Hrvatske vode, Vol. 31 No. 125, 2023.
Review article
The Bijela (white) river in the Plitvice Lakes National Park – a look at a running stream
Maja Vurnek
orcid.org/0000-0001-5717-7112
; Javna ustanova Nacionalni park Plitvička jezera Josipa Jovića 19, Plitvička Jezera, Hrvatska
Abstract
The Plitvice Lakes National Park, a famous global destination where visitors enjoy natural world heritage, is also the source area of small mountain watercourses, one of them being the Bijela Rijeka. Due to its specific position, i.e. passing through a less populated settlement (Plitvički Ljeskovac), and its hydrological, ecological and physico-chemical characteristics, it bears witness to man-made changes. In the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, we are attempting to view hydromorphologically degraded areas through their restoration potential; in the case of this significant watercourse, for a protected area. The Bijela Rijeka characteristics and the changes that have happened over time point to the inevitable human influence on nature. Barrier removal in aquatic ecosystems is an environmental restoration activity, and if it wants to follow good practice of EU countries, the Plitvice Lakes National Park will attempt to undertake a similar activity in order to restore the original flows of the karst river ecosystem.
Keywords
protected area, source, watercourse, barriers, ecological restoration
Hrčak ID:
317916
URI
Publication date:
28.9.2023.
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