Dragana Šćepanović
There are many reasons for dissatisfaction with the way the Public Enterprise National Parks of Montenegro manages the “priceless oasis of natural diversity,” and the fear that this valuable legacy will be devastated is justified, warns Zora Marjanović Vincek. The Public Enterprise claims it is committed to caring for the natural monument, even though the Botanical Garden is without a botanist…
Regret, disappointment, and concern — that is all Zora Marjanović Vincek says she feels five years after she and her late husband Danijel Vincek donated the Mountain Flora Botanical Garden in Dulovine to the state.
There are many reasons for dissatisfaction with how the Public Enterprise National Parks of Montenegro (NPCG) manages this “priceless oasis of natural diversity,” she explains, and the fear that this valuable legacy will be destroyed is justified.
The Mountain Flora Botanical Garden was established in 1981 as a result of the knowledge, effort, and work of Vincek, his first wife Vjera, and with the help of Professor Vukić Pulević. Their goal was clear and achieved: to collect, display, and promote the most important native representatives of the flora of Montenegrin mountains on an area of 646 square meters, at an altitude of 1,018 meters. It is categorized as a protected natural good — a natural monument — and has been legally protected for almost three decades.
Care and dedication to the Garden were continued by Vincek’s second wife, Zora. This remained the case until 2018, three years before Danijel’s death, when they decided to donate it to the state.
Among other things, the manager of NPCG, under the donation agreement, committed to cover the costs of regular annual maintenance of the Garden as well as maintenance costs for the Vincek family house, while Danijel’s wife, employed by the enterprise, would take care of the plants. According to the estimate provided by NPCG, the costs of regular annual maintenance for the protected natural good amounted to €69,580 for the first year and €47,880 for each subsequent year.
The late Vincek’s wife explains that the only adequate care for the Garden was shown while Elvir Klica was at the helm of the enterprise. Vincek claims that since then, NPCG has not shown any interest in the natural monument in Dulovine.
“I have no one to ask for expert advice, no one to go to the field with. Now, we need to go to the field and bring new plants. Around 28 plant species have dried out — which is normal — but we regularly renewed them. I bought peat with my own money and improved the entrance to the Garden and the place where guests can sit. We used to have a translator, and Danijel spoke several languages. Now there is no translator, and I can only communicate in French. When NPCG talks about its tourist offer, it doesn’t mention the Garden, as if it doesn’t exist…” she says.
Because of all this, she says, she has even considered terminating the contract with the state.
Marjanović Vincek also warns about new construction on the plots around the protected area, which, she says, has blocked access on one side and visually “closes off” the Garden.
Dr. Vuksanović: The Manager Is Neglecting the Job
According to botanist Dr. Snežana Vuksanović from the Natural History Museum, the current state of the Botanical Garden clearly shows that “society has not respected Vincek and his legacy to Montenegro.” She points out that, among other shortcomings, there is no expert — botanist — in Dulovine, which is necessary for identifying and acquiring plant material from nature.
“It is not enough to employ people who just weed the garden and who cannot distinguish between weeds and high-mountain plants. That is not their job, so this criticism is not directed at those people. Moreover, to procure new plant material for the garden or to renew the old, a field vehicle and a driver are necessary. The worst thing that could happen to the Garden is neglecting the work. Caring for that space requires hard work, dedication, expertise, and responsibility. None of that is present there today,” states Dr. Vuksanović.
The significance of the Botanical Garden in Dulovine, she emphasises, is immeasurable. It is a tourist and cultural attraction of Kolašin, “and there has not been a single foreign visitor to Kolašin who did not visit the Garden.”
Numerous scientists from almost all over the world have visited it, seeking additional knowledge about Montenegro’s mountain flora. Dr. Vuksanović recalls the former idea that Danijel’s legacy would belong to the Natural History Museum.
“In the last years of his life, Daniel spent time searching for a successor who would take care of the Garden. Actually, his wish was to donate the Garden to the state, which would provide a manager. For a long time, we hoped the Garden would become part of the Natural History Museum. Unfortunately, the Museum did not receive financial support from the state. Finally, it was decided that it would belong to the Public Enterprise National Parks of Montenegro, specifically the ‘Biogradska Gora’ National Park. Danijel was relieved; he was happy and satisfied that his Garden would continue to ‘live’ even after his passing,” says Dr. Vuksanović.
The botanist explains that the importance of this natural monument is multifaceted and extremely significant — among other things, “for the implementation of taxonomic or vegetation projects.” In that living collection of plant taxa, biology professors from secondary schools and universities have given lectures to students who could directly engage with the plants — touch them, smell them, see the flower colors and fruit shapes… and gain knowledge about endemic, rare, and protected species of our flora.
In the state Botanical Garden, the only one of its kind in Montenegro, there are currently about 400 different plant species, including a large number of endemics. Additionally, over 80 percent of the plant species in that area are medicinal plants.
