Sutjeska National Park, oldest national park in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Sutjeska National Park is located in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Republika Srpska entity. Established in 1962, it is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s oldest national park. It includes the highest peak of Maglić at over 2,386 metres (7,828 ft), on the border with Montenegro. The Montenegrin part of Maglić massif in the park has also formed the Trnovačko Jezero (Trnovačko Lake).

The Strict Nature Reserve “Perućica”, one of the last two remaining primeval forests in Europe, is part of the park. The park is also famous as being the location of the Battle of the Sutjeska in 1943 during World War II. It is an affiliated member of EUROPARC Federation.

The park was established in 1962 and its declaration was based more on it being the site of historic battles rather than for conservation.

Perućica forest reserve, located within the national park, was established in 1952, as “Natural reserve for scientific and educational purposes”. Perućica, which is one of the last two remaining primeval forests in Europe, is one of the five Strict Nature Reserves in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The park is also famous as being the location of the Battle of the Sutjeska which lasted from 15 May to 16 June 1943 during World War II, where the Partisan were victorious over the German occupying forces in a battle. In the battle, the Partisans were led by the Supreme Headquarters of Yugoslavia by Marshal Josip Broz Tito. Several large Partisan’s Memorial stone monuments commemorate this event at the northern edge of the park at Tjentište, on the way to primeval Perucica forest reserve.

The park extends over an area of about 17,500 hectares (43,000 acres). It is bounded on the east by the Pivska planina Mountain and Piva River up to Šćepan polje.

Perućica Forest Reserve, located within the park, is 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long, 1–3 kilometres (0.62–1.86 mi) wide, and has an area of 1,400 hectares (3,500 acres). It is a UNESCO recognized site. The forest has many trees that are 300 years old, and the primeval forest’s vintage is stated to be 20,000 years.

Skakavac waterfall is formed on the Perućica, a small river, or more precisely mountain creek, located deep within Perućica primeval forest, which is regulated in form of Strict Nature Reserve as part of the Sutjeska National Park in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is one of the highest waterfalls in the country, about 75 metres (246 ft) plus in height, and it is hidden deep within Perućica primeval forest and its massive blanket of green trees of beech and spruce that engulf entire valley.

The park’s vegetation comprises thick forests (66%) mountain pastures, meadows and rocky ground above the forests.

Perućica forest consists of large beech trees as high as 60 metres (200 ft) or more, with girth of about 150 centimetres (59 in)  and endemic black pines which stem from the rocky faces that provides protection to the ancient forest in the entire valley. The trees in the Perućica primeval forest have never been logged and some of them are as old as 300 years.