Sutjeska National Park
Encyclopedia
The Sutjeska National Park (sûtjɛska) is a national park
located in Bosnia and Herzegovina
in the Republika Srpska
entity. Established in 1962, it is Bosnia and Herzegovina 's oldest national park
. It includes the highest peak of Maglić
at over 2386 metres (7,828.1 ft), on the border with Montenegro
. The Montenegrin part of Maglić massif in the park has also formed the Trnovačko Jezero (Trnovačko Lake). The Strict Nature Reserve “Perućica”, one of the last two remaining primeval forests in Europe, is part of the park. The park is also famous as being the location of the Battle of the Sutjeska in 1943 during World War II
. It is an affiliated member of EUROPARC Federation
.
The park was established in 1962, and is the largest and the earliest declared national park in Montenegro. Its declaration was based more on it being the site of historic battles rather than for conservation.
Perućica forest reserve, located within the national park, was established in 1952, as "Natural reserve for scientific and educational purposes". Perućica, which is one of the last two remaining primeval forests in Europe, is one of the five Strict Nature Reserves in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The park is also famous as being the location of the Battle of the Sutjeska which lasted from 15 May to 16 June 1943 during World War II
, where the Partisan were victorious over the German occupying forces
in a battle. In the battle, the Partisans were led by the Supreme Headquarters of Yugoslavia
by Marshal Josip Broz Tito
who foiled the enemy’s plans. The Partisans were successful in breaking out of the encirclement even though they lost one third of their men. Several large Partisan’s Memorial stone monuments commemorate this event at the northern edge of the park at Tjentište
, on the way to primeval Perucica forest reserve.
The park extends over an area of about 17500 hectares (43,243.4 acre). It is bounded on the east by the Pivska planina Mountain (Cyrillic: Пивска планина) (1775 metres (5,823.5 ft)) and Piva River up to Šćepan polje, and further along the Drina River course up to the confluence of Sutjeska River, on the west by Zelengora
mountain (2014 metres (6,607.6 ft)), connected with Lelija
mountain (2032 metres (6,666.7 ft)) and on the southeast by the Maglić
mountain (2386 metres (7,828.1 ft)), Volujak
mountain (2337 metres (7,667.3 ft)) and Bioč
mountain (2388 metres (7,834.6 ft)). An expansion plan to increase the park's boundary limits to cover an additional area of 8331 hectares (20,586.3 acre), including an area of 3500 hectares (8,648.7 acre) towards the Tara River canyon, is under consideration. With this expansion, the Sutjeska National Park will become the largest protected area not only in the Republic of Srpska but also in the whole country. Sutjeska National Park and the adjoining Durmitor National Park in northwestern Montenegro
demonstrate transboundary protected area co-operation in the former Yugoslavia
.
The park is accessible throughout most of the year but with some restrictions during part of the winter. It is accessible by road from Sarajevo
–110 kilometres (68.4 mi) and Dubrovnik
, Croatia–142 kilometres (88.2 mi). The connecting highway is Belgrade-Visegrad-Herceg Novi. Trebinje-Foca road passes along the canyon walls through thick forests leading to the park. The valley opens at the northern edge of the park. Foča
city, near the border with Montenegro, is 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) away from the park and the nearest town is Mratinje. Bosnia and Herzegovina's highest peak, Maglić Mountain, directly on the border with Montenegro, presents a challenging climb for even experienced hikers. Zelengora mountain is popular with hikers and there are several newly renovated mountain huts on the mountain slopes. Tara River is noted for white water rafting.
Forest reserve
Perućica forest reserve, located within the park, is 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long, 1–3 km (0.621372736649807–1.9 ) wide, and has an area of 1400 hectares (3,459.5 acre). It is a UNESCO
recognized site. The forest has many trees that are 300 years old, and the primeval forest's vintage is stated to be 20,000 years.
Waterways
The Sutjeska River
, which divides Zelengora Mountain from Maglić mountain, Volujak
and Bioč
mountains has carved a valley through the middle of the park; the canyon is 3936 feet (1,199.7 m) deep. Skakavac
waterfall is located within the park's limits in Perucica forest (separated from the Zelengora Mountain by Sutjeska River and its beautiful canyon), which can be seen from the look-out point. The waterfall is more than 75 metres (246.1 ft) plus and it is hidden by the massive blanket of green trees of beech
and spruce
that engulf the valley. In some stretches the forest growth is almost impregnable. Trnovačko Lake
within the park, a glacier lake at an elevation of 1500 metres (4,921.3 ft), is 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) long and 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) wide set amidst a "huge amphitheater of rocky peaks". The lake is drained from the Maglic, the Volujak and the Bioc hill ranges. The north side of the lake, which is open, has the wooded Vratnice. The lake water is green-blue in colour.
