Bosnia and Herzegovina has slightly more than three percent of protected natural areas. This is precisely why the project to protect the Buna and Bunica rivers is of exceptional importance. With the support of the City of Mostar and the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Youth Club “Novi Val” from Blagaj leads the activities that, after years of devastation, should lead to the permanent protection of these two karst beauties.
Just three years ago, the construction of small hydropower plants was planned in this area. Thanks to the efforts of environmental activists, instead of implementing those projects, an initiative for the protection of natural heritage was launched. It is planned that the Buna and Bunica rivers will receive the status of a protected area, from their sources to the Bunka channels, where the Buna flows into the Neretva.
“At this stage, we will have about twenty professors who will work intensively in the field, prepare complete documentation and conduct research. All the collected documentation will be combined into a professional explanation that will be the basic document for the declaration of the Protected Area of Buna and Bunica”, said Adnan Đuliman, president of the Youth Club “Novi val” Blagaj.
The cold waters of these rivers are the habitat of numerous endemic fish species, which are threatened in other parts of the Neretva basin due to the construction of hydropower plants.
“When it comes to the ichthyofauna of Buna and Bunica, this is an extremely important step, especially for the endemic soft-lipped trout and grayling. Those species are on the red list as critically endangered,” said Prof. Dr. Sanel Riđanović, head of the Biology Department of the University “Džemal Bijedić” in Mostar.
Illegal construction, illegal landfills, embankments, discharge of waste water and unregulated felling of trees represent the biggest threats to the living world of these rivers, and consequently to the human habitat.
“We have degradation of the dendrological fund along the banks of the rivers, we have lost some capital trees and plant species that traditionally grow in this area and have the ability to accumulate large amounts of water,” warns Bojan Spasojević, senior expert associate for agriculture in the City of Mostar.
The entire Neretva river basin is under strong pressure from human activities, which is why the preservation of the last oases of autochthonous and endangered species is of crucial importance.
“Buna and Bunica are rivers that are already on the verge of extinction, and this is the last moment to start the process of their protection. In practice, this will mean establishing clear rules of conduct in accordance with the Law on Nature Protection,” Đuliman pointed out.
The declaration of a protected area, in addition to the preservation of plant and animal life, will also encompass the rich cultural heritage that developed on the banks of these rivers.
