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Register of Protected Natural Values of CroatiaThe Register of Protected Natural Values of the Republic of Croatia (Croatian: Upisnik zaštićenih prirodnih vrijednosti) has been created according to the Nature Protection Act (Croatian Zakon o zaštiti prirode) in 2005 (Ch. III/5, OG 70/05[1] with amendments in 2008, OG 139/08[2]). The register is being administered by the Administration for Nature Protection (Croatian: Uprava za zaštitu prirode Ministarstva kulture) within the Croatian Ministry of Culture (Croatian: Ministarstvo kulture). The register serves as a reference database and unique official data source about protected areas in Croatia. The data in this register is public with the exception of special cases of confidentiality regarding the position of certain protected natural goods. The Nature Protection Act stipulates nine categories of protected areas. According to the Register, within the Republic of Croatia 461 nature sites are protected in different categories, of which 12 are under preventive protection.[3] The protected areas cover 8.51% of the total surface out of which 11.32% belong to the continental territory and 3.38% to the Croatian maritime area. The largest part of the protected surface are the nature parks (3.71% of the total state territory).[4] Plitvice Lakes National Park is so far the only protected nature area that has also been added to the UNESCO World Heritage. ConstitutionThe Croatian constitution stipulates that the protection of natural heritage needs to be regulated according to the constitution and laws of the Republic of Croatia (art. 2).[5] As regards nature protection, the Croatian constitution stipulates:[6]
Furthermore, the constitution stipulates:
Croatian State Institute for Nature ProtectionThe Croatian State Institute for Nature Protection (Croatian Državni zavod za zaštitu prirode, DZZP) is the responsible national institution for nature protection. It has been established by governmental decree in 2002 (OG 126/02). According to the Nature Protection Act (Croatian Zakon o zaštiti prirode) the institute is centrally responsible for specialized nature protection activities in Croatia (OG 70/05[7] and OG 139/08[8]). Protected area categoriesThe Nature Protection Act stipulates nine categories of protected areas. The national categories largely correspond to the internationally recognized IUCN protected area categories.[9] The table below lists the protected area category, the management level and the proclaiming body.
SpeciesThe biodiversity in Croatia is amongst the richest in all of Europe. The reason for this is the specific geographic position of Croatia at the crossing of four biogeographical regions, each of which is characterized by specific ecological, climatic and geomorphological properties. The great diversity of habitats in Croatia has resulted in a wealth of diversity of wild taxa (species and subspecies). Unfortunately, the exact number of wild taxa in Croatia is still unknown. To date, almost 38,000 taxa have been recorded. However, the actual number is estimated to be much higher, with estimates ranging from a minimum of 50,000 to over 100,000.[10] The Register contains 817 protected and 2,307 strictly protected wild and domesticated taxa.[11] For particularly protected species the Red List of Plants and Animals of the Republic of Croatia has been created. There are more than 100 species that are listed on the European IUCN Red List of endangered species.[12] See alsoReferences
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