WILDLIFE AND BIRD-WATCHING
Wildlife and bird-watching is a new tourist product intended for tourists attracted by this type of outdoor activity. It represents a sustainable, ecological way of using biodiversity resources, and the creation of this type of activity aims to attract tourists of special interests, which will contribute to increasing the number of tourists in the municipalities of Plužine and Foča, as well as Nature Park Piva and National Park Sutjeska.
In total, 6 platforms for bird-watching and wildlife-watching will be installed in the Nature Park Piva and the National Park Sutjeska. In addition, this activity includes the installation of forest cameras procured within the project, as well as the design of promotional material.
Detailed:
Wildlife and bird-watching in Nature Park Piva and National Park Sutjeska
Agreement on cooperation in the field of protection and rescue signed between the municipalities of Foča (BiH) and Plužine (CG)
Yesterday, the Mayors of the Municipalities of Foča (BiH) and Plužine (Montenegro) signed a mutual agreement on cooperation in the field of protection and rescue in Foča within the project “Tourism, Adrenaline and Rafting Adventure (T.A.R.A.), financed by the European Union.” The agreement was signed between these municipalities, as well as between the National Park Sutjeska and the Nature Park Piva, all with the aim of improving the security of this cross-border area.
The general conditions for cooperation in protection and rescue from disasters are defined, and especially in the planning and implementation of measures for protection and rescue from floods, earthquakes, open fires, search and rescue in the mountains and other disasters. Among other things, the mehanisms of mutual notification in cases of danger and potential catastrophes, and mutual assistance in the implementation of preventive and operational protection and rescue measures are defined.
The Mayor of the Municipality of Foca, Radisav Masic, emphasized the importance of cooperation between these municipalities, both in the field of protection and rescue, and in other segments related to the improvement of the tourist offer in this cross-border area. Mijuško Bajagić, the Mayor of the Municipality of Plužine, praised the successful cooperation so far and emphasized the importance of connecting the National Park Sutjeska and the Nature Park Piva in the field of safety at tourist locations.
In addition to the agreement, the project also developed a Study on risks at tourist locations in these municipalities (available at: https://bit.ly/3nMqs05). Standard operating procedures for dealing with emergencies have been developed, as well as instructions for recording disaster events, reporting, data exchange, seeking and accepting assistance, which will be used by representatives of the rescue services of both municipalities.
The project is implemented by the municipalities of Plužine (Montenegro) and Foča (BiH), in cooperation with the Tourist Organization of Foča and the Nature Park Piva, with the aim to develop and promote the cross-border area of these two municipalities as unique tourist destinations for active tourism. The project is financed by the European Union in the amount of 499,654.00 euros within the Cross-border Cooperation Program BiH-Montenegro, and will last from December 1, 2019 to the end of November 2021.
STUDY ON RISKS IN NATURE PARK PIVA, TARA RIVER CANYON AND NATIONAL PARK SUTJESKA, AS WELL AS JOINT STANDARD OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE DEVELOPED
In order to map potential risks at tourist locations in the cross-border area of the Municipality of Plužine and the Municipality of Foča, a Study on risks in the Nature Park Piva (Montenegro), the Tara River Canyon and the National Park Sutjeska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) was prepared.
The study focuses on the potential risks to the safety of people, animals, cultural and material goods and the environment at the main tourist locations in these municipalities, ie. areas of the Nature Park “Piva”, the Tara River Canyon and the National Park “Sutjeska”, which includes determining the real individual risks for each of these three tourist locations.
Within this activity and with aim to improve safety at tourist locations and establish cross-border cooperation in the field of protection and rescue, standard operating procedures for emergency response and instructions for reporting on disaster events, reporting, data exchange, search and accepting assistance are also developed.
The Study and standard operating procedures will be distributed and used by representatives of rescue services from both municipalities.
More details:
With the support of the European Union the municipalities of Plužine and Foča are working together to improve the safety of tourist locations
Last week, the municipalities of Plužine (Montenegro) and Foča (BiH), as part of the project “Tourism, Adrenaline and Rafting Adventure (TARA)” supported by the European Union, organized the second coordination meeting for representatives of their rescue services (civil protection, police, health care institutions, fire services and associations, protection and rescue services, GSS ) where the management, coordination and planning in the protection and rescue system were discussed.
