The Kolašin Secretariat for Environmental Protection anticipates completing the procedures for protecting the municipality’s most valuable areas by the end of the year. The processes for safeguarding the Dulovine Forest Park, Mrtvica Nature Park and its vicinity, as well as the Kapetanovo and Brnjičko (Manito) Lake Natural Monument, are currently at various stages.

“Finishing these processes by the year’s end is crucial. This will enable access to EU funds, which are vital for maintaining and protecting these precious spaces. The protection efforts are characterized by transparency and active public engagement, with the procedures advancing through different phases. Despite some challenges, we are optimistic about concluding this work by year’s end,” the Secretariat informed “Vijesti”.

They noted that a public discussion on the Protection Study for the Dulovine Forest Park is on the horizon. The initiative for its protection was proposed three years ago. Achieving permanent protection is vital to prevent future degradation and construction, as current planning documents do not allow such actions.

As previously outlined, the protected area is expected to include over 10 cadastral plots, covering approximately 50,000 square meters. Dulovine is, as stated in the protection initiative, “essentially the only green space still owned by the municipality of Kolašin, conveniently located near the city center.” In the late 1920s, a stand of black and white pine trees was planted in this area.

The protection efforts for Mrtvica and its surroundings have faced considerable pushback from local residents. Nevertheless, some private plots have been excluded from the planned protected area, and the Secretariat hopes to finalize the borders soon through a compromise with the locals.

The Draft Protection Study, which has undergone several public debates and numerous meetings with locals, proposes applying the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Category IV guidelines for managing the protected areas.

This category signifies protected areas whose primary goal is to conserve specific species or habitats. Many zones under this category “require continual, active management to cater to particular species’ needs or maintain habitats, though this is not a prerequisite for this category’s management,” they clarified in the draft processed by the Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of the Municipality of Kolašin.

The Mrtvica River stands as a remarkable natural phenomenon and an invaluable ecological and tourism asset for Kolašin, as previously emphasized by the Agency. The intent of the protection is to preserve this unique natural heritage for future generations, while simultaneously offering socio-economic advantages to the local community through sustainable tourism, job creation, and improved local infrastructure.

A Study regarding the Protection of Kapetanovo and Brnjica Lakes has been sent to three ministries, paving the way for a decision from the local parliament which will establish protection in that area.

In May, Kolašin’s Mayor, Petko Bakić, approved the draft Decision on the Declaration and the draft Protection Study for the area.

The draft study suggests that 587.07 hectares be recognized as a Natural Monument or a Category IV protected area, aimed at protecting and managing wild species of plants, animals, fungi, and their habitats.

The future protected area surrounding Kapetanovo and Brnjičko Lakes belongs to the cadastral municipalities (KO) of Velje Duboko and Liješnje, with two defined protection zones (zone II and zone III).

The mountain lakes, set for protection alongside their surroundings, are located in the Lukavice area. Kapetanovo Lake rests at an elevation of 1,678 meters, measuring 480 meters in length, 330 meters in width, and reaching a maximum depth of 37 meters. About a 40-minute walk away is Manito Lake, also known as Brnjičko Lake, which sits roughly 10 meters higher in elevation, is about 220 meters long, and has a maximum depth of 13 meters.

“Implementing protection in this area is a solution to the growing conflict between the desire to preserve regions rich in natural and cultural values and the local population’s aspirations to economically exploit the area through tourism and other economic activities. Organizing tourism in protected locations is particularly delicate,” the document states.

A dedicated Agency is likely to be established for managing protected areas within Kolašin municipality, which includes Mrtvica, Dulovine, Kapetanovo Lake, and Brnjičko Lake, along with parts of the Komovi Nature Park, and potentially Sinjavina in the future. This was identified as the most optimal strategy following the NGO Cluster Initiative’s project “Management of Protected Areas in the Territory of Kolašin,” which received financial backing from the Eco Fund.

This project aimed to devise an economic and financial plan for managing protected areas, complete with a comprehensive economic review and strategies for sustainable improvements.

An alternative plan would involve the Secretariat taking on the management role, responsible not only for the other designated areas but also for the portion of the Komovi Nature Park located within Kolašin municipality.

The primary objective is restoring to its original state.

The Danilo Vincek Botanical Garden in Dulovine aspires to become one of Kolašin’s premier attractions. Experts in botany have been engaged in planning and overseeing this Natural Monument, managed since 2018 by the Public Company for National Parks of Montenegro (JPNPCG). A public debate regarding the draft Management Plan for the next five years was held recently.

The objective, as per the document, is to restore the plant population to its original state in the next five years, later opening the Garden to the scientific community, tourists, schools, and the local community at large.

Nela Vešović Dubak from JPNPCG pointed out that a draft Management Plan was submitted to the municipality five years ago, but it was never reviewed or discussed in the local parliament. Consequently, the management had no choice but to perform only “cosmetic” work, which led to the current poor state of the space that Vincek bequeathed to the state.

“We have adopted more innovative approaches after reviewing the Botanical Garden and noticing the decline in the botanical collection’s quality. Our goal is to elevate this Natural Monument significantly in the near future, with contributions from the Municipality, the Tourist Organization (TO), and the entire community,” said Maša Vučinić from JPNPCG.

According to the draft document, the current condition of the Botanical Garden is far from satisfactory. The original collection, which included 499 species documented according to then-current standards, had diminished to just 188 recognizable plant species by August 2024. The management currently lacks data on the total number of species present in 2024, as certain spring plants and others that completed their vegetation cycle by August were not accounted for.

“The goal is to revert to the original design of the Garden with 38 plots, as established by Vincek,” the draft document concludes.

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