Hutovo Blato
Encyclopedia
Hutovo Blato is a nature reserve
and bird reserve
located in Bosnia and Herzegovina
. It is primarily composed of marshlands that were created by the underground aquifer
system of the Krupa River
. It is fed from the limestone
massif
of Ostrvo that divides the Deransko lake
and Svitavsko lake.
The reserve is on the list of BirdLife International
's Important Bird Area
s. It is the largest reserve of its kind in the region, in terms of both size and diversity. It is home to over 240 types of migratory bird
s and dozens that make their permanent home in the sub-Mediterranean wetland
s surrounding Deransko Lake. In the migration season, tens of thousands of birds fill the lake and its surroundings.
and Bregava
rivers, the valley spreads into an alluvial fan covering 20,000 hectares. The upper valley, the 7,411 hectares in Bosnia and Herzegovina
, is called Hutovo Blato.
Neretva Delta has been recognised as a Ramsar site since 1992, and Hutovo Blato since 2001. Both areas form one integrated Ramsar site that is a natural entity divided by the state border.
The Important Bird Areas programme, conducted by Birdlife International
, covers protected areas in Croatia
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
. Historical site, Old Fortress Hutovo Blato, is located in the area of Nature Park.
Nature Park “Hutovo Blato” is located in the South-Western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina
, 30 km from City of Mostar
and near the Croatian border. It stretches over an area of about 7,411 ha and represents one of the richest wetland
reserves in Europe
. Until 1995, when the cantonal protected area was founded, Hutovo Blato represented well-known area mainly for its hunting and fishing tourism. Every winter over 200 species of birds find their shelter inside this untouched nature.
Visitors can enjoy relaxation, recreational activities in nature, sport-fishing
, cycling
and main tourist attraction – photo safari. There is also an educational path providing information of park and for rising environmental awareness and need for preservation of natural heritage in Nature park “Hutovo Blato”.
Gornje Blato-Deransko lake
is supplied by the karstic water sources of the Trebišnjica river, emerging in the proximity of the bordering hills. It is hydro-geologically connected to the Neretva river through its effluent, the Krupa river
, formed out of 5 lakes (Škrka, Deranja, Jelim, Orah, Drijen) and by large portions permanently flooded, also isolated by wide groves of reedbebds and trees, thus representing the most interesting preserved area.
is the Neretva
left tributary and the main water current of Hutovo Blato, which leads the waters from Gornje Blato and Svitavsko lake into the Neretva
river. The length of Krupa river
is 9 km with an average depth of 5 meters. The Krupa river
does not have an actual source, but is actually an arm of Deransko lake
. Also, the Krupa river
is a unique river in Europe
, because the river flows both ways. It flows ‘normally’ from the ‘source’ to the mouth and from the mouth to the ‘source’. This happens when, due to high water level and large quantity of water, river Neretva pushes the Krupa river
in opposite direction
.
(Bosnia and Herzegovina
) and the University of Lund (Sweden
) found the very first traces of an Illyria
n trading post
, thought to be more than two thousand years old.
The find is unique in a Europe
an perspective and the archaeologists have concluded that Desilo
, as the location is called, was an important trading post
and a site of significant contact between the Illyrians
and the Romans
.
Surprisingly large finds have been made in a short period of time. The archaeologists have discovered the ruins
of a settlement, the remains of a harbour that probably functioned as a trading post
, as well as many sunken boats, fully laden with wine
pitchers – so-called amphorae – from the 1st century B.C.
The archaeologist Adam Lindhagen, who holds a PhD from the University of Lund and has specialised in Roman
wine
amphorae, says that this is the most important find of all time from the Illyrian areas.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
and bird reserve
Bird Reserve
A bird reserve is a wildlife refuge designed to protect bird species. Like other wildlife refuges, the main goal of a reserve is to prevent species from becoming endangered or extinct. Typically, bird species in a reserve are protected from hunting and habitat destruction...
located in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. It is primarily composed of marshlands that were created by the underground aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
system of the Krupa River
Krupá River
The Krupá River is a tributary of the Blava River in Trnava District, Western Slovakia. Its source is located near Okrúhla in the Little Carpathians Mountains....
. It is fed from the limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
of Ostrvo that divides the Deransko lake
Deransko Lake
Deransko Lake is a lake of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the municipality of Hutovo Blato....
and Svitavsko lake.
The reserve is on the list of BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
's Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
s. It is the largest reserve of its kind in the region, in terms of both size and diversity. It is home to over 240 types of migratory bird
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
s and dozens that make their permanent home in the sub-Mediterranean wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s surrounding Deransko Lake. In the migration season, tens of thousands of birds fill the lake and its surroundings.
