Pinus heldreichii

18 September 2019
Monitoring of Pinus heldreichii in Montenegro
Overview

The LASPEH project team from the National Parks of Montenegro has monitored the general health status and other orographic and ecological conditions of Pinus heldreichii on the slopes of Jezerski vrh mountain in the National Park Lovćen. On the filed visit, experts from PENPCG were accompanied by trainees as well as students of the Faculty of Science, Department of Biology from Podgorica.

The Field Report, among other things, states that the general health condition of the Pinus heldreichii, which are mostly located in the southern part of the target area, is satisfying. The largest measured Pinus heldreichii tree is 21 centimeters in diameter and 12 meters high, while their average height is about 10 meters. Recorded Pinus heldreichii share is 30 percent over the entire 10 acres of the target area. The largest area is covered by ​​black pine (Pinus nigra) with 65%, while the remaining 5% are other species such as beech (Fagus moesiaca), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), juniper (Juniperus communis), alpine buckthorn (Rhamnus alpina), wild rose (Rosa canina) etc.

Field visits to the specific area did not show any primary or secondary diseases or harmful insects. However, the absence of Pinus heldreichii saplings is evident, which is a fact that worries given that this is its habitat and that spontaneous natural regeneration would be more significant than the existing trees. On the site there is as well a number of black pine trees that are broken and dry and need to be removed in order to enable development of surrounding healthy trees.