Neretva Delta - Croatia/Bosnia and Herzegovina Feasibility study on establishing transboundary cooperation Hutovo Blato, Bosnia and Herzegovina © Michel Gunther / WWF-Canon Prepared within the project “Sustaining Rural Communities and their Traditional Landscapes Through Strengthened Environmental Governance in Transboundary Protected Areas of the Dinaric Arc” ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE A Western Balkans Environment & Development in the Dinaric Arc Cooperation Programme Authors: Zoran Mateljak and Stjepan Matić Photographs: WWF MedPo, Tomo Rogošić, Nenad Jasprica, Stojan Lasić, Stjepan Matić and REC Metković Design and layout: Imre Sebestyen, jr. / UNITgraphics.com Printed by: PrintXPress Available from: IUCN Programme Office for South-Eastern Europe Dr Ivana Ribara 91 11070 Belgrade, Serbia [email protected] Tel +381 11 2272 411 Fax +381 11 2272 531 www.iucn.org/publications Acknowledgments: A Special “thank you” goes to: Boris Erg, Veronika Ferdinandova (IUCN SEE), Dr. Deni Porej, (WWF MedPO) for commenting and editing the assessment text. Zbigniew Niewiadomski, consultant, UNEP Vienna ISCC for providing the study concept. Emira Mesanovic, WWF MedPO for coordinating the assessment process. 2 The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN, WWFMedPO and SNV concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN, WWFMedPO and SNV. This publication has been made possible in part by funding from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Belgrade, Serbia in collaboration with WWFMedPO and SNV. Copyright: © 2011 International Union for Conservation of Nature Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Citation: Mateljak, Z., Matić, S. (2011). Neretva Delta - Croatia/Bosnia and Herzegovina – Feasibility study on establishing transboundary cooperation . Gland, Switzerland, and Belgrade, Serbia: IUCN Programme Office for South-Eastern Europe, 32 pp. 3 ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE A Western Balkans Environment & Development in the Dinaric Arc Cooperation Programme Table of Contents Background of the study . 6 Purpose of the assessment. 7 Methodology. .7 Context for transboundary cooperation . 8 Main environmental issues. .8 Socio-economic context. 9 Unifying elements. 11 Natural conditions . 11 Protected areas in the Neretva Delta. 11 Flora. 13 Fauna . 15 Human impacts . 18 Agriculture. 21 Hunting and fishing. 24 Tourism . 24 Support for transboundary cooperation. .26 Further steps in transboundary cooperation. 28 References . .31 List of acronyms: CBD PoWPA Convention on Biological Diversity Programme of Work on Protected Areas CBD COP 9 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources WWF MedPO World Wide Fund for Nature Mediterranean Programme Office TBPA Transboundary Protected Area UNEP United Nations Environmental Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization 4 SUmmary Having a long history extending back as far as the Iron Age, with impacts from a variety of cultures over time—Illyrians, Greeks, The Neretva Delta region is a predominantly rural area of ap- Romans, Bogumils, and Venetians—the Neretva Delta also has a proximately 20,000 hectares, shared by Croatia and Bosnia and significantly rich archaeological heritage. This includes remnants Herzegovina. The region supports the livelihoods of approxi- of prehistoric fortifications and settlements, monuments from mately 60,000 people living in nine municipalities - seven on the Roman times (villas, mosaics, epitaphs, etc.), remnants of medi- Croatian side and two in Bosnia and Herzegovina. eval fortresses from the times of the Ottoman occupation, etc. The ecological characteristics of the region are defined by the Not only are the natural conditions of the area suitable for 225 km long Neretva River, which spreads into an alluvial delta preserving sites of unique natural value, but they also directly in the final 30 kilometres of its course prior to draining into the support the livelihood of its human population. Agriculture, hunt- Adriatic Sea. The upper part of the river, flowing through Bosnia ing and fishing are traditional activities in the area, and due to the and Herzegovina, has a strong highland character, and in times lack of other sources of income and recently increased unemploy- of high waters, it brings large quantities of dissolved nutrients ment, they are gaining in popularity. To date, 40–50% of house- and organic substrates, which are deposited downstream to cre- holds own land. Farming, especially the production of citrus fruits ate the very fertile soil of the lower Neretva Valley. Downstream and vegetables in the lower valley and olives at higher elevations, from the mouths of its tributaries, Trebizat and Bregava, the has become the most widespread economic activity. This is also river forms a natural entity with its valley. The 8,000 hectare up- due to the high fertility of land and the very favourable climatic per valley, with several lakes and a large marsh complex called conditions, which allow several harvests per season for some Hutovo Blato is located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the crops. The Neretva Delta region has great and still unexplored app. 12,000 hectare lower valley, defined by several regulated potential for tourism. It is rich in natural, cultural and archaeologi- branches of the river, lies in Croatia. cal values, and the major tourism attractions are in the vicinity. Some of these are the historical city of Dubrovnik in Croatia, the The lower, Croatian parts have been significantly altered, mainly Dalmatian coast, the spiritual site of Medugorje in Bosnia and by land reclamation works completed in the 1960s. From the Herzegovina, and the historic Old Town of Mostar, which was original twelve river branches, only three exist today, and associ- recently included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Although ated marshes and small lakes have also disappeared. Only a few tourism currently holds a relatively small share in the local econ- fragments of large former Mediterranean wetlands have been omy, the development and proper marketing of new alternative left behind, which are isolated by the matrix of cultivated land. tourism products could result in significant contributions to the sector, bringing additional income sources for the local popula- Although Hutovo Blato today is in a more natural state and is tion. Besides these significant local economic features, the region better protected than the rest of the wetlands, it also suffered is also a crossroads for major existing and planned transportation from human impacts in the past. In 1979, a large section of routes. Traffic along the Dalmatian coast crosses the lower parts the marsh-lake complex, called Svitavsko Blato was trans- of the region, while transport corridors through the valley have an formed into a 1,300 ha reservoir lake for the hydroelectric important role in linking Bosnia and Herzegovina with the Adri- power plant built in Capljina. Large segments of marsh veg- atic Sea and the Port of Ploce. The Adriatic-Ionian motorway and etation, e.g. wet meadows and floodplain poplar forests, have the highway between Ploce and Budapest are still in the planning been destroyed, resulting in a considerable reduction of bird phase. However, once constructed, they will have a major impact and fish species. on the area, both economically and ecologically. 5 ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE A Western Balkans Environment & Development in the Dinaric Arc Cooperation Programme strengthening regional collaboration BackgRoUnD by creating a series of transboundary oF The study natural resource management areas (i.e. transboundary protected areas), This study represents the preliminary which shows a general awareness that assessment analysis of one of the six protecting this natural and cultural project sites of the project “Environment wealth can only be achieved through for People in the Dinaric Arc”. the close cooperation of the Dinaric Arc countries. Project “Environment for The EU perspective is currently People in the Dinaric Arc” the main political driver, since EU The project “Environment for People accession is the principal objective in the Dinaric Arc” began in 2009 for the countries of the region. Strong and is funded by the Ministry for economic growth and progressing Foreign Affairs of Finland. The project integration into the EU are set to bring is expected to last three years. It the stability, security, and prosperity represents a joint development that the peoples of the region are initiative by IUCN (International hoping for. In this context, establishing Union for Conservation of Nature) transboundary collaboration on implemented by IUCN Regional Office environmental and development issues for Pan-Europe and IUCN Programme is of interest to all the western Balkan Office for South-Eastern Europe, in countries. partnership with