Lonjsko Polje
Encyclopedia
Lonjsko Polje is the largest protected wetland
in both Croatia
and the entire Danube basin. It covers an area of 505.6 square kilometres (195.2 sq mi), extending along the river Sava from the areas east of Sisak
, the lower course of the river Lonja
for which it is named, to the areas west of Nova Gradiška
, along the course of the river Veliki Strug.
The area of Lonjsko Polje is designated a nature park
(park prirode), a kind of protected area
in Croatia. The institution was established in 1998, and it is based in the village of Jasenovac
.
According to the criteria of the Birds Directive of the European Union
, the park is an important habitat for bird
s (Important Birds Area - IBA).
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
in both Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and the entire Danube basin. It covers an area of 505.6 square kilometres (195.2 sq mi), extending along the river Sava from the areas east of Sisak
Sisak
Sisak is a city in central Croatia. The city's population in 2011 was 33,049, with a total of 49,699 in the administrative region and it is also the administrative centre of the Sisak-Moslavina county...
, the lower course of the river Lonja
Lonja
Lonja is a river in central Croatia, a left tributary of Sava. It is long and its basin covers an area of .Lonja rises in the Kalnik mountain in northern Croatia, southeast of Novi Marof, at . It flows westward until turning south near Breznički Hum, passing east of Sveti Ivan Zelina, and turning...
for which it is named, to the areas west of Nova Gradiška
Nova Gradiška
Nova Gradiška is a city located in the Brod-Posavina County of Croatia, population 14,196 . It is located in the historic region of Slavonia, near the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, along the course of the river Veliki Strug.
The area of Lonjsko Polje is designated a nature park
Nature park
A nature park is a landscape protected by means of long-term planning, use and agriculture. These valuable landscapes are preserved in their present state and promoted for touristic purposes....
(park prirode), a kind of protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
in Croatia. The institution was established in 1998, and it is based in the village of Jasenovac
Jasenovac, Sisak-Moslavina County
Jasenovac is a village and a municipality in Croatian Slavonia, in the southern part of the Sisak-Moslavina county at the confluence of the river Una into Sava.The name means "ash tree" or "ash forest" in Croatian, the area being ringed by such a forest....
.
According to the criteria of the Birds Directive of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, the park is an important habitat for bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s (Important Birds Area - IBA).
See also
- Protected areas of CroatiaProtected areas of CroatiaThe main protected areas of Croatia are national parks, nature parks and strict reserves. There are 444 protected areas of Croatia, encompassing 9% of the country. Those include 8 national parks in Croatia, 2 strict reserves and 10 nature parks. The most famous protected area and the oldest...
- Tentative list of World Heritage Sites in Croatia