The importance of security at tourist locations was emphasized at the meeting, as one of the most important aspects of the project. Regretting that the corona virus pandemic has slowed down certain project activities related to safety, it was stated that rescue equipment will be procured within the project which will improve the work of the rescue services. When the epidemiological situation allows, joint rescue drills will be organized, and safety exits in the Tara canyon will be installed. Participants had the opportunity to hear a lecture on the protection and rescue system in Montenegro and management and coordination in protection and rescue. One of the topics of the lecture was planning in the protection and rescue system with a focus on development of protection and rescue plans on national, local and entrepreneurial level, as a basis for the implementation of protection and rescue measures in the preventive, operational and remedial phase. The risks at tourist locations in these municipalities are analyzed, as well as the ways in which rescue services act. Participants shared their experineces in the work in rescue services, and proposals for the topics of the remaining six coordination meetings were given. Participants also received relevant materials (guides, instructions and brochures) on actions in case of earthquakes, floods and fires, both in buildings and outdoors.
The project is implemented by the municipalities of Plužine (CG) and Foča (BiH) in cooperation with the Nature Park “Piva” and the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Foča, and is funded by the European Union within the Cross-border Cooperation Program BiH-Montenegro. The goal of the project is the development and promotion of the cross-border area of these two municipalities as unique tourist destination for active tourism.
The realization of the project began on December 1, 2019 and will last for two years, until the end of November 2021.
FREE CLIMBING IN PLUZINE
The area of the municipalities of Plužine and Foča has great potential for the development of free climbing as a new tourist attraction. As part of the project, a climbing area will be arranged and climbing routes will be installed on the natural rock in Plužine. In addition, the Climbing Club in Plužine will be established within this activity. The club will be established with the support of the climbing club “Wolf” from Foča, which will be another way to strengthen cross-border cooperation in the project area. In addition, two climbing clubs (one from Foča and the newly founded from Plužine) will contribute to the popularization of this sport among children and youth and will support the sustainability of the rock climbing as a tourist product.
More details:
Welcome to the world of free climbing in Pluzine!
Free climbing in Plužine and Foča – list of climbing routes grades
INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN RACES
Having in mind that the municipalities of Plužine and Foča have active tourism in their focus of development, the project will strive to attract as many sportsmen and sportswomen as possible to this cross-border area. In that sense, 2 international mountain races will be organized, which have become very popular among running and adventure lovers in recent years. The running trails, about 50 km long, will pass through the most attractive areas and tourist locations of the Nature Park Piva (Montenegro) and the National Park Sutjeska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) so that participants can enjoy the natural beauties that these two parks offer.
More detail:
The first “PP PIVA – NP SUTJESKA TRAIL 2020” gathered runners from seven European countries
The first “PP PIVA – NP SUTJESKA TRAIL 2020” gathered runners from seven European countries
On Saturday, August 1, the municipalities of Foča (BiH) and Plužine (Montenegro) organized the first international mountain race “PP PIVA – NP SUTJESKA TRAIL” with the support of the European Union which gathered runners from seven European countries. More than 100 participants from BiH, Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, UK and France competed in the 42km Strike (Marathon) category and the 25km Proletarian (Challenger) category, as well as in the 12km and 4km categories.
The starting locations were different. Competitors from the Strike category started from Čemerno, while competitors from the Proletarian category started the race from the Suha canyon. The location of the finish line and the announcement of the winner was at the central monument in Tjentište.
Dane Krstulović-Opara from Split was first in Strike category, while Snežana Đurić from Kragujevac won first place in the Proletarian category. After the announcement of the winner, Krstulović-Opara addressed the audience and emphasized that there were hard ascents and steep descents, but it is beautiful when you climb up and look at the Trnovacko Lake. He said that the nature here is fascinating and that, according to him, this area can hardly surpass anything, and that the vacation should be spent here, and not at sea coast.
The competitors pointed out that the race, although strenuous, is excellently organized and that the area of the National Park “Sutjeska” and the Nature Park “Piva” is ideal for this type of sport and recreation, as well as for active vacation. They also stated that the race trails were marked in detail, and the organizers made an effort to choose the most attractive areas in order to best present the tourist potentials of this cross-border area. Members of the Mountain Rescue Service of the Republika Srpska from Foča, who were deployed at checkpoints, were in charge of the safety of the participants.
