On August 29th, the Mountaineering Club “Vučji zub” from Bosnia and Herzegovina organized a trail marking activity on the mountain Orjen. This time, however, this was not all. This trail is of special importance for the preservation of endangered and rare plant species, steno endemic* - Orjen iris (Iris orjenii).

The Iris orjenii population on Orjen’s mountain peak Vučji zub is one of very few populations of this species. Along other threats, such as competition with other plant species, it was endangered due to the hiking trail that directly leaned on it. Fulfilling the agreement and expressing its determination and commitment to support EnvPro in its efforts to preserve the Orjen iris, the Mountaineering club “Vučji zub” led by Igor Škero carried out the activity on relocation of the trail.

“It was a special honour and privilege to participate in this cross-border project, where, together with the Museum of Herzegovina, we were included by the project lead, EnvPro from Montenegro.

The relocation work was done in several phases:

• field security screening and monitoring,
• finding of alternative paths for trail relocation,
• relocation of the trail in the length of 80 meters,
• marking and signalization of the new trail.

The Mountaineering club “Vučji zub” has been working for years on the promotion and protection of the mountain Orjen within its capabilities. It was our pleasure to help in this project, and we hope that we will continue to participate in this and similar projects aimed at protecting biodiversity of the mountain Orjen on both sides of the state border”, stated Igor Škero, the president of Mountaineering club “Vučji zub”.

“This is a product of cooperation and joint efforts of many different parties that kindly put their forces together. It is a great inspiration for the whole team, which works with enthusiasm and dedication, when positive changes happen. In environmental protection, building knowledge and alliances contributes to objective based conservation which is a joy and a necessity and we are happy for the worthy action dedicated to protect this endangered plant“, Ana Katnić, the executive director of EnvPro.

This activity was realized within the project “Conservation of endemic, rare and endangered plant species of Mountain Orjen”, focusing on research, capacity building, and networking of stakeholders led by EnvPro.

*definition: species occurring in only one geographical region e.g. the Balkan, Montenegro or Mt. Orjen, and which also has a very limited areal of distribution