2016 – 2017 CEPF
The project “Action for the Ecological Valorization of the Buljarica Cove” aims to offer a scientific basis for addressing current challenges in the field of nature protection and decision-making regarding the Buljarica cove. The project is supported by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), through its small grants financial mechanism.
In April 2016, the Montenegrin Ecologists Society, together with the NGO Environment Programme and the Society for the Development of Ecology, with the support of Professor Pierre Ibisch from the Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management at Eberswalde University, laid the scientific groundwork for the protection of the Buljarica cove by applying the so-called MARISCO (Adaptive MAnagement of vulnerability and RISk at Conservation) ecosystem methodological approach through field research, workshops, and analyses. A team composed of experts from various fields and for different taxa (for habitats, marine ecosystems, entomology, herpetology, ichthyology, theriology, ornithology, and GIS) was engaged in monitoring the dynamics and changes in ecosystems, with a clear focus on biodiversity elements, key ecosystem attributes, stresses, threats, and contributing factors. Socioeconomic and cultural heritage assessments were also conducted, fulfilling the interdisciplinary approach to research.
Both indicators – the biodiversity analysis of Buljarica and insight into the social situation – confirmed that investment in its protection and restoration, as well as in sustainable development management, is fully justified. Urgent measures must be taken to stop construction and unsustainable use of resources.
The research showed that Buljarica represents a specific and significant natural and cultural entity on the Adriatic coast. Its ecosystems are relatively well-preserved and inhabited by numerous important wild species. From the perspective of environmental protection, the greatest significance and uniqueness of the Buljarica cove lie in its wetland habitats. The interactions between the wetland and its surroundings ensure high biological diversity in a small area. It is important to mention that wetland ecosystems like this, which make up the majority of Buljarica, are rapidly disappearing from the Montenegrin coast, mostly due to intensive urbanization. This fact further emphasises the value and importance of this area.
The presence of permanent and temporary water bodies, springs, streams, and forests provides optimal conditions for feeding, reproduction, and overwintering of insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Many of the plant and animal species present in Buljarica are protected at both the national and international levels. Many of the recorded species are listed in the register of protected plants and animals of Montenegro (Official Gazette of Montenegro 76/06): 7 species of insects, 8 amphibians, 19 reptiles, 175 birds, and 7 species of mammals. This fact alone confirms the biological value of Buljarica.
In the marine ecosystem, the most important element in terms of protection is the “meadows” of Neptune grass (Posidonia oceanica), which cover large areas of the seabed and provide habitat for numerous other life forms. In addition, water quality directly depends on them, so P. oceanica is one of the key species for human well-being and for ecosystem services.
The value of Buljarica is not made up only of natural assets: the long-standing presence of people has also left its mark on this area. The three most significant cultural-historical monuments in Buljarica are the Gradište Monastery, the memorial plaque to fallen patriots, and the Memorial Cemetery of WWI internees. Besides these three, numerous other cultural assets have been registered: 25 archaeological sites, 21 building groupings (traditional secular architecture), 16 sacred objects and sites, and 17 memorial sites.
