NAME AND TYPE OF PROTECTED NATURAL AREA
Special Nature Reserve "Rtanj"
NATIONAL CATEGORY
Protection category Ι – protected area of international, national, that is, of exceptional importance
AREA
4.997,17 hа
PROTECTION REGIMES
Protection degree I, II and III
Protection regime of the first degree - strict protection (303.76 ha, or 6.08% of the area) has been established in a part of the area with original, unaltered or slightly altered ecosystems of great scientific and practical importance. This protection regime covers a rather wide area of the formerly protected "Rtanj" Reserve.
Protection regime of the second degree - active protection (1.780,34 ha, or 35.62% of the area) is being implemented on а part of the protected area with partially altered ecosystems of great scientific and practical importance and with especially valuable areas and geo-heritage sites. This protection regime includes the following units: Kusak-Lednička strana and Gola planina-Kostadinovica.
Protection regime of the third degree - proactive protection (2.913,06 ha, or 58.30% of the area) is being implemented on а part of the protected area that is not under protection regimes of the degree I and II.
MUNICIPALITY
Rtanj mountain is located in eastern Serbia, in the southwestern part of the Carpathian-Balkan mountain system, in the Municipalities of Boljevac and Sokobanja.
LEGAL PROTECTION IN THE PAST
"Rtanj" Reserve was put under protection by the Decision No. 01 - 468 of September 16th, 1959 of the Institute for Nature Protection and Scientific Study of Natural Rarities of the People’s Republic of Serbia.
LEGAL ACT ON PROTECTION
Decree on the designation of the Special Nature Reserve "Rtanj" ("Official Gazette of RS", No. 18/2019)
MANAGING ENTITY
PE "Srbijašume"
SHORT DESCRIPTION (THE MAIN NATURAL AND CREATED VALUES)
Rtanj is an isolated mountain of exceptional geological, geomorphological, biological, historical and aesthetic values. Of particular value here is the specific karst relief of steep slopes, with deep pits and the dominant cone shaped peak Šiljak, from which mountain slopes of varied inclinations descend. Particularly interesting are the karst relief forms with numerous deep pits and various forms of exhumed karst subcutaneous zones. The core of the mountain is built of Devonian age formations, altered by magmatic activity. On top of them had subsequently been created carbonate sediments of the Mesozoic in the aquatic - marine environment, of which the mountain is mostly built. At the beginning of the youngest geological era, the Cenozoic, Rtanj rose and moved permanently to the terrestrial phase. This is when the processes of rock decay and erosion began, which shaped the nowadays Rtanj mountain and the products of which were deposited during the Neogene in the freshwater basins (Moravian and Sokobanja basins) surrounding the mountain.
The slopes facing north are mostly covered with forests. Mixed community of fir (Abies alba) and beech (Fagus moesiaca) reaching the very peak of the mountain, are distinguished here for their beauty and age. The slopes facing south are overgrown with typical plant communities of rocks, pastures and shrubs. These communities are floristically abundant and diverse. The occurrence of relict dwarf Russian almond (Prunus tenella) and several species of orchids is of importance in this area. The symbol of Rtanj is the famous Rtanj savory (Satureia kitaibelii), which is traditionally harvested on this mountain, and the Rtanj mint (Nepeta rtawensis), a strict local endemite of Rtanj, which is protected by law due to its extremely limited distribution. Among animal species the European copper skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) is considered particularly interesting and has the status of a strictly protected species in Serbia.
Numerous researched archeological and sacral objects, objects of folks architecture, old mines, objects of monumental character, as well as other valuable objects, represent the great achievements of past times. Besides their indisputable historical importance, they have particular architectural value, since
Special Nature Reserve "Rtanj"
NATIONAL CATEGORY
Protection category Ι – protected area of international, national, that is, of exceptional importance
AREA
4.997,17 hа
PROTECTION REGIMES
Protection degree I, II and III
Protection regime of the first degree - strict protection (303.76 ha, or 6.08% of the area) has been established in a part of the area with original, unaltered or slightly altered ecosystems of great scientific and practical importance. This protection regime covers a rather wide area of the formerly protected "Rtanj" Reserve.
Protection regime of the second degree - active protection (1.780,34 ha, or 35.62% of the area) is being implemented on а part of the protected area with partially altered ecosystems of great scientific and practical importance and with especially valuable areas and geo-heritage sites. This protection regime includes the following units: Kusak-Lednička strana and Gola planina-Kostadinovica.
Protection regime of the third degree - proactive protection (2.913,06 ha, or 58.30% of the area) is being implemented on а part of the protected area that is not under protection regimes of the degree I and II.
MUNICIPALITY
Rtanj mountain is located in eastern Serbia, in the southwestern part of the Carpathian-Balkan mountain system, in the Municipalities of Boljevac and Sokobanja.
LEGAL PROTECTION IN THE PAST
"Rtanj" Reserve was put under protection by the Decision No. 01 - 468 of September 16th, 1959 of the Institute for Nature Protection and Scientific Study of Natural Rarities of the People’s Republic of Serbia.
LEGAL ACT ON PROTECTION
Decree on the designation of the Special Nature Reserve "Rtanj" ("Official Gazette of RS", No. 18/2019)
MANAGING ENTITY
PE "Srbijašume"
SHORT DESCRIPTION (THE MAIN NATURAL AND CREATED VALUES)
Rtanj is an isolated mountain of exceptional geological, geomorphological, biological, historical and aesthetic values. Of particular value here is the specific karst relief of steep slopes, with deep pits and the dominant cone shaped peak Šiljak, from which mountain slopes of varied inclinations descend. Particularly interesting are the karst relief forms with numerous deep pits and various forms of exhumed karst subcutaneous zones. The core of the mountain is built of Devonian age formations, altered by magmatic activity. On top of them had subsequently been created carbonate sediments of the Mesozoic in the aquatic - marine environment, of which the mountain is mostly built. At the beginning of the youngest geological era, the Cenozoic, Rtanj rose and moved permanently to the terrestrial phase. This is when the processes of rock decay and erosion began, which shaped the nowadays Rtanj mountain and the products of which were deposited during the Neogene in the freshwater basins (Moravian and Sokobanja basins) surrounding the mountain.
The slopes facing north are mostly covered with forests. Mixed community of fir (Abies alba) and beech (Fagus moesiaca) reaching the very peak of the mountain, are distinguished here for their beauty and age. The slopes facing south are overgrown with typical plant communities of rocks, pastures and shrubs. These communities are floristically abundant and diverse. The occurrence of relict dwarf Russian almond (Prunus tenella) and several species of orchids is of importance in this area. The symbol of Rtanj is the famous Rtanj savory (Satureia kitaibelii), which is traditionally harvested on this mountain, and the Rtanj mint (Nepeta rtawensis), a strict local endemite of Rtanj, which is protected by law due to its extremely limited distribution. Among animal species the European copper skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) is considered particularly interesting and has the status of a strictly protected species in Serbia.
Numerous researched archeological and sacral objects, objects of folks architecture, old mines, objects of monumental character, as well as other valuable objects, represent the great achievements of past times. Besides their indisputable historical importance, they have particular architectural value, since
