page_title: Salvia jurisicii
section_title: Conservation
hierarchical_section_title: Salvia jurisicii / Conservation
caption_attribution_description: English: Salvia jurisicii sites are often exploited for resources in construction projects.
context_page_description: Salvia jurisicii, commonly known as Jurisic sage and Yugoslavian cut leaf sage or locally as Ovche Pole sage, is a hardy herbaceous perennial endemic to the steppe-like Ovche Pole region in central North Macedonia. Together with other endemic species, Salvia jurisicii constitutes a key component of the “Macedonian steppe” ecotype. Mainly due to agricultural activity, this species is considered critically endangered in its native habitat.
context_section_description: The construction of an irrigation canal in Ovche Pole during the 1970s contributed to the gradual expansion of farmland in this region. Previously covering most of Ovche Pole, the steppe vegetation as a result now occupies only a small fraction, on non-cultivated areas – “islands”, scattered across this territory. As a rule, Salvia jurisicii appears on a few non-disturbed such “islands” exclusively. Surrounding agricultural activity impedes the natural migration processes of this species, forming geographically isolated populations. Where the non-cultivated areas are arable, these populations are especially threatened by expanding farmland and land usurpation. 
  Another significant threat to this species stems from development projects (roads, power-lines, windmills, landfills, etc.) implemented across the Ovche Pole territory, typically in Salvia jurisicii habitats. The combination of permissive ecological surveying and poor implementation renders these projects their character as a pending threat to the future survival of this species. Other noteworthy threats include illegal plant collection, afforestation activities, and fires, which, as a traditional farming practice and due to the high aridity of Ovche Pole, are a continuing occurrence in this region. These various threats are especially problematic in Ovche Pole, where Salvia jurisicii and its floral community do not enjoy any sort of formal protection currently. What is more, little is known about the actual distribution of Salvia jurisicii in the Ovche Pole region or the extent to which past and present agricultural/developmental activities have affected it. 
  Seeing its very limited distribution, a 1998 work by Walter and Gillet classifies this species as Rare (“R”) on the IUCN Red List of species according to the contemporary IUCN criteria. Salvia jurisicii is not yet assessed in line with the current IUCN criteria. However, according to relevant national lists and botanical experts, the applicable category for this species is Critically Endangered (“CR”). 
  Because of Salvia jurisicii’s rarity, as well as the unique floral compositions in which this species appears, key locations in the extended steppe-like region have either been protected or are considered for some form of protection. Thus, Orlovo Brdo currently enjoys the status of a Natural Monument in North Macedonia. In the Ovche Pole basin, the hill Bogoslovec is assessed as an Important Plant Area (IPA) and the Ovche Pole basin itself as a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA). Ovche Pole is also home to the eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) and the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), whose IUCN status as Vulnerable makes for categorizing this region as an Important Bird Area (IBA). For all these reasons, the Ovche Pole area is proposed as a Natura 2000 Site of Community Importance (SCI).
caption: Salvia jurisicii sites, such as the displayed near the village of Mustafino, are often exploited for resources in construction projects.
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