 On April 23, 1999, the House of Representatives of the Croatian Parliament has brought a decision about proclamation of Nature
Park Papuk. The important reason for proclaiming Nature Park Papuk is due to the preserved characteristics of live and still nature, typical for the central Slavonia. It is beyond the doubt that it is about the wide natural and partially cultivated area with emphasis on the esthetical, ecological, educational, cultural, historical, tourist and recreational values.
The Park of Nature is first of all a scientific, cultural and educational institution, set up to preserve natural conditions and characteristics, and to introduce wide population with the laws of nature.
Because of diversity and heterogeneousness of flora and fauna of this area, the adequate protection is required, whose basis must be first of all based on scientific cognitions.
The proclamation of Nature Park Papuk would allow the more efficient protection of rare and endangered plants and animals.
The peculiarities of Papuk represent the important part of biological and landscape values in the area of Slavonia. Outstanding relief characteristics spoke of stormy geological history of origination of this area. Variety of geological phenomenon, preserved flora and vegetation, and habitats of the larger number of animal species, represents the treasure that needs to be explored, improved and preserved from the harmful influence of people for new generations of people who will live here.
By analysis of the flora elements of the wider area of Slavonian highlands, from geographical and plant point of view, this area proves to belong to the Euro
Siberian - North American region with registered little less then 1500 species. The most represented flora elements are those from Europe and middle Europe, with important elements from South Europe and Mediterranean.
Flora system in Nature Park Papuk is rich and divers, what is the consequence of relief contrasts, diverse of geological structure, and diverse of pedological and climate influences.
Thick woods of Papuk showed to be an ideal habitat and shelter to numerous wild
animals. Their habitats are overlapping, so one can find several animal species in same locations: deer, doe, and boar. From the smaller mammals, there are foxes, badgers, pine martens, even otters, which live in the stream Brzaja. Out of other fauna, in the bushes there are hedgehogs, and moles, but in the ground and trees there are a lot of beetles of the order coleoptera, butterflies, and other insects.
Although the diversity of animal species in Papuk is substantial, some species' numbers are endangered. Therefore, not to repeat the story of the Papuk bears, wolves, or lynxes, we need more effective protection, scientific research, and careful management of this area.
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