LocationsA valuable ecological and hydrological resource of BiH
January 21, 2025
A valuable ecological and hydrological resource of BiH
Protected habitat Tišina
Continental wetlands are valuable, and highly sensitive, ecosystems at the European level. They are important habitats for numerous species of flora and fauna, many of which are listed in the annexes of the EU Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, these ecosystems are of exceptional importance due to their small number and invaluable importance in preserving biodiversity, ensuring hydrological stability and flood protection. One such area is the protected habitat Tišina, which is characterized by specific geological and hydrological phenomena as well as an exceptional diversity of flora and fauna and extremely important ecosystem services that are of particular importance to the local population.
The estimated value of the ecosystem services of the Tišina wetland complex is almost 530 million euros per year. This unique wetland ecosystem plays a key role in preserving biodiversity and protecting against floods, and its rapid drying leads to a threat that requires urgent restoration.
Protected Habitat "Tišina"
The Tišina protected habitat is a unique wetland ecosystem created by the interaction of the Bosna and Sava rivers, whose winding beds have created a complex of basins, dead ends and old beds connected to groundwater. Tišina includes ponds, floodplain forests and marshes and represents an ecologically important habitat in the middle of the densely populated Posavina region.
The water bodies Mala Tišina, Velika Tišina and Odmut, located on the right bank of the Sava, are the remains of ancient meanders created by tectonic movements and play a key role in the management of water flows.
The richness of Tišina's biodiversity is confirmed through 236 recorded plant species, including 24 invasive species. This complex is an important spawning ground for fish such as tench, perch and carp and a key resting place for migratory birds.
Six habitats in Tišina are classified as endangered according to the Natura 2000 directive, which further emphasizes the need for its protection.
Change in water surface cover in spring and autumn 2024.
In recent decades, there has been an accelerated drying up of water bodies. Mala Tišina has almost completely dried up, while Velika Tišina and Odmut register significant water level oscillations.
Restoration measures are urgently needed to stop the disappearance of this valuable ecosystem, whose protection and restoration remain a priority to preserve the ecological and hydrological balance of the area.
The United Nations Development Program in BiH, together with partner institutions, is implementing measures to restore the Tišina protected habitat through the project "Sustainability of Protected Areas - SPA", financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). In the past period, the Habitat Restoration Plan was finalized, a document created with the aim of detailed mapping of the area in the context of land use and land cover, hydrology and hydrogeology, as well as determining the causes of water loss and establishing the basis for the hydrological balance. The plan also describes temperature variations in the context of climate change, defines the driving factors of change, assesses the significance of specific factors that cause water loss, and sets key goals for the conservation of this area. The subsequent activities of the SPA project include the implementation of individual measures for the restoration of this protected habitat defined by the Restoration Plan.