Anthropogenic effects on natural forest and meadow ecosystems of Western Macedonia area

Natural ecosystems (forests and meadows) are playing a very important role on development and evolution of human societies. Most important human impression on ecosystems are related with intensive utilization, illegal woodcutting, poaching, arson, landgrabbin, illegal grazing etc. In this paper the most important anthropogenic effects that have been taken place in natural ecosystems of Western Macedonian area from 1990 till 2002 are recorded. The basic laws related to the protection of natural ecosystems in the country are presented during the period 1990-2002. The total amount of wrongdoings that have been recorded in Western Macedonian area is 3.916. Most wrongdoings have been recorded in Grevena prefecture and most of them are related to illegal woodcutting. In general, a gradual reduction of wrongdoings (with intermediate fluctuations) is recorded in the last five years, while a strong reduction in all natural ecosystems of Kozani’s prefecture was also recorded.