22 November 2022
“Ushton lumi” has been added to the list of natural heritage values of Kosovo. During 2021, the Kosovo Institute for Nature Protection conducted a study of the natural values in Popovë, within the territory of the Municipality of Podujevo.
During the fieldwork, teams from the Institute, in cooperation with the University of Prishtina and officials of the Municipality of Podujevo who were part of the working group, researched the natural values of this area and prepared a professional justification for declaring the “Ushton lumi” area in Popovë a protected natural area.
The professional justification was submitted to the Municipal Assembly of Podujevo for approval, which, at its meeting held on 7 November 2022, adopted a decision to protect the “Ushton lumi” area under the category of Protected Landscape, covering an area of 92 ha.
From a hydrological perspective, the “Ushton lumi” area belongs to the Kaçandoll River basin, which in turn belongs to the Llap River basin, which flows through the territory of Kosovo via the Sitnica and Ibër rivers.
The main values of the area proposed for protection are of a hydrological nature. These values are best reflected in the name of the area itself, which is known by local residents as “Ushton lumi”.
The area is also characterized by geomorphological values (the Kaçandoll River Gorge, Popovë Fortress, Sokoli Stone, Petrit Rock, White Stone, etc.), speleological values (the cave in the river gorge, Halili Cave in Popovë Fortress, and the cave in Sokoli Stone), as well as rich biodiversity.
For more information about the natural values of this area, see: