2020 – 2022 CEPF
Skadar oak (Quercus robur spp. Scutariensis Cernj.), an endemic subspecies of the pedunculate oak, is the only oak species legally protected in Montenegro. This oak once formed large lowland forests in the valleys of the Zeta and Bojana rivers and around Lake Skadar. However, due to excessive exploitation by humans, these forests have now been reduced to individual trees and small isolated groups.
The oak gives the area it inhabits unique biological, ecological, environmental, and monumental significance. Oaks are esteemed symbols of strength, power, longevity, and spiritual and material wealth, and the remaining trees represent a very valuable seed source essential for the restoration of Skadar oak forests.
Therefore, the project “From the Inventory of Monumental Skadar Oak Trees to the Restoration of Their Forests and Biodiversity Protection” is focused on assessing the status and restoring populations of the Skadar oak.
Through scientific inventory, MES will determine the current status of Skadar oak populations, creating a scientific basis for reconstructing its range of distribution. This scientific approach will lead to the drafting of a Skadar Oak Protection Study, including proposals for an Action Plan for Protection.
During the project, young researchers will be trained primarily in phytocenology, as well as in the systematics and morphology of oaks, dendrochronology, and geographic information systems (GIS).
One of the goals is to engage the local community and local organisations in the restoration process of Skadar oak forests. In cooperation with them, information on Skadar oak locations will be collected, acorns gathered, and 10,000 seedlings of this oak species grown and planted.
Restoring these forests directly contributes to the improvement and expansion of habitats for some endangered species, directly affects erosion reduction, soil fertility, regulation of water regimes, and extreme temperatures. This makes the entire forested area more attractive for sustainable tourism.
The project is financed by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF). The project duration is 19 months (July 2020 – January 2022).