Wetlands
The valley along the last 30 km of the Neretva River, and the river itself, comprise a remarkable landscape. Downstream from the confluence of its tributaries, the TrebižatTrebižat
Trebižat is a village in Herzegovina, in Čapljina municipality, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Ethnic composition, 1991 census:total: 1,399* Croats - 1,371 * "Yugoslavs" - 11 * Bosniaks - 9...
and Bregava
Bregava
The Bregava is a river in Bosnia and Herzegovina that passes through the town of Stolac. It is a left tributary of the Neretva river.- See also :* Neretva* Stolac* Buna* Trebižat* Krupa* Hutovo Blato* Daorson* List of Illyrian cities...
rivers, the valley spreads into an alluvial fan covering 20,000 hectares. The upper valley, the 7,411 hectares in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, is called Hutovo Blato.
Ramsar site
The Important Bird Areas programme, conducted by Birdlife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
, covers protected areas in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
.
Hutovo Blato Nature Park
Since 1995, Hutovo Blato has been protected as a Hutovo Blato Nature Park and managed by a public authority. The whole zone is well protected from human impact and functions as an important habitat for many plants and animals. Historical site, Old Fortress Hutovo Blato, is located in the area of Nature Park.
Nature Park “Hutovo Blato” is located in the South-Western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, 30 km from City of Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
and near the Croatian border. It stretches over an area of about 7,411 ha and represents one of the richest wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
reserves in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Until 1995, when the cantonal protected area was founded, Hutovo Blato represented well-known area mainly for its hunting and fishing tourism. Every winter over 200 species of birds find their shelter inside this untouched nature.
Visitors can enjoy relaxation, recreational activities in nature, sport-fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
and main tourist attraction – photo safari. There is also an educational path providing information of park and for rising environmental awareness and need for preservation of natural heritage in Nature park “Hutovo Blato”.
Gornje Blato-Deransko lake
The part of the park which kept its original form and almost untouched nature.Gornje Blato-Deransko lake
Deransko Lake
Deransko Lake is a lake of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the municipality of Hutovo Blato....
is supplied by the karstic water sources of the Trebišnjica river, emerging in the proximity of the bordering hills. It is hydro-geologically connected to the Neretva river through its effluent, the Krupa river
Krupá River
The Krupá River is a tributary of the Blava River in Trnava District, Western Slovakia. Its source is located near Okrúhla in the Little Carpathians Mountains....
, formed out of 5 lakes (Škrka, Deranja, Jelim, Orah, Drijen) and by large portions permanently flooded, also isolated by wide groves of reedbebds and trees, thus representing the most interesting preserved area.
Krupa River
The Krupa RiverKrupá River
The Krupá River is a tributary of the Blava River in Trnava District, Western Slovakia. Its source is located near Okrúhla in the Little Carpathians Mountains....
is the Neretva
Neretva
Neretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
left tributary and the main water current of Hutovo Blato, which leads the waters from Gornje Blato and Svitavsko lake into the Neretva
Neretva
Neretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
river. The length of Krupa river
Krupá River
The Krupá River is a tributary of the Blava River in Trnava District, Western Slovakia. Its source is located near Okrúhla in the Little Carpathians Mountains....
is 9 km with an average depth of 5 meters. The Krupa river
Krupá River
The Krupá River is a tributary of the Blava River in Trnava District, Western Slovakia. Its source is located near Okrúhla in the Little Carpathians Mountains....
does not have an actual source, but is actually an arm of Deransko lake
Deransko Lake
Deransko Lake is a lake of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the municipality of Hutovo Blato....
. Also, the Krupa river
Krupá River
The Krupá River is a tributary of the Blava River in Trnava District, Western Slovakia. Its source is located near Okrúhla in the Little Carpathians Mountains....
is a unique river in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, because the river flows both ways. It flows ‘normally’ from the ‘source’ to the mouth and from the mouth to the ‘source’. This happens when, due to high water level and large quantity of water, river Neretva pushes the Krupa river
Krupá River
The Krupá River is a tributary of the Blava River in Trnava District, Western Slovakia. Its source is located near Okrúhla in the Little Carpathians Mountains....
in opposite direction
.
