Macedonia Creates National Park on Mt. Sara
12/20/99
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Title: Macedonia Creates National Park on Mt. Sara
Source: Environment News Service
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: December 20, 1999
Byline: Natasa Dokovska
SKOPJE, Macedonia, December 20, 1999 (ENS) - The Macedonian Assembly
has voted to create a new national park to safeguard the delicate
ecosystems and rich biodiversity on the Macedonian side of Mount
Sara. After months of argument about the need for protection in the
Sara Mountain area, the bill was passed last week over the objections
of citizens who live in the mountain villages.
The law was proposed by the Macedonian minister of environment as a
response to uncontrolled hunting and development in the fragile area.
One problem was illegal building of villas on the mountains because
this area is one of the biggest ski centers in Macedonia.
The Albanian deputies argued against the law because they are sure
that citizens will no longer be able to hunt and will be punished if
they cut trees from the forests.
The region contains many rare plants and animals together with
unusual land and water formations. Bears, boars, deer and wild sheep
inhabit Sara Mountain. Famous across Europe for its wildlife on the
one hand, and unpolluted environment, the area has become a real
mecca for tourist resorts and sports facilities, where medical herbs
can be gathered, or game hunts can be arranged. The new law creating
the national park forbids logging, hunting and disturbance of the
environment.
The 52 hectare (128 acre) protected area will be a part of the
communities of Tetovo, Vratnica, Tearce, Dzepciste, Sipkovica and
Kamenane. It will take in part of the source of the River Vrutok and
the area known as Mavrovski Anovi to the Yugoslav border.
Sara is Macedonia's fourth national park, after Pelister, Mavrovo and
Galicica. Sara is protected from Yugoslavian side to the extent of
39,000 hectares (96,369 acres) that have been a national park since
1975. On the Yugoslav side, Sara is the mountain with the greatest
number of lakes lying at the highest elevations.
Environmentalists from the both Macedonia and Yugoslavia want to put
Sara on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
During the Kosovo conflict three planes crashed on Mount Sara, one
Yugoslav plane on March 30, and two NATO aircraft on April 6 and May
14, according to a Yugoslav website, Tour of Duty.
In a further attempt to protect Macedonia's environment, the
Macedonian government has forbidden NATO planes to fly over national
parks and lakes. Also on the list of forbidden fly over zones are
dams and artificial lakes.
Fly overs are now also limited above settlements, to avoid agitation
of the citizens.