Climate
The park's climatic condition is a transitory zone. Moderate continental climate
dominates from the north while the influence of a southern Mediterranean climate
is less pronounced. The typical mountain climate is also largely moderated by the Adriatic Sea
.
The park's vegetation comprises thick forests (66%) mountain pastures, meadows and rocky ground above the forests. In particular, the northwestern hill slopes have thick coniferous and beech trees up to an elevation of 1600 metres (5,249.3 ft), while in the other directions, the hill slopes are very steep, barren and rocky. Pastures are found at elevations above 1600 metres (5,249.3 ft) in the plateaus. Its floral wealth comprises 2,600 species of vascular plants (many of them rare and endemic) and also about 100 species of edible fungi. Perućica forest consists of large beech trees as high as 60 metres (196.9 ft) or more, with girth of about 150 centimetres (59.1 in), and endemic black pines
which stem from the rocky faces that provides protection to the ancient forest in the entire valley. The trees in the Perućica primeval forest have never been logged and some of them are as old as 300 years.
, boar
, wolf, pine marten
and mink marten, wild cat
, fox, and wild goat
s have been sighted in the park, particularly in the Perućica
forests. The park has more than 300 species of birds in the large areas of lakes (nine lakes on the Zelengora mountain range in the park) and wetlands. Balkan chamois
(Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), a goat–antelope
species (native to Europe and the Carpathian Mountains
) management has been done with species available from the park. During 1963–1987, 256 chamois were successfully introduced in 13 other areas in Bosnia, Croatia
and Herzegovina. Some of the bird species reported from the Perućica forests are: Golden eagle
, grouse
, grey hawk, blackbird, Greek partridge, and others.
. Considering the over exploitation of natural resources (including illegal extraction of firewood), the World Bank
has supported a major multipurpose management plan for biodiversity conservation, forestry management, cultural heritage conservation, tourism and socioeconomic development. The projects cover physical improvement of existing Protected Areas, and the establishment of critical new priority areas with funding of US $2.76 million (including US $1.4 million from the Global Environment Facility
). The project, started in 2006, includes the existing Sutjeska National Park and also the Kozara National Park
with focus on plans of ecosystem development, participatory land use planning, creation of new infrastructure, and limited small-scale rehabilitation of buildings, considered essential for improving the operation of the existing park. Infrastructural development includes trail improvements and new trail creation, signage repair, resting places, and demarcation of park boundaries. An exclusive training program is also part of the project scope. Since the 1960s, infrastructural development has posed a major difficulty so as to minimize impact upon the environment.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
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...
in the Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
entity. Established in 1962, it is Bosnia and Herzegovina 's oldest national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. It includes the highest peak of Maglić
Maglic mountain
Maglić is the highest peak at an elevation of in the hill ranges of Plješevica, Grmeč, Cincar and Raduša in the country of Montenegro, Opstina Zabljak Province. Maglić borders Bosnia and Montenegro. It is oriented in a northwest-southeast direction....
at over 2386 metres (7,828.1 ft), on the border with Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. The Montenegrin part of Maglić massif in the park has also formed the Trnovačko Jezero (Trnovačko Lake). The Strict Nature Reserve “Perućica”, one of the last two remaining primeval forests in Europe, is part of the park. The park is also famous as being the location of the Battle of the Sutjeska in 1943 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It is an affiliated member of EUROPARC Federation
EUROPARC Federation
The EUROPARC Federation, also known as the "Federation of Nature and National Parks of Europe", is an independent, non-governmental organisation. Europe's protected areas - its national parks, nature parks, and biosphere reserves - play a vital role in safeguarding the continent's nature, its...
.
History
Perućica forest reserve, located within the national park, was established in 1952, as "Natural reserve for scientific and educational purposes". Perućica, which is one of the last two remaining primeval forests in Europe, is one of the five Strict Nature Reserves in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The park is also famous as being the location of the Battle of the Sutjeska which lasted from 15 May to 16 June 1943 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, where the Partisan were victorious over the German occupying forces
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in a battle. In the battle, the Partisans were led by the Supreme Headquarters of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
by Marshal Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
who foiled the enemy’s plans. The Partisans were successful in breaking out of the encirclement even though they lost one third of their men. Several large Partisan’s Memorial stone monuments commemorate this event at the northern edge of the park at Tjentište
Tjentište
Tjentište is a village in the municipality of Foča, Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, on the way to primeval Perucica forest reserve.
