COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT TO SAVE EUROPE'S OLDEST TREE

The final event of the project "Support for the Restoration and Conservation of Europe's Oldest Tree Species – Pančić Spruce (Picea omorika)" was held at the Faculty of Forestry, University of Banja Luka, located within the protected area of the Monument of Park Architecture "University Campus."

The first part of the event featured the opening of an educational photo exhibition titled "Pančić Spruce – The Story of Life" in the lobby of the Faculty of Forestry.

During the project's closing conference, presentations were given that showcased the project, its results, and the goals and recommendations for the future management of this species. As a result, the "Guidelines for the Conservation of Pančić Spruce In Situ" were published.

Research during the project was conducted in the Republic of Srpska and Serbia across five populations, with two test plots selected in each population, located in different ecological conditions.

Over the three years of research, several million data points were collected from automatic measuring devices in populations that had suffered from fire, those that were small, endangered, and on the verge of extinction, as well as populations with natural regeneration. Simultaneously, vegetation data was collected through phytocoenological research.

The project was implemented by several partners: the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural, Historical, and Natural Heritage of the Republic of Srpska, the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Banja Luka, the Center for the Environment, JPŠ "Forests of the Republic of Srpska" a.d. Sokolac, Arbor Magna, Tara National Park, Tara Mountaineering Club, Drina National Park, and the NGO "Eco Center" from Višegrad. The project was funded by the Swiss foundation "Franklinia."