The protected area of Sharri National Park is expanded
17 January 2013
17.01.2013 - With the approval of the new Law for Sharri National Park (Law No. 04/L-087), the territory of this protected area has also been expanded. Now Sharri National Park covers an area of 53,469 ha. The expanded part of the Park is mainly located in the territory of the Dragash municipality.
Initiatives to expand the Sharri National Park have been continuous. In 2005, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, specifically the Institute for Nature Protection, continued the initiative to expand the territory of the Sharri National Park also into the territory of the Dragash municipality. The rationale proposal initiated by the Institute for Nature Protection was later supported and supplemented by other units of the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and, with the support of UNDP and national and international experts, the study was finalized. During 2012, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning prepared the draft law for the Shar Mountains National Park and sent it to the Assembly of Kosovo for review and approval.
The territory of the Dragash municipality, included within the Sharri National Park, is one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity in Kosovo and the Balkans. This territory is distinguished by a large number of rare and unique plant and animal species such as: brown bear, chamois, lynx, wildcat, rusty rhododendron, Sharri crocus, Alexander's feather grass, Sharri cerastium, and Sharri carnation; then Balkan pine, bear, Balkan wild goat, and wolf, many species of birds and butterflies, and many species of aquatic insects. The extended territory of the Park is also characterized by: extraordinary and beautiful landscapes, extraordinary water resources, and areas with mushrooms, medicinal and aromatic plants such as blueberries, juniper, thistle, balsam flower, feather grass, etc.
Due to the high values of biodiversity and the great richness of landscapes, Sharr Mountain National Park was declared a protected area in 1986 by the then Assembly of Kosovo. With the entry into force of the new law for the National Park, the Law on Sharr Mountain National Park (GZKSAK 11/86), through which this protected area has been administered until now, has been repealed. The approval of the Law on Sharr National Park by the Assembly of Kosovo will be followed by the approval of the Spatial Plan for the Park, where the boundaries of specific zones within the National Park will be determined, and by the Management Plan, which will specify the details regarding the management of the park.