Geography
Zelengora
Zelengora is a mountain within the Sutjeska National Park in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has an altitude of 2,014 metres ....
mountain (2014 metres (6,607.6 ft)), connected with Lelija
Lelija
Lelija is a mountain within the Sutjeska National Park, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has an altitude of 2,032 metres .-References:...
mountain (2032 metres (6,666.7 ft)) and on the southeast by the Maglić
Maglic
Maglič is a medieval fortress in Ibar gorge 20 km south from Kraljevo in Serbia. It is placed atop a hill around which the Ibar River makes a curve, about 100 m above river level. The fortress protected the only caravan road that connected the Morava Valley and Kosovo polje...
mountain (2386 metres (7,828.1 ft)), Volujak
Volujak
Volujak is a peak of the Prokletije range in Kosovo, reaching a top height of . Volujak creates part of the Rugova Canyon. This mountain can be seen from the city of Peć because it is only a few kilometers west of it.-Notes and references:Notes:...
mountain (2337 metres (7,667.3 ft)) and Bioč
Bioč
Bioč is a mountain within the Sutjeska National Park, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has an altitude of 2,388 metres , and lies on the border with Montenegro.The Piva runs nearby....
mountain (2388 metres (7,834.6 ft)). An expansion plan to increase the park's boundary limits to cover an additional area of 8331 hectares (20,586.3 acre), including an area of 3500 hectares (8,648.7 acre) towards the Tara River canyon, is under consideration. With this expansion, the Sutjeska National Park will become the largest protected area not only in the Republic of Srpska but also in the whole country. Sutjeska National Park and the adjoining Durmitor National Park in northwestern Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
demonstrate transboundary protected area co-operation in the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
The park is accessible throughout most of the year but with some restrictions during part of the winter. It is accessible by road from Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
–110 kilometres (68.4 mi) and Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
, Croatia–142 kilometres (88.2 mi). The connecting highway is Belgrade-Visegrad-Herceg Novi. Trebinje-Foca road passes along the canyon walls through thick forests leading to the park. The valley opens at the northern edge of the park. Foča
Foca
Foča is a town and municipality in southeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Drina river, in the Foča Region of the Republika Srpska entity.-Early history:...
city, near the border with Montenegro, is 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) away from the park and the nearest town is Mratinje. Bosnia and Herzegovina's highest peak, Maglić Mountain, directly on the border with Montenegro, presents a challenging climb for even experienced hikers. Zelengora mountain is popular with hikers and there are several newly renovated mountain huts on the mountain slopes. Tara River is noted for white water rafting.
Forest reserve
Perućica forest reserve, located within the park, is 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long, 1–3 km (0.621372736649807–1.9 ) wide, and has an area of 1400 hectares (3,459.5 acre). It is a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
recognized site. The forest has many trees that are 300 years old, and the primeval forest's vintage is stated to be 20,000 years.
Waterways
The Sutjeska River
Sutjeska (river)
The Sutjeska is a 35 km-long river in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a tributary of the Drina river, which it meets south of Foča. The literal meaning of "sutjeska" is "gorge, canyon". It is famous for having been the site of the World War II Battle of the Sutjeska....
, which divides Zelengora Mountain from Maglić mountain, Volujak
Volujak
Volujak is a peak of the Prokletije range in Kosovo, reaching a top height of . Volujak creates part of the Rugova Canyon. This mountain can be seen from the city of Peć because it is only a few kilometers west of it.-Notes and references:Notes:...
and Bioč
Bioč
Bioč is a mountain within the Sutjeska National Park, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has an altitude of 2,388 metres , and lies on the border with Montenegro.The Piva runs nearby....
mountains has carved a valley through the middle of the park; the canyon is 3936 feet (1,199.7 m) deep. Skakavac
Skakavac
Skakavac is a waterfall located 12 km from Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its height is about 98 meters.The Skakavac waterfall near Sarajevo is one of the greatest and most attractive waterfalls in BiH and it stands for a real tourist attraction. The waterfall is 98 meters...
