At the Faculty of Forestry of the University of Banja Luka, on September 12 and 13, 2024, the Final Conference of the project was held: “Support for the restoration and conservation of the oldest European tree species – Serbian spruce (Picea omorika)”. The project was realized by several partners: the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural-Historical and Natural Heritage, the Center for Environment, the Forestry Faculty of the University of Banja Luka, JPŠ “Forests of the Republic of Srpska”, National Park “Tara”, National Park “Drina”, NGOs “Arbor Magna”, “Eco Center” and “Tara” Mountaineering Club. The project is supported by the Swiss foundation “Franklinia”. The goals of this international three-year project were to establish new knowledge through field research for:
– support the natural regeneration of Serbian spruce in situ,
– create “Guidelines for the preservation of Serbian spruce – in situ“,
– build Serbian spruce management capacities and sensitize the general public and decision-makers on the importance of proper management and long-term preservation of this valuable species.
The research was carried out in selected areas both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Serbia, in a total of 5 spruce sites, where two pilot areas were selected in each population that are located in different ecological conditions (Rogatica, Višegrad and NP “Tara”) . During three years of research, several million data were collected from automatic measuring devices from populations that suffered a fire, which are small, threatened and on the verge of survival, and populations where there is natural regeneration. At the same time, data on vegetation were collected through phytocoenological research.
Data from natural populations of Serbian spruce were presented at the final event. As a result: “Guidelines for the preservation of Serbian spruce – in situ” were published, by Milan Mataruga and Đorđij Milanović et al. During the field work and at the organized project meetings, the representatives of the managers of the Serbian spruce sites were additionally trained in monitoring the state of the Serbian spruce populations.
The final meeting was held on September 13 at the Faculty of Forestry in Banja Luka, and the day before, on September 12, the photo exhibition: “Serbian spruce – the story of life” was officially opened, which adorned the hall of the newly opened Faculty of Forestry for the next ten days. The authors of the exhibition, whose goal is to bring the Serbian spruce closer to the general public as a species of special importance, are Aleksandra-Anja Dragomirović, Centner for Environment and Ana Ćurić, Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage.
The activities were attended by representatives of the project partners as well as all other interested nature lovers who showed their interest in the preservation of Serbian spruce. The participants of the conference were given the opportunity to distribute Serbian spruce saplings, thus pointing out the importance of preserving spruce and a healthy environment.