Part of an expert team from the Institute “Dr Josif Pančić”, from 26 June 2020 continued field research and mapping of medicinal herbs in the municipality of Bijelo Polje. After easing restrictive measures caused by the Corona virus pandemic and opening the borders between Serbia and Montenegro, conditions have been met to continue collecting data on the prevalence of types of herbs on the territory of Bijelo Polje and the surrounding area.
During the seven-day field survey, the plan include the visits to the mountainous regions of Bjelasica and Komova, Djalovic Gorge, Ljesnica and other sites that are characterized by exceptional diversity and wealth of biodiversity and medical plant resources. Even though it was not possible to investigate in the spring phase of vegetation due to pandemic, experts from the Institute hope to collect enough data in the coming period that is important for future activities related to monitoring, protection and sustainable use of medicinal herbs. In the second half of September, another team site visits will be implemented on the ground in Montenegro, rounding up mapping and systematizing data on natural resources wealth.
In the previous period, a team from the Institute has been in the Prijepolje area on several occasions. Visiting the landscapes in Jadovnik, Kamena Gora, Apple and Milesheva Canyon during the spring and summer phases of vegetation, they collected data on the representation of hundreds of species of herbs. Systematized data and research results will also be available on the PORALIST platform, which will become operational during September and available to the general public, and the continuation of research in Montenegro has great importance for completing the platform, as a kind of database of the richness of medicinal herbs in the cross-border area.
In the previous period, a team from the Institute has been in the Prijepolje area on several occasions. Visiting the landscapes in Jadovnik, Kamena Gora, Jabuka and Milesheva Canyon during the spring and summer phases of vegetation, they collected data on the representation of hundreds of species of herbs. Systematized data and research results will also be available on the PORALIST platform, which will become operational during September and available to the general public, and the continuation of research in Montenegro has great importance for completing the platform, as a kind of database of the richness of medicinal herbs in the cross-border area.
Project “Protection observatory for regional area of medicinal plants as lively cross-border infrastructure of sustainable tourism (PORALIST)” jointly on the territory of Prijepolje and Bijelo Polje municipalities is implemented by the Regional Development Agency Zlatibor, Institute for the Study of Herbs “Dr Josif Pančić” and NGO Multimedial Montenegro.
‘PORALIST’ is an EU-funded project implemnted under IPA CBC programme Serbia – Montenegro.
Source: IPA CBC programme Serbia – Montenegro website