In order to connect the managers of the Pančić spruce habitat, exchange knowledge and recommendations for the long-term sustainable management of this valuable woody species, the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage (RZZKIPN) with the support of nine partner organisations, among which Center for Environment, has been for a full year successfully implements the project “Support in situ restoration and conservation of the oldest European tree species – Pančić’s spruce (Picea omorika)” with the support of the Swiss foundation “Franklinia”
Later, on two occasions at the end of 2021, the project team led by experts Milan Matarug and Đorđije Milanović, visited selected stands of Pančić’s spruce and set up 7 test plots (two each in the vicinity of Višegrad in the locations of Gostilja and Veliki Stolac; two in the vicinity of Rogatica, Tesla locality and one experimental plot in NP “Tara”, Bajina Bašta, Trenica locality), last week the project team visited the existing experimental plots, downloaded the collected data and installed additional instruments.
The installed instruments aim to measure the temperature and humidity of the soil and air. In addition, during each field visit, the condition of vegetation, trees and saplings on the sample plots was counted and described, all with the aim of long-term monitoring.
Also, during the last tour, three additional test plots were set up in NP “Tara”, one in the Trenica locality and two in the Studenac locality. This brings the total number of test plots to ten, of which six are in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republic of Srpska) and four in the Republic of Serbia.
After last year’s fires, this year a significantly higher number of dry and fallen trees was recorded, but in some localities, young Pančić’s spruce was also recorded. According to current scientific knowledge, Pančić’s spruce is a “disaster species”, which means that it manages to survive only in extreme habitats where other, competing tree species run out of strength for renewal and development.
“Although it was terrible to watch the beautiful spruce habitats disappear in the flames, we hope that the cataclysmic conditions that occurred after the fire will create optimal habitat preconditions for the natural restoration of Pančić’s spruce.” In the following period, we will start processing the collected data and continue to monitor and analyse the situation during the next two years of the project”, pointed out Aleksandra-Anja Dragomirović from the Center for Environment.
Field work was organised by the project leaders, RZZKIPN (Ana Ćurić, Dragan Kovačević, Darko Jovanić), with the support of experts (Milan Mataruga, Đorđije Milanović) and partner organisations of the Center for the Environment (Aleksandra-Anja Dragomirović). Fieldwork would not be possible without the support of partner companies and institutions on whose territory the research objects are located: JPŠ “Sume Republika Srpska” and NP “Tara”.
The project team is especially grateful to colleagues who provided support in the work and in locations outside their work units: Rajko Nikitović, Miroslav Baranac (ŠG “Panos” Višegrad”), Miloš Mirković (ŠG “Sjemeć” Rogatica), Velimir Čančar (ŠG “Maglić” Foča), and to his colleague Aleksandar Đurić and his colleagues from NP “Tara” for their hospitality during their stay in NP “Tara”.
