Activities and Conditions Before 1992
Natural heritage, that is to say - values and phenomena as results of specifical geo-biological evolutional process, represented significant area in the project of the entire development of Bosnia and Herzegovina. High mountainous barrier situated against Mediterrain has formed rather specific microclimate characterized by emphasized biodiversity. Or, put in another way, without protected and preserved natural values, biological diversity and variety of beautiful landscapes Bosnia would be undoubtedly poor and non-human country.
Up to 1990, according to the Law on Protection of Nature (from 1970) , and Law on Protection of Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage, only 0,55% of the Bosnian teritory was protected in this sense - 5 Strict Reservations, 3 managing Reservations, 2 National Parks, 29 Special Reservations, 16 Natural sights, 195 various natural monuments, and 7 species of plants and 259 species of animals (out of which 257 were bird species).
According to the Spatial Plan of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the year of 2000, and in the accordance with the Law on Physical Planning, it has been planned to protect actively about 16% of Bosnian teritory. These were the valorised areas with preserved authentic condition, with rich fund of natural and cultural and historical sights. These were biotops of endemic, rare and endangered species of flora and fauna with significance for wider region and Europe.
Characteristic of prewar period in Bosnia in this respect was traditionalism, and even conservativism in the approach to active protection and utilization of natural heritage. This issue was always rather discussed than qualitatively solved in prewar Bosnia, without any significant practical result. This issue, unfortunately, has always been area of marginal interest from various subjective and objective reasons. One of the biggest limitations were financial funds for realisation of such programs, also hardly applicable legislature, etc.