Flora i biljne zajednice When natural scientists, examining the border areas of the Mediterranean, come across beech forest, they can conclude that they have reached the continental area. With regard to some of their basic characteristics, parts of the mountains of Učka and Ćićarija that belong to the beech forest zone could be classified as belonging to the continental areas of Istria and Kvarner. However, they still differ in regard to certain specific natural characteristics because Ćićarija, and especially Učka, represent isolated Mediterranean mountains whose beech forests stick out like islands above the sub-Mediterranean area. In other words, these mountains are not connected to the continental beech forest regions. This has resulted in Učka and Ćićarija having quite a unique status, making them particularly interesting from the naturalist point of view, and providing one of the reasons for proclaiming this area a nature park. Some barely accessible parts of Učka and Ćićarija still need to be researched in more detail. In recent years, some systematic research of the local flora has been initiated with the aim of updating and widening our knowledge about individual species and their distributions