Minister Ćulafić: We Protect Montenegro, and Mrtvica Also Receives the Protection It Deserves

After the Municipality of Kolašin initiated the process and submitted a request for the preparation of a Protection Study, the Environmental Protection Agency prepared the 2023 Study. The proposed protected area covers a total of 5,669 hectares, of which 5,643 hectares are in Zone II, and 26 hectares are in Zone III. A particularly significant fact is that 122 species of mosses have been recorded in the canyon, representing approximately one-fifth of Montenegro's total moss flora. In Zone II, the watercourse of Mrtvica with parts of tributaries, part of the Mrtvičke greda canyon with canyon beech, and part of the basin in the Maganik area where munika is present are included. Declaring a Nature Park will provide a clearer framework for preserving natural values, indigenous species, and habitats, preventing space degradation, erosion, unplanned construction, vegetation clearing, and the spread of invasive species, as well as protecting important spawning sites and fish stocks. It is also important that this area does not have international protection status but is recognized as an IPA area and an official candidate for the Emerald network, as well as a future Natura 2000 site.