The oldest rainforest in Europe – a location where man has absolutely no influence. When we mention the word rainforest, most of us probably wander to Brazil, Peru, Colombia and other South American countries, which is somewhat normal, because most of the information about wilderness, vast forests as well as rainforests and jungles came through TV and then the most popular channels Nat Geo, Discovery and the like. We are talking about the time when there was an expansion of cable TV channels, while there was still no Internet in the form we know today.
Also, the mention of the Perućica rainforest was not sufficiently represented in both primary and secondary education (personal experience of the 87 ‘generation) Let's not go any further, the most important thing is that today Bosnia and Herzegovina can boast of the largest and oldest rainforest in Europe and as such is more and more the focus of interest of the media and tourists around the world.
In fact, what are rainforests by definition? Rainforests are the most valuable ecosystem in the world and are often called the lungs of our country. Lush forests that cover a large part of the territory are in most cases untouched, dense and impassable, in which trees only fall and rot with age. They are rich in large trees and huge canopies and diverse wildlife. Such is precisely our Perućica, which is classified as a rainforest of temperate regions, which, unlike tropical rainforests, is much more accessible but no less important for the entire ecosystem. Perućica is one of the 4 remaining rainforests in Europe, but as we mentioned earlier, it is the oldest and richest of all others in Europe. It is located in the territory of the Sutjeska National Park and is the most valuable pearl of the natural treasure of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Back in 1938, for the first time, data on the species of flora and fauna on the territory of today's Perućica rainforest were officially entered
It is interesting how at that time foresters and appraisers found and recorded beautiful stands of beech, fir and spruce whose wood mass exceeded 1000 per hectare and the height of trees exceeded during the preparation of a structural study on the mountain Maglić in the basin of the river Perućica – in the bay between Maglić, Volujak and Sniježnica is 50 meters, which was unthinkable for our foresters at that time. Precisely because of its wealth, in 1954 the rainforest area was placed under state protection as a nature reserve. Preservation and protection of the rainforest in its original state is the primary task of the Sutjeska National Park and all of us who are lucky enough to visit us as a jewel. Everything in the reserve must be left to nature. Birth, life, death and rebirth regulate exclusively nature without human intervention. In Perućica as well as other parts of the Sutjeska National Park there is a real treasure and therefore we warmly recommend you to visit the Sutjeska National Park. We note that the entrance to the rainforest is strictly controlled and that a permit and a guide from the Sutjeska National Park are required to visit it. You can book your tour today at this one linku.
