Biokovo

On Thursday, we visited the Biokovo Nature Park in Makarska. We started with a presentation by Ivana Gabric at one of the education centers in the park. In 1981 the park was designated as one of the 11 nature parks in Croatia, and in 1998 it was designated as a public institution. At the park, visitors can sightsee, hike, go on tours, and explore the caves. The park’s mission is to protect and safeguard nature, ensure undisturbed natural processes, and maintain sustainable use of natural resources. The financing comes from the national, county, and municipality budget; entrance fees; revenue from reimbursement; donations; and grant funding for projects. The park has 12 employees: the director, conservation manager, park rangers, technical and expert services, and a governing board with 5 members.

The park is located in part of the Dinaric Alps, covering about 19,550 hectares (48,309 acres), with heights ranging from 200-1762 meters (656-5780 feet). The highest peak at Biokovo is St. Jure. The park has a variety of wild plant and animal species, including rare and protected species. There are 120 cave organisms, 221 species of butterflies, 7 protected amphibian species, 21 protected reptile species, 13 endangered bat species, and more. Also located in the park is the Biokovo Botanical Garden Kotisina (16.5 hectares, or about 40 acres).

The park is a very valuable resource to the surrounding community. In the park, visitors can see the traditional architecture, pastoral housings, Illyrian heaps (tombs), churches and chapels, and traditional agriculture and farming techniques. The park offers educational programs, ecological workshops, presentations, discussions, and informational centers. The park also encourages stewardship in the community. People can come to the park to learn about nature and their environment, and what they can do to help protect it. Biokovo is also important to the Makarskan community identity. Having this resource available to the area helps strengthen the community and provides many opportunities to improve overall health through many facets.

The Biokovo Park also supports social bonding. Many school groups, tour groups, and families come to the park. It is a great opportunity to get out and get physical activity. Coming to the park to hike or ride bikes can help many chronic diseases, like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis. There are many marked trails throughout the park so that people can hike on their own. We saw several people hiking and riding bicycles throughout the park. Our group took vans part of the way up and hiked to one peak. We hiked back down and had lunch, then took vans to St. Jure, the second highest peak in Croatia.

The park is a great place for individuals to come to relieve stress through exercise and meditation. The park can also serve as a place for people to improve their spiritual health. Visiting the park can help improve mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and phobias.

Many residents of Makarska and the surrounding areas have farms in the mountains. They typically grow potatoes and other vegetables, and many of them have cattle and horses in the park. These farmers have improved health from farming, clearing the fields of rocks, herding their cattle or other livestock, and hiking to their farms.

The weather was perfect for our hike, and the storm from the night before gave us a clear view of the islands off the coast of Makarska. The view from the peaks is absolutely amazing. One of our professors, Dr. Tir, pointed out all of the familiar parts of Makarska, like the street our apartments are on. We had a great time hiking and visiting the Biokovo Park and recommend this to anyone who is in Makarska.

- Elizabeth