The organization of sporting events in national parks in Montenegro does not directly contribute to the parks themselves, but the fact that the events are organized in protected areas, some of which are under UNESCO protection, such as Durmitor, is in favor of the events themselves and their organizers.
This, among other things, was told to "Vijesti" by the public company National Parks of Montenegro (NCPG).
"JPNPCG did not feel a direct benefit from this type of promotion, especially considering that very often in the past the organizers of these events were provided with free logistical, technical and other types of support in the field. Considering that the organization of an event in a protected area, such as a national park under UNESCO protection, we believe that this fact contributes greatly to the promotion of the event itself and its organizers," they state, among other things.
There are five protected areas with national park status in Montenegro: Skadar Lake, Lovćen, Biogradska gora, Durmitor and Prokletije. In recent years, including this one, sports events have been organized in the parks, including mountain and cycling races, fishing competitions, and marathons.
"It's mostly about different races, triathlons, obstacle races, and the like. The greatest interest in organizing these races is in Durmitor National Park," they state.
The NPCG said that interest in organizing similar events has been growing in recent years:
"Interest in organizing sports events in the NPCG area is increasing year by year, especially when it comes to organizing races, triathlons and similar sports activities. Over the past five years, various sports events have been organized in the park area - Bjelasica Trail, Durmitor Trail Run, Blacklake Xtreme Triathlon Montenegro, Highlander Montenegro, Durmitor and Prokletije Sky Running, Durrador, Sinjajevinski Marathon, Lovćen cycling race, BootCamp Challenge Montenegro, Grand Prix Tri Pazara, Sports Summer, Sports Fishing Competition Skadar Lake Trophy", they told "Vijesti".
NPCG event announcement, EPA permit
As interest in organizing similar events is growing, in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as stated by the NPCG, a protocol on the organization method has been agreed. Thus, they explain, it is necessary to announce the event to the NPCG, and to seek consent from the EPA, in accordance with the Nature Protection Law (Article 40).
"In addition to having a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency, organizers need to announce the event in advance with detailed information about the locations and number of participants. Since the beginning of the year, around 10 sporting events have been recorded in national parks," the public company, which manages the country's most significant natural resources, said.
When registering an event, organizers are also required to report the number of participants, the NPCG adds:
"In addition to the fact that organizers and participants of such events are required to ensure compliance with the rules of conduct in protected nature, they are also required to register the number of participants in sports events, indicate the exact time and date of the event, and respect the internal order and rules of conduct in the park."
Not everyone follows the rules
The NPCG state that their protection service has recorded cases of irresponsible behavior by individual event organizers in previous years, and that this behavior includes leaving waste, disturbing animals, placing obstacles that disrupt the landscape values of parks, etc.
"Also, when organizing one of the races in the Durmitor National Park, the organizer violated the rules of conduct in the park, did not report the exact number of participants, nor did he remove the obstacles and markings that were used during the race. The Durmitor National Park has taken all necessary actions in this regard and reports have been filed against the organizer for failure to comply with the law and rules of conduct in the park, as well as a report to the Ecological Inspection for leaving waste and remains of wooden obstacles in the park area. The Environmental Protection Agency, as the institution responsible for issuing permits for organizing these activities in the parks, has also been notified of this," said the NPCG.
The editorial office sent an inquiry regarding these allegations to the inspectorate and the EPA.
The JPNPCG also recalls previous appeals to organizers of sporting events to respect the rules of internal order in protected areas when planning and implementing their activities and to act in accordance with the Law on National Parks, the Law on Nature Protection and the Law on Mountain Trails.
"Otherwise, the competent authorities will take appropriate measures to protect the natural values of national parks," they say.
They explain that the organizers are violating the law because they "fail to inform participants about the rules of conduct in national parks."
"We reacted particularly strongly when, after certain events, the organizers avoided removing markings and obstacles from the protected area," said the NPCG, adding that after the event, "it is necessary to leave the locations that were used in the condition in which they were found."
Contribution
When asked how sporting events contribute to the promotion of national parks in Montenegro, they said that the contribution can be significant, but that the NPCG does not feel a direct benefit from this promotion.
"They can significantly contribute to the promotion of the national park, which contributes to increasing the visibility of its landmarks and values if they are organized in accordance with the rules. Through media information and interesting photos from such events, especially through social networks, photos and video content, the areas of national parks gain visibility," they said, adding that, directly, by participating in such events, participants and visitors become acquainted with natural values, species of plants and animals...
"Similarly, such events bring together various stakeholders: athletes, organizations, media and institutions - which can lead to future joint projects and promotion of the park at a higher level. However, we must emphasize that JPNPCG did not feel a direct benefit from this type of promotion, especially considering that very often in the past, the organizers of these events were provided with free logistical, technical and other types of support in the field. Considering that the organization of an event in a protected area, such as a national park under UNESCO protection, we believe that this fact contributes greatly to the promotion of the event itself and its organizers," said the public company.
When asked about how NPCG participates in supporting the organization of similar events, they said that, after receiving approval from the EPA, the organizer most often informs them about the event and the implementation of partner support in logistical and technical organization.
"And often, organizers also ask for exemption from fees for entering the protected area for people who work on the logistics of the event itself during the race, and these requests and their justification are considered with special attention. Of particular importance is the participation of employees in the Protection Service and the Environmental Hygiene Service, who, in accordance with their availability, participate in the organization of these events and take care of the safety of participants, the environmental cleanliness of the space, and assist in field work," they said, adding that additional engagement in organizing these events also puts pressure on their services "which have significantly more work responsibilities during that period."
While organizing one of the races in Durmitor National Park, the organizer violated the rules of conduct in the park, did not report the exact number of participants, nor did he remove the obstacles and markings that were used during the race. Durmitor National Park has taken all necessary actions in this regard and reports have been filed against the organizer for failure to comply with the law and rules of conduct in the park, as well as a report to the Environmental Inspection for leaving waste and remains of wooden obstacles in the park area
Inform participants about the risks and rules
The NPCG points out that organizing sporting events in nature, as they said, "carries risks that are different from those in urban or indoor spaces" and can affect the safety of participants, employees, spectators, and the overall realization of the event.
"Natural risks can include, first of all, weather conditions, such as rain, wind or extreme temperatures that we are recording during this period, as well as terrain conditions that can be slippery and steep and with dangers such as high and sharp rocks. In any case, participants in sporting events must be aware of the risks that nature itself presents and, in accordance with their health and physical capacities, consider the possibility of participating in them," they said.
As they add, it is also necessary for participants to be well-acquainted with the terrain they are using and visiting, as well as to adhere to the NPCG Rules of Conduct, "which include preserving flora and fauna, disposing of waste in designated areas, and not lighting fires outdoors, especially during the summer season...".
"What is particularly important is that event organizers must warn participants about the dangers they may be exposed to during these events, as well as the rules of conduct in the protected area."
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