Bird observations in Hutovo Blato
Systematic list of registered species on April 13, 2001:- Tachybaptus ruficollis (Little Grebe)
- Podiceps cristatus (Great Crested Grebe)
- Phalacrocorax carbo (Great Cormorant)
- Phalacrocorax pygmaeus (Pygmy Cormorant)
- Egretta garzetta (Little Egret)
- Ardea cinerea (Grey Heron)
- Ardea purpurea (Purple Heron)
- Anas strepera (Gadwall)
- Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard)
- Anas querquedula (Garganey)
- Circaetus gallicus (Short-toed Eagle)
- Circus aeruginosus (Western Marsh Harrier)
- Buteo buteo (Common Buzzard)
- Fulica atra (Eurasian Coot)
- Philomachus pugnax (Ruff)
- Tringa glareola (Wood Sandpiper)
- Larus ridibundus (Black-headed Gull)
- Larus cachinnans (Yellow-legged Gull)
- Apus melba (Alpine Swift)
- Hirundo rustica (Barn Swallow)
- Motacilla alba (White Wagtail)
- Luscinia megarhynchos (Common Nightingale)
- Cettia cetti (Cetti's Warbler)
- Sylvia cantillans (Subalpine Warbler)
- Sylvia atricapilla (Blackcap)
- Aegithalos caudatus (Long-tailed Tit)
- Remiz pendulinus (Eurasian Penduline Tit)
- Corvus cornix (Hooded Crow)
- Passer domesticus (House sparrow)
- Fringilla coelebs (Chaffinch)
- Serinus serinus (European Serin)
- Emberiza cirlus (Cirl Bunting)
- Miliaria calandra (Corn Bunting)
Old Fortress Hutovo Blato historical site
Historical site, Old Fortress Hutovo Blato, is located in the area of Nature Park.Desilo archaeological site
After intense excavations in the area of Hutovo Blato in the autumn of 2008, archaeologists from the University of MostarUniversity of Mostar
The University of Mostar is the only Croatian language university in Bosnia and Herzegovina.Roots of University of Mostar date back to 1895 when the Franciscan theological school was established. In 1950 Higher teacher-training school started with its work in Mostar...
(Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
) and the University of Lund (Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
) found the very first traces of an Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
n trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
, thought to be more than two thousand years old.
The find is unique in a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an perspective and the archaeologists have concluded that Desilo
Desilo
Desilo is a small valley in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located near the Neretva river and the Croatian border. Archaeological investigations in a small lake there in 2007 led to interesting finds of Illyrian boats. Desilo was in antiquity probably connected with Neretva via Lake Hutovo Blato....
, as the location is called, was an important trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
and a site of significant contact between the Illyrians
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
and the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
.
Surprisingly large finds have been made in a short period of time. The archaeologists have discovered the ruins
Ruins
Ruins are the remains of human-made architecture: structures that were once complete, as time went by, have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair, due to lack of maintenance or deliberate acts of destruction...
of a settlement, the remains of a harbour that probably functioned as a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
, as well as many sunken boats, fully laden with wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
pitchers – so-called amphorae – from the 1st century B.C.
The archaeologist Adam Lindhagen, who holds a PhD from the University of Lund and has specialised in Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
amphorae, says that this is the most important find of all time from the Illyrian areas.
See also
- Neretva riverNeretvaNeretva is the largest river of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. It has been harnessed and controlled to a large extent by four HE power-plants with large dams and their storage lakes, but it is still recognized for its natural beauty, diversity of its landscape and visual...
- Krupa riverKrupá RiverThe Krupá River is a tributary of the Blava River in Trnava District, Western Slovakia. Its source is located near Okrúhla in the Little Carpathians Mountains....
- List of National parks and Nature parks in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Important Bird AreaImportant Bird AreaAn Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
- Prebilovci (a village just inside the Hutovo Blato area)PrebilovciPrebilovci , a village in Herzegovina, near the city of Čapljina . Prebilovci was first mentioned in the 15th century. The village has a population of roughly around 50 inhabitants....
- Vrelo Bune natural and historical siteVrelo BuneVrelo Bune is the natural and architectural ensemble at the Buna river spring near Blagaj kasaba and a part of the wider "Townscape ensemble of the town of Blagaj - Historical and Natural Heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina", southeast of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.It is impossible to separate...
- Počitelj historical villagePočiteljPočitelj may refer to:*Počitelj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a village near Čapljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina*Počitelj, Croatia, a hamlet near Gospić, Croatia...
- Stari Most historical site in MostarStari mostStari Most is a 16th century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva and connects two parts of the city. The Old Bridge stood for 427 years, until it was destroyed on November 9, 1993 during the Croat-Bosniak War...
- The late-antique villa of Mogorjelo
- Desilo archaeological siteDesiloDesilo is a small valley in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located near the Neretva river and the Croatian border. Archaeological investigations in a small lake there in 2007 led to interesting finds of Illyrian boats. Desilo was in antiquity probably connected with Neretva via Lake Hutovo Blato....
- Daorson archaeological siteDaorsonDaorson was the capital of a Hellenised Illyrian tribe called the Daorsi . The Daorsi lived in the valley of the Neretva River between 300 BC and 50 BC...
- ČapljinaCapljinaČapljina is a town and municipality of the same name in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Čapljina is located on the border with Croatia a mere from the Adriatic Sea....
- MostarMostarMostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
External links
- Hutovo Blato Nature Park
- Commission for Preservation of National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Krupa river & Hutovo Blato - NAP - Network of Adriatic Parks
- NGO for Environment protection ZELENI-NERETVA Konjic
- WWF Panda - Living Neretva
- Conference Proceedings of the 2009 Adriatic Flyway Conference on bird conservation
- REC Transboundary Cooperation Through the Management of Shared Natural Resources
- INWEB Internationally Shared Surface Water Bodies in the Balkan Region
- Narenta
- Wine route Herzegovina
- Čapljina municipality
- Neretva.org Open Project
- Go2Bosnia Hutovo blato