National strategy on integrated coastal zone management for Montenegro 02 Assessment of the existing state 21 National strategy on integrated coastal zone management for Montenegro 2.1 Natural and cultural heritage important for biodiversity preservation. On the sand 4 / Dr Danka Petrović: Detailed habitats dunes of Velika beach, unique halophytic vegetation mapping by applying GIS on 4 ecological Diversity of geologic base, landscape, climate and priority sites, CAMP MNE (2012). is found. Tivat Salinas and Ulcinj salt works are local- land, as well as geographic position of Montenegro ities of great importance with halophytic vegetation in the Balkan peninsula provided for development of on muddy-clay grounds. This type of vegetation has high-value biological diversity. This categorises Mon- almost disappeared from the eastern coast of the Adri- tenegro into biological “hot-spot” locations of impor- atic, and in Montenegro it can only be found on said tance both in Europe and worldwide. The coastal zone localities. Specific fauna, particularly rich birdlife, is of Montenegro is also characterised by a high degree also typical for this vegetation. of diversity and specific habitats and species. In addition to algae flora, seaweed meadows of Po- Due to favourable geomorphologic and geographical sidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa can be characteristics, human presence at the Montenegrin found in the marine ecosystem. A substantial number coast dates back to younger stone age. Millennia-long of animal species is linked to their life cycle. The Adri- presence of human communities, coupled with spec- SOURCE: National Tourism Organisation atic Sea fauna has still not been completely explored, ificities of the natural position and influences of dif- however recent data has shown that more than 40 spe- ferent cultures have been turned into a rich cultural heritage of the Montenegrin coastal zone. cies of sponge, 150 crustacean species, 340 molluscs, over 400 fish species, three sea turtle species, and four 2.1.1 Biodiversity and specific ecosystems dolphin species live in the Montenegrin part of the Adriatic. Typical coastal and seaside habitats are found on the rocky coast (cliffs), numerous natural sand beaches, as In the land part of the coastal zone there are locations well as on (eight) small isles. On the southern slopes with vulnerable biodiversity which should be protect- of coastal mountains, typical Mediterranean vegeta- ed from negative impacts, particularly by preserving tion of macchia and garrigue has developed, and on their completeness, and these are: Orjen, Boka Ko- lower terrains and the coast itself – halophyte vegeta- torska Bay, Vrmac, Buljarica, Rumija, Šasko jezero, Ve- tion, as well as cultivated terrains with olive and fruit lika beach, as well as parts of natural preserved coast. groves. Coastal mountains Orjen, Lovćen and Rumija Based on a detailed mapping of terrestrial habitats, (with the surrounding hills and mountainous areas) by applying multi-criteria approach, the habitats on are considered diversity centres of vascular flora. Velika beach, Tivat Salinas, Buljarica and Platamuni4 have been assessed as particularly valuable. Zones of Coastal zone sites where greatest number of habitats high vulnerability are shown on map 2-1. In the ma- of international importance occurs (including marshy rine part of the coastal zone, habitats of Posedonia habitats) are: Ulcinj region including its hinterland, oceanica, as well as underwater caves have been as- in particular Velika beach and Ada Bojana; Buljarica; sessed as vulnerable. and certain still preserved parts of the Boka Kotorska Bay. Confluences of rivers (Bojana, Sutorina and other Zones of vulnerable or valuable biodiversity to a sig- small water flows) also make a part of coastal habitats nificant extent coincide with the network of the exist- Our Lady of the Rocks (Gospa od Škrpjela) and Sveti Đorđe Island (Sv. Đorđe) 23 National strategy on integrated coastal zone management for Montenegro National strategy on integrated coastal zone management for Montenegro 5 / A review of potentially protected natural areas is proposed in the NS ICZM MNE on the basis of previous valuation of natural habitats and ecosystems of the coastal zone.. 6 / Potential sites are: 1) Luštica (from Mamula to Mačak cape); 2) zone from Trašta cape to Platamun (with a narrow zone of strict protection from Žukovac cape to Kostovica cape); 3) wider zone of Katič isle; 4) zone from Volujica cape to Dobre vode; 5) zone from Komina cape to cape by Stari Ulcinj isle; 6) Valdanos cove zone to Velika cove; and 7) Seka Đerane with the southern part of the zone in front of Velika beach to Bojana river mouth. 7 / In accordance with the provisions of Pećin − sea cave Posidonia Oceanica the Law on nature protection. 