Lastovo Nature Park
The island of Lastovo and its Archipelago became the Croatian Nature park “Lastovsko Otocje” in September 2006, when the Croatian government passed the Act on Designating the Lastovo Archipelago Nature Park.
The Lastovo Archipelago is the eleventh nature park in Croatia.
It covers an area of almost 200 km2 of which the mainland area accounts for 53 km2 and the marine area for 143 km2.
The Nature Park contains all 44 islands, small islands, cliffs and reefs belonging to the Lastovo municipality, with the biggest being Lastovo and Sušac. (see map) + (see Lastovo archipelago)
This area is one of the most preserved marine areas in the Adriatic. Due to its values and characteristics, it represents “a vast natural and partly cultivated area of land and the sea showing ecological features of international and national importance, as well as pronounced landscape, educational, cultural, historical, tourist and recreational values“.
The protection provided is intended to preserve the inherited landscape and cultural values and biological and landscape diversity including the appertaining sea and the submarine area.
Within six months upon the coming into effect of this Act, the Government of the Republic of Croatia will by a regulation establish a public institution for the management of the Lastovo Archipelago Nature Park.
Previously – The Croatian Ministry of Culture has confirmed that it has officially started a legal procedure of establishing Lastovo and its archipelago as a new Nature Park of Croatia. The future Lastovo Nature Park will be called Nature Park “Lastovsko Otocje” (Lastovo Archipelago).
Lastovo Island and its archipelago are in need to be preserved because of it’s ecological, educational and cultural values. The Lastovo Archipelago consists of 44 islands and islets and it is the furthermost group of islands from the Croatian Mainland. Together with the sea, it covers the area of 195 square kilometres. The Lastovo Nature Park will also include Island Susac (Sušac) with it’s surrounding sea-area of 500 m2 radius. Once established, the area of Lastovo Nature Park will be legally protected from any kind of exploitation.