Vlasina

Vlasina
Charadrius dubius
Carpodacus erythrinus
Motacilla citreola
Stratorija
Old photography of Vlasina region (1935)
Areal view of Vlasina
Confluence of river Božica and  Vlasina lake
Landscape view of Vlasina lake
Murin bay and floating isles of Vlasina
Areal view of Vlasina's islands
Polygonum amphibium
Areal view of Vlasina's island

Vlasina

  • Country: 
    Serbia
  • Site number: 
    1738
  • Area: 
    3,209 ha
  • Designation date: 
    13-11-2007
  • Coordinates: 
    42°42'N 22°20'E
Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Overview

The Site includes the Vlasina reservoir, the highest and largest artificial lake in Serbia, its jagged shore, surrounding hills with forests, wet meadows and peat bogs. There are two islands and several narrow and elongated peninsulas with many meadows and birch thickets. The Vlasinsko blato was one of the largest peat bogs in Europe until it was flooded to create the reservoir in 1950, and the remaining bogs on the shoreline are among the most important refuges of characteristic bog plants in the Balkans. The largest national population of round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) can be found. During flooding events, large patches of these bogs detach from the shoreline and form characteristic floating peat islands. The Site is important for its biodiversity; recently two of the rarest bird species in Serbia, the common rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) and the citrine wagtail (Motacilla citreola) have been discovered breeding around the shores of the reservoir. A colony of the internationally protected sand martin (Riparia riparia) can also be found. To boost economic growth, large investments have been made in tourism. This development poses several threats to the wetland related to unplanned urbanization, considerable water level regulation, spreading of agricultural complexes, and construction of roads and waste depots. Even though it is legally prohibited, peat is still cut from the shoreline and islands, irretrievably destroying rare habitats.

Administrative region: 
Surdulica

  • National legal designation: 
    • Landscape of Outstanding Features - Vlasina
  • Last publication date: 
    22-06-2023

Downloads

Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)

Additional reports and documents