Black Stork is high about one meter and has a wingspan of up to 2 meters. Feathering is black with purple, green and copper hues, while the chest, abdomen and lower part of the wing and tail are completely white. Unlike the white stork, black stork is avoiding human settlements. It inhabits old, flooded forests, mainly oak, near swamps and ponds. They feed on small fish, insects, snails, and often small mammals and reptiles. Once paired, male and the female may remain paired for life. In April or May, deep in the forest, high in a tree, build a nest of twigs. Black Storks are migratory and wintering in Central Africa. A large number of young storks remain in Africa during his first year, but a large number of elderly individuals every year back to Europe to breed.
The main reasons that threaten this species is degradation and fragmentation of forests, changing the water regime of forests and draining marshes and ponds, the construction of hydropower facilities on small streams, ponds carp degradation, poaching and disturbance. Also, a serious problem for this species is the use of pesticides and expansion of farmland at the expense of forests and wetlands, and birds often die in collision with wind turbines and power lines. Black Stork is internationally protected by Bonn and the Berne Convention and the EU Birds Directive.
Immortelle (Helichrysum arenarium) is a perennial plant of the Asteraceae family. It has an upright stem, woolly hairy with a lot of leaves. The leaves are around the perimeter of the whole, and also woolly hairy. In the lower part of the stalk leaves are long ball-shaped and have a handle while in the upper part of the stem linear shaped with a rounded base and sedentary. The flowers (heads) are golden yellow in color grouped in corymb. This type of immortelle grows on sandy and dry grassy habitats. From these types of Helichrysum is obtained resinous aromatic extract arenarin used in agriculture and horticulture. Arenarin stops the development of many microorganisms and stimulates plant growth and has great economic importance. It is also used in pharmacology. Some species of the genus Helichrysum is traditionally used is peoples medicine. In addition, because of the pleasant aroma, immortelle in the past used to refresh the rooms and closets. In some areas immortelle is celebrated in folk songs.
Due to its sophisticated features of some species of the genus Helichrysum are now produced essential oils for a very wide use. For this purpose immortelle is grown on plantations but also collected from its natural habitats leading to endangering species of this genus. In our natural habitats in Herzegovina grows Helichrysum italicum, while Helichrysum arenarium can be found as an ornamental in gardens.
Author: MA Bozidar Dosenovic
Publisher: Poste Srpske a.d. Banjaluka
Cooperation: Sara Todorovic, Master of Science in Biology and Dejan Radosevic, BA in Ecology, Republic Institute for Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage
