One of the greatest independent environment protection organisations WWF gave yesterday, on the occasion of the Earth Day, a petition with 25 517 signatures for preservation of the Nature Park ‘Hutovo Blato’ to government of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, reports Fena.
Assistant minister for Environment Protection Zejnil Trešnjo took the petition.
For several years already, WWF is warning about the poor condition of Hutovo blato. Intensive poaching and the non-existence of real protection resulted in a decreased number of bird and fish species.
‘Because of the great ecological importance and great bio-diversity, WWF recognised Hutovo blato as one of the priority habitats in BiH and wider region of Dinaric Alps and its protection is of great interest for WWF. Natural water regime of Hutovo Blato, and the survival of plant and animal species in this area is jeopardized with the construction of hydro-technical infrastructure in the Trebišnjica River basin several decades ago, and now the project of ‘Upper Horizons’ is threatening to take even more water’ said Zoran Mateljak from WWF.
‘The protection of nature and environment is the permanent agenda of the Ministry of Commerce, Tourism and Environment Protection of HNK. The petition given to us today, on the Earth Day, is just another reason for protecting Hutovo Blato, as the most valuable swamp habitat in BIH. With the improvement of cooperation and coordination between different users of the area of Hutovo Blato and with the implementation of the project of evaluation of direct, indirect and unused resources of this high-valued area it is possible to make this Park of Nature more functional and stop its biological and ecological degradation. For that we need knowledge and energy, but above all, personal and collective consciousness and responsibility towards the nature’ said Trešnju after the meeting with WWF.
Park of Nature, WWF, HNK Government will cooperate more intensively on improving the management of Hutovo Blato in order to protect its great biological diversity.
