16 July 2021
16.07.2021 - The Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning, and Infrastructure (MMPHI), through the Kosovo Institute for Nature Protection, has supported the realization of the publication of the Atlas of Plants of Kosovo. This atlas is the result of several years of research work by local botany experts and represents a very important publication in this field.
In 2012, the Atlas of Plants of Kosovo was published, which contained data on a total of 902 plant species. Since that time, the team of experts who participated in the preparation of this atlas has continued field research and now presents photographs and data for 228 additional plant species, thereby increasing the number to 1,130 plant species and covering 1/3 of Kosovo's plants, out of approximately 3,000 plant species believed to be in our country.
This document will be important for central, local, as well as academic institutions, because it contains significant scientific data about our flora. This data is of particular value for the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency, respectively the Kosovo Institute for Nature Protection, as it enables the completion of the database and the creation of a detailed inventory of Kosovo's plant species.
Within the plant species included in this atlas, there are also endemic plant species of the Balkans and Kosovo, as well as rare and endangered species. Therefore, this document and this data will also serve as a good basis for the drafting of policies, strategies, and plans for the protection of rare and endangered plant species and their habitats.
Raising awareness for the protection of biodiversity has a very special role in their protection and in recognizing the importance of plant species. We assess that publications similar to this atlas will contribute to increasing the awareness of all groups for the recognition and protection of the biodiversity of the plant species in our country.
Likewise, this atlas will also serve educational institutions of various levels as a documentary and practical material, which will facilitate familiarization with the plant species of Kosovo and their distribution.
Within the framework of objectives for the protection of nature and biodiversity, central and local institutions must give special importance to the care and protection of Kosovo's natural heritage, through the development of effective policies for the protection of rare and endangered plant and animal species and the conservation of their habitats.
The Kosovo Institute for Nature Protection will also engage in deepening cooperation not only with relevant national institutions responsible for preserving biodiversity, but also with international organizations, academic and research institutions, as well as civil society organizations, with the aim of achieving our shared goal of protecting our biological diversity and natural heritage.
Download: Atlas of Plants of Kosovo