8 / Under the Decision on protection Figure 2-2: Marine habitats (Source: MPA Katič Project) of natural objects (Official Gazette of Montenegro no. 76/06) several species of Evergreen oak, holm oak – Quercus ilex Oriental Hornbeam – Carpinus orientalis oak trees located at different sites have been protected, as well as the old olive ing and planned protected natural assets. The existing as well as the area of Kotor-Risan Bay with the town of tree on Mirovica in Bar. spatial planning documentation contains proposals Kotor (which is protected under a municipal regula- 9 / Within the Assessment of general for placing under protection new protected natural tion and is on the UNESCO list of natural and cultural vulnerability of the coastal zone of MNE, CAMP MNE (2012) and the Vulnerability assets in the terrestrial part of the coastal zone as fol- heritage). Due to their importance for coastal zone bio- assessment of the narrow coastal zone, lows: national park Orjen, regional parks Rumija and diversity, several individual dendrologic objects have CAMP MNE (2013). Vrmac, monuments of nature (terrestrial) Ulcinj salt also been protected8. In a situation where boundaries works, Šasko Lake and Ada Bojana5. of the existing protected natural assets are not defined precisely and where the zones of potential protected There were no new designations of protected areas at natural assets (which have been recognised as valu- the coast over the last couple of decades (with the ex- able in the valid spatial planning documentation) emption of Tivat Salinas). Even though strategic and have been approximately defined, the available data planning documents envisage proclamation of marine 9 protected, they have not been established yet, whereas has been analysed by using GIS . Based on the results basic surveys have been carried out for a significant obtained, it has been established that the share of ter- number of marine sites6. restrial protected natural assets in the overall surface of six coastal municipalities amounts to 8.6% (including The existing protected natural assets7 include parts of land part of UNESCO’s protected area of the Kotor-Ri- Olive – Olea europae Pistacia lenthiscus the national parks Skadar Lake and Lovćen, special san Bay), while the share of potential protected nat- nature reserve (Tivat Salinas), several monuments of ural assets amounts to 18.8%. Zones of the potential Figure 2-1: Examples of vascular flora nature (including around 20 beaches and other sites), marine protected areas have also been approximately Source: Institute for Nature Protection of Montenegro) several landscapes with special natural characteristics, defined, taking into account sites recognised by the 24 25 National strategy on integrated coastal zone management for Montenegro SP MNE and SPSP for the public maritime domain, as habitats. Bird fauna linked to these habitats is en- 10 / Rare and endangered psammo- 11 phytes and halophytes at this location are: well as sites identified through implemented research dangered due to hunting . Cakile maritima, Xantium italicu, Salsola projects. The overall surface of these areas amounts to kali, Euphorbia peplis, Euphorbia paralias, 9,000 ha (including marine areas and corresponding − Even though accurate data is missing, it is obvi- Polygonum maritimum, Atriplex hastate, ous that an important part of the existing pro- Echinophora spinosa, sea holly Eryngium coastal belts). The zones of the existing and planned maritimum, Agropyrum junceum, Medi- protected natural assets are shown on map 2-2. tected natural assets has lost a part of or all the cago marina, Inula crithmoides, Lagurus characteristics due to which they were placed un- ovatus, Cuscuta sp. The existing system of protected natural assets man- der protection in the first place. Such examples 11 / National Biodiversity Strategy with agement has shown numerous deficiencies and does include parts of Bečići and Slovenska beaches, the Action Plan 2010-2015 12 / According to the provisions of not provide for preservation of completeness and hills Spas, beach Pržno and other locations. Articles 30 – 34 of the Law on nature integrity of coastal ecosystems (on land and at sea). protection Results of the analysis of drivers, pressures, state and − Identification and establishment of the national 13 / Emerald sites in the coastal zone are: 12 impacts, and of the key problems and weaknesses are Ecologic Network has not been finalised. The 1) Kotor-Risan Bay; 2) Platamuni; 3) isles network should include all the areas with specif- Katič, Donkova and Velja Seka; 4) Tivat described in chapter 3, section 3.1. Regarding the ex- Salinas; 5) Buljarica; 6) hill Spas; 7) beach isting state, the following assessments can be singled ic coastal habitats whose protection is mandato- Pećin; 8) Orjen; 9) Lovćen; 10) Rumija; out due by their importance: ry in line with the ICZM Protocol requirements. 11) Velika beech and Ulcinj saltworks; 12) The list of Emerald sites was defined in 2008 and Šasko Lake, river Bojana, Knete, Ada; 13) the Skadar Lake. − Managers of protected natural assets in the coast- verified by the Standing Committee of the Bern 14 / This refers to the following zones: al zone have not been established in the period Convention in 2012, and it encompasses 13 areas Vrbanja; Kruševice (south from the settle- 1968 – 2014, nor were measures of active care- in the coastal zone13.