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Name
Lovcen National Park
IUCN
Management Category V (Protected landscape)
Biogeographical
Province 2.17.6 (Mediterranean Sclerophyll)
Geographical
Location Located west of the town of Cetinje in the Lovcen mountain
area in Montenegro. 42°23'-42°25'N, 18°48'-18°52'E
Date
and History of Establishment The area was created under the
conservation law of 6 August 1952.
Area
2,400 ha
Land
Tenure Associated ownership
Altitude
0-1,749m
Physical
Features Lovcen mountain belongs to a south-east part of the
Dinaric mountain area. It is a littoral mountain, the peak being
Stirovnik (1749m) orientated in a north-west/south-east direction.
Geologically Lovcen is composed of rock masses from the Mesozoic
and Cainozoic eras, with Triassic and Jurassic limestone, marl limestones,
dolomitic limestones and Cainozoic glacial and fluvio-glacial facies.
A more extended area of the Lovcen mountain belongs to an anticline
developed from Mesozoic limestone and dolomites under which is found
an impervious series of clay-sand strata originating from the coastal
syncline area. Due to its geological composition of karst and Carboniferous
rocks, there are no permanent waterflows. Only in the period of
maximum rainfall are temporary waterflows formed. Such examples
include Ljubin Potok, which extends for a length of about 300m.
The water filters into a permanent water well called Ivanova Korita.
Under Jezerski Vrh there is a small glacier lake now in the final
stages of succession (Besic, 1974; 1975).
Climate
Due to the geographic location and relief, the moderate continental
and mountain climatic conditions overlap with the mediterranean
climate at Lovcen. The influence of the sea on the climate is reflected
in high precipitation levels. For example, at Ivanova Korita average
rainfall is 4207mm, the maximum occurring in November and December.
Lovcen is also exposed to very strong winds: the south wind coming
warm and damp from the sea, while the north wind is dry and cold.
Vegetation
The flora of Lovcen is represented by approximately 1,200 plant
species, of 475 genera and 95 families. These include a great number
of endemic plants of the Balkans and Yugoslavia, among which are
a few plants endemic to Lovcen, such as Lamium lovcenicum, Berteroa
gintlii, and Endraianthus lovcenicus. Other endemic species of a
somewhat wider distribution but worthy of mention include Petteria
ramentacea, Moltkea petraca, Amphoricarpus neumayeri, Pinus heldriechii,
Taxus baccata, Viburnum maculatum, Centaruea nicolai, Dianthus nicolai
and Ilex aquifolium. Other protected species found in the Park include
Campanula hercegovina. The Lovcen vegetation is stratified altitudinally,
from the warm oak woods to the subalpine beech forests. A noteworthy
vegetation type exists in the rocky areas and the steep sections
of karst. The largest area of the park is covered by hop hornbeam
and grass Sesleria ostrietum, then by a biocenosis of pubescent
oak and hop hornbeam (Querco-Ostrietum carpinifoliae association),
whilst at altitudes over 1,100m there is a zone of a mountain beech
forest with Sesleria autumnalis (Fagetum montanum seslerietosum
association), extended in smaller areas by a subalpine beech Fagetum
subalpinum forest (Tomic-Stankovic, 1970; Duffey, 1982).
Fauna
The main mammal species are rabbit Lepus europaeus, beech marten
Martes foina and fox Vulpes vulpes. The European wolf Canis lupus
and wild cat Felis silvestris are only rarely found within the park.
The avifauna includes rock partridge Alectoris graeca, raven Corvus
corax and lesser spotted woodpecker Dendrocopus minor. Raptor species
are well represented with records of imperial eagle Aquila heliaca,
buzzard Buteo buteo, griffon vulture Gyps fulvus and peregrine falcon
Falco peregrinus (Duffey, 1982).
Cultural
Heritage The area is the site of the mausoleum of Njegos, who
was once the most celebrated ruler of Montenegro (Duffey, 1982).
Local
Human Population No information
Visitors
and Visitor Facilities The majority of tourists are drawn to
the park area because of the mausoleum of Njegos which attracts
up to 70,000 visitors per year. At Ivanova Korita there are mountain
rest houses accommodating 200 people as well as alpine huts. The
climate and the scenic surroundings provide excellent summer and
winter sport and recreational tourism. The good quality ski grounds
allow regular competitions to be held (Martinovic, n.d.).
Scientific
Research and Facilities The Lovcen area, including the park,
has long been the object of scientific investigations. Research
has been carried out on the geomorphology, geology, hydrology, vegetation,
flora, fauna and pedology.
Conservation
Value No information
Conservation
Management The park is being managed for recreation as well
as nature conservation.
Management
Constraints Forest fires are rare and wood-cutting is minimal
and practised solely to promote wood growth and to achieve a better
structure. The number of personnel employed and funds are, however,
insufficient for park management purposes. The park has not been
covered by a general zoning plan and for this reason certain parts
have suffered damage from building construction and alteration of
the park scenery (Vukovic, 1968).
Staff
One professional employee (a secretary of the self-management community)
and two guards (1980).
Budget
The funds provided for the park are obtained from the self-management
community members (amounted to 1,700,000 dinars in 1980).
Local Addresses
Secretariat
for Education, Culture and Science, Secretary of the Self-Managed
Community of Interest of the Lovcen National Park, 81250 Cetinje,
Bajova No. 2.
References
Besic,
Z. (1974). Provlemi podzemnih voda u podrucju karsta planine Lovcen.
Geoloski glasnik, knj. VII, Titograd. (Deals with the problem of
groundwater in the karst areas of the Lovcen mountain).
Besic,
Z. (1975). Geologija Crne Gore, knj. I, xv. 1. Drustvo za nauku
i umjetnost Crne Gore, Titograd. (Deals with the problem of the
geology of Montenegro.)
Cvijic, J. (1924, 1926). Geomorfologija, knj. I i II, Beograd. (Deals
with geomorphology.)
Duffey,
E. (1982). National Parks and Reserves of Western Europe. Macdonald.
Macdonald and Company, London.
Krivokapic,
B. (1975). Katunski krs. "Obod" Cetinje. (Deals with the
Katun karst.)
Martinovic,
D. (n.d.). Cetinje - postanak, razvoj i turisticke mogucnosti. "Obod"
Cetinje. (Deals with Cetinje - its origin, development and tourism.)
Petrovic,
J. (1970). Palja u krsu. Zbornik radova PMF, Novi Sad. (Deals with
the fields in karst.)
Tomic-Stankovic,
K. (1970). Vegetacija lovcena u Crnoj Gori. Zajednica naucnih ustanova
Kosova. knj. 17. Pristina. (An analysis of the vegetation of Lovcen
in Montenegro).
Vasovic,
M. (1955). Lovcen i njegova podgorina. Naucno drustvo Crne Gore
- Titograd. (Describes Lovcen and the district at the foot of the
mountain.)
Vuckovic,
M. (1968). Stanje prirode u SR Crnoj Gori i osnovni problemi njene
zastite. Glasnik Republ. zavoda za zast. prir. i Prir. muzeja br.
1. Titograd. (An analysis on the condition of nature in Montenegro
and the basic problems of its protection.)
Vuckovic,
M. Prilog poznavanju nacionalnog parka "Lovcen". Godisnjak
Cetinjske gimnazije IV. Cetinje. (A study on the Lovcen National
Park.)
Date
August 1987
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