waterfall is located within the park's limits in Perucica forest (separated from the Zelengora Mountain by Sutjeska River and its beautiful canyon), which can be seen from the look-out point. The waterfall is more than 75 metres (246.1 ft) plus and it is hidden by the massive blanket of green trees of beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
and spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
that engulf the valley. In some stretches the forest growth is almost impregnable. Trnovačko Lake
Trnovačko Lake
Trnovačko Lake is a lake within the Sutjeska National Park of southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Located at an altitude of 1600 metres, it is a popular with local summer campers. It is long and wide set amidst a "huge amphitheater of rocky peaks". The lake is drained from the Maglić, the Volujak...
within the park, a glacier lake at an elevation of 1500 metres (4,921.3 ft), is 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) long and 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) wide set amidst a "huge amphitheater of rocky peaks". The lake is drained from the Maglic, the Volujak and the Bioc hill ranges. The north side of the lake, which is open, has the wooded Vratnice. The lake water is green-blue in colour.
Climate
The park's climatic condition is a transitory zone. Moderate continental climate
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
dominates from the north while the influence of a southern Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
is less pronounced. The typical mountain climate is also largely moderated by the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
.
Flora
European Black Pine
Pinus nigra, the European Black Pine, is a moderately variable species of pine, occurring across southern Mediterranean Europe from Spain to the Crimea, in Asia Minor and on Cyprus, and in the high mountains of the Maghreb in North Africa....
which stem from the rocky faces that provides protection to the ancient forest in the entire valley. The trees in the Perućica primeval forest have never been logged and some of them are as old as 300 years.
Fauna
Faunal population is diverse and considerable. Bear, chamoisChamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
, boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
, wolf, pine marten
Pine Marten
The European Pine Marten , known most commonly as the pine marten in Anglophone Europe, and less commonly also known as Pineten, baum marten, or sweet marten, is an animal native to Northern Europe belonging to the mustelid family, which also includes mink, otter, badger, wolverine and weasel. It...
and mink marten, wild cat
Wild cat
The wildcat is a small cat with several subspecies and a very broad distribution, found throughout most of Africa, Europe, and southwest and central Asia into India, China, and Mongolia. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar or smaller size. Sometimes included is...
, fox, and wild goat
Wild Goat
The wild goat is a widespread species of goat, with a distribution ranging from Europe and Asia Minor to central Asia and the Middle East. It is the ancestor of the domestic goat.-Social structure:...
s have been sighted in the park, particularly in the Perućica
Perucica
Perućica is one of the last remaining primeval forests in Europe. It is located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, near the border with Montenegro, and is part of the Sutjeska National Park. The forest can only be explored in a company of rangers ....
forests. The park has more than 300 species of birds in the large areas of lakes (nine lakes on the Zelengora mountain range in the park) and wetlands. Balkan chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
(Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), a goat–antelope
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
species (native to Europe and the Carpathian Mountains
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
) management has been done with species available from the park. During 1963–1987, 256 chamois were successfully introduced in 13 other areas in Bosnia, 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 Herzegovina. Some of the bird species reported from the Perućica forests are: Golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, grouse
Grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...
, grey hawk, blackbird, Greek partridge, and others.
Conservation
Sutjeska National Park is an affiliated member of the EUROPARC FederationEUROPARC Federation
The EUROPARC Federation, also known as the "Federation of Nature and National Parks of Europe", is an independent, non-governmental organisation. Europe's protected areas - its national parks, nature parks, and biosphere reserves - play a vital role in safeguarding the continent's nature, its...
. Considering the over exploitation of natural resources (including illegal extraction of firewood), the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
has supported a major multipurpose management plan for biodiversity conservation, forestry management, cultural heritage conservation, tourism and socioeconomic development. The projects cover physical improvement of existing Protected Areas, and the establishment of critical new priority areas with funding of US $2.76 million (including US $1.4 million from the Global Environment Facility
Global Environment Facility
The Global Environment Facility unites 182 member governments — in partnership with international institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector — to address global environmental issues....
). The project, started in 2006, includes the existing Sutjeska National Park and also the Kozara National Park
Kozara National Park
Kozara National Park is a national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that was proclaimed a protected national forest in 1967 by Josip Broz Tito. It is situated between the rivers Una, Sava, Sana and Vrbas, in the Republika Srpska entity of BiH...
with focus on plans of ecosystem development, participatory land use planning, creation of new infrastructure, and limited small-scale rehabilitation of buildings, considered essential for improving the operation of the existing park. Infrastructural development includes trail improvements and new trail creation, signage repair, resting places, and demarcation of park boundaries. An exclusive training program is also part of the project scope. Since the 1960s, infrastructural development has posed a major difficulty so as to minimize impact upon the environment.