling factories. There are also marble quarries and those of inactive materials and a prospective granite quarry in the forestry region of Ahladohori.
There are mineral water springs in Sidirokastro, too, 7 km. outside the town, which are beneficial for the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, nephrolithiasis, neuralgia, myalgia, with modern bath facilities for the best service of the visitors.