JP NPCG: Despite Challenges, We Fulfill Contractual Obligations
The Public Enterprise National Parks of Montenegro (JP NPCG) claims they are dedicated to caring for Vincek’s legacy. They say they respect all obligations and provisions of the donation contract. This, they explain, “includes regular maintenance and improvement of the Botanical Garden, as well as implementing all necessary measures for its preservation and protection.” They also claim to ensure that the area “remains a valuable natural asset that will serve the community and future generations.”
However, from their response, it is clear that no botanist is employed in Dulovine.
“The Botanical Garden Dulovine has a total of three employees and Mrs. Vincek, who is engaged under a contract for services. In addition to her, there is a sustainable development expert and two employees responsible for maintaining the facility and the green areas within the Botanical Garden,” JP NPCG explains.
They also state that they procure necessary resources and regularly pay bills related to electricity, communal services… thus “ensuring continuous operation and preservation of this important natural resource.”
“JP NPCG, according to available expert capacities and material resources, carries out activities in the Botanical Garden in the most responsible way. To meet challenges, we strive to explore additional sources of funding such as grants and donations. Despite these challenges, the commitment to preserving this unique natural resource remains key, and joint efforts and community support can play a vital role in overcoming these obstacles,” JP NPCG says.
This year, the Garden was visited by slightly less than 600 tourists. The late Vincek’s wife says that in some years thousands of people visited Dulovine.
Still, JP NPCG is satisfied with the number of visitors in recent months.
“These visits contribute to raising awareness about the importance of nature conservation and biodiversity. We are especially open to younger generations, as children under 15 have the opportunity to visit the garden free of charge. This initiative aims to encourage education and interest in the natural environment among young people. Promoting this unique natural treasure is of fundamental importance so that we can attract even more visitors and enable them to immerse themselves in the world of native plant species. Through our promotion efforts, we hope to continue attracting people from various parts of Montenegro and beyond.”
However, the enterprise did not respond regarding which specific short- and long-term activities are planned related to the natural monument. It remains unclear if and when adequate expert staff will be engaged.
Impressive Biography of Danijel Vincek
Vincek was born on June 7, 1926, in Zagreb, where he graduated from a grammar school in 1946. During World War II, he was a youth activist and underground fighter, and from November 1944 to April 1945, a combatant in the Zagorje partisan unit. He interrupted his biology studies by the decision of the Communist Party Central Committee and directed himself toward foreign trade. After graduating from Foreign Trade in Belgrade, he worked at Jugoelektron, Industrijaimport (moving to Titograd in 1960), Cotton Combine, Servisimport, and finally at Generalexport Belgrade — Titograd branch from 1977 to 1988.
His life in Kolašin was marked by ecological activism, and the Botanical Garden was his “scientific-research-publication workshop.”
Vincek co-authored numerous publications in botany and mountaineering. He was also a mountaineer and, as his biography states, there is hardly a mountain peak in Montenegro he did not climb. He conquered mountain peaks across former Yugoslavia and worldwide. He spoke German, Italian, Russian, French, and English… and knew Latin and several Slavic languages. In his honor, the plant Alchemilla vincekii Plocek from the Prokletije mountains was named.
In addition to numerous professional contributions, articles, serial publications, and educational programs, Vincek wrote and published books with collaborators. Among others, with Pulević, “Montenegro the Gateway to the Balkans — Travelogues and Records of European Botanists,” and “Montenegrin Mountains — Travelogues and Records,” which he translated and prepared with Pulević and Vasilije Bušković, as well as a mountaineering guide “Mountains of Montenegro” co-authored with Mija Kovačević and Ratko Popović. He passed away in Kolašin on August 8, 2021.
Research and Education Centers
Botanical gardens are a unique human creation and represent spaces where specimens of hundreds of plant species are displayed and preserved in one place. Otherwise, these species can be found scattered across various ecosystems and regions of the country and the world, many of which are endangered, endemic, and/or very old — relict species.
Botanical gardens serve as centers for botanical research and related scientific disciplines, but also as centers for public education, recreation, and inspiration. In addition, botanical gardens often serve as repositories where humans preserve seeds and other plant material, which is of exceptional importance in today’s historical period. Under human influence, nature faces numerous challenges, with species and their habitats disappearing at an accelerated pace. This makes the need to collect knowledge, materials, and experience great, aiming to design strategies for mitigating negative impacts, adapting to changes, and restoring our natural ecosystems. About one-third of the world’s vascular plant flora faces the threat of extinction.
Botanical gardens worldwide are a source of pride for the countries and cities where they are located. Investing in botanical gardens means investing not only in the knowledge of expert staff and our capacity to confront climate and other crises but also in educating citizens and providing a space where everyone can come to relax and connect with nature — in other words, in a green treasure that should be carefully and strictly preserved and nurtured.
This text was created as part of the project “Ecological Networks – The Key to Development Based on Preserved Nature,” implemented by the NGO Montenegrin Ecologists’ Society. The project is supported by the Center for Civic Education (CGO) under the program “NGOs in Montenegro – From Basic Services to Policy Shaping – M’BASE,” funded by the European Union and co-financed by the Ministry of Public Administration. The content of this text is the sole responsibility of the NGO Montenegrin Ecologists’ Society and does not necessarily reflect the views of CGO, the European Union, or the Ministry of Public Administration.