The organizers of the race made an effort to comply with all measures of the competent institutions during the current coronary virus pandemic, due to which the number of participants is significantly lower than expected. However, the organizers state that they will strive to make this race a tradition and to gather an increasing number of sports, adventure and adrenaline lovers during the years.
The race was organized within the first edition of the Trekking League 2020, and is one of the activities of the project “Tourism, Adrenaline and Rafting Adventure (T.A.R.A.)” funded by the European Union under the Cross-Border Cooperation Program BiH – Montenegro.
The representative of the Municipality of Foča, Igor Čurčić, pointed out that the project will work on the development of new tourist products and branding of the cross-border area, improvement of tourist infrastructure, as well as on increasing safety at tourist locations.
The project is jointly implemented by the Municipalities of Plužine and Foča, in cooperation with the Nature Park “Piva” and the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Foča with the aim of developing and promoting the cross-border area as a unique destination for active tourism. The realization started on December 1, 2019 and will last for two years, until the end of November 2021, and the project plans to hold another international mountain race for next year.
A floating pontoon has been installed at Piva Lake for easier and safer access to boats
We are very pleased to inform you that the installation of a floating pontoon on the beach in Plužine has been completed. The pontoon is installed with the purpose of bathers safer entering and exiting the water and easier access to boats who want to enjoy in Piva Lake cruising during the lower water level.
The installation of a floating pontoon at Piva Lake is one of the number of activities within the project “Tourism, Adrenaline and Rafting Adventure (TARA)” implemented by the Municipalities of Plužine and Foča, in cooperation with the Nature Park “Piva” and the Tourist Organization of Foča. The project is funded by the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the Cross-border Cooperation Program BiH-Montenegro in the amount of 499,654.00 euros.
Coordination meetings of rescue services
Coordination of rescue services from municipalities of Pluzine i Foca
In order to have tourists’ destinations safe and secure and perceived as such, through the project better cooperation between rescue services from two municipalities (police departments, fire departments, health centers, civil protection units and professional rescue teams, mountain rescue service) will be established.
In that regard, the project will support organization of 8 coordination meetings (4 per year) with teams in charge of provision of safety in tourist’s destinations in the project area. During the meetings, safety measures and safety standard on tourist destinations will be discussed, yet also all other issues related to risk management. Those meetings will also have capacity building component, with public guest-lectures on contemporary issues and trends related to safety.
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Municipalities of Foca and Pluzine started work on improving safety at tourist sites
The sixth coordination meeting of the rescue services from Foča and Plužine organized
Municipalities of Foca and Pluzine started work on improving safety at tourist sites
Yesterday, as a part of the “Tourism, Adrenaline and Rafting Adventure (T.A.R.A)” Project, the municipalities of Foca (BiH) and Pluzine (Montenegro) organized a coordination meeting for members of their rescue services (civil protection, police, health institutions, fire services and associations, protection and rescue services, Mountain Rescue Service), where measures, standards and modern safety trends at tourist sites, risk management and rescue on water and under water were discussed.
The project is implemented by the two municipalities in cooperation with the Nature Park Piva and the Tourist Organization of Foca, financed by the European Union in the amount of EUR 499,654.00. The project is implemented with the aim of developing and promoting the cross-border area as a unique destination for active tourism. The project implementation started on 1 December 2019 and it will last for two years, until the end of November 2021.
The meeting was opened by the Mayor of Foca, Radisav Masic, who emphasized the importance and significance of the safety aspect in tourism development in the two municipalities. In his presentation, the mayor emphasized the necessity of involving various institutions and other actors in the process of improving safety at tourist sites, especially on the fast river Tara.
A member of the Mountain Rescue Mostar and search instructor, Goran Mitric, gave a lecture on safety standards, specifics of search and rescue on calm and fast waters, as well as on trends in this area. Mitric emphasized the importance of training rescue teams in relevant institutions and equipping them with adequate rescue equipment so that the services could react efficiently in rescue operations.
The participants of the coordination meeting also stressed the need to train new rescuers and the need for cooperation of all institutions and rescue clubs, and gave recommendations on how to jointly improve safety in the border area Foca and Pluzine, where the focus is on the Tara River. A discussion was initiated on the importance of fire protection, as one of the important safety aspects at tourist sites.