Prašuma Janj

The Forest Reservation Janj is located on the western slopes of the mountain massif Stolovaš in the central ranges of the Dinaric Alps. The primeval forest sections of the „Janj“ are protected under the highest international category for protected areas, in category Ia of the IUCN classification system.

The dominant vegetation of the reserve is almost exclusively composed of Dinaric, Illyrian Mountain Forest of beech, fir, and spruce (95% of the surface area). The natural value of the „Prašuma Janj” is the indigenous quality of the beech-fir-spruce forest in the biogeographical sense, which due to its original and unaltered plant communities and its structural and ecological characteristics represents the autochthonous beech-fir-spruce primeval forest. The abundance and coverage of lichen fungus and saprophytic fungi is evident. This stand has the largest quantity of wood mass – 1,215 m3/ha in the core-area of the reservation and an average of 1,037 m3/ha regarding the entire area of the reservation. Contribution in wood mass of fir and spruce is 78%, the rest belongs to beech. In the reserve individual fir trees up to 56 m high have been recorded. Even though a truck road passes through the reserve, the centuries-old peace of the Janj ancient forest has not been disturbed. The component part contains almost the complete range of species occurring in the Dinaric Mountains. Natural conditions offer favourable conditions in terms of shelter from predators and rough weather to all species of mammals and birds in this area. The living world expressed through vegetation is varied and rich.

• UNESCO recognition: 2021
• Protected area: Prašuma Janj Strict Nature Reserve (IUCN Ia)
• Beech forest region: Illyrian
• Area: 295.04 ha
• Number of component parts: 1
• Altitudinal range: montane (1,180–1,510 m above sea level)
• Fauna: Wolf, Lynx, Peregrine falcon, Short-tailed weasel, Squirrel, Western capercaillie, Hazel grouse, Hawk, Falcon, Brown bear, Roe deer, Rabbit
• Coordinates of the Central Point: N 44° 08’ 48’’, E 17° 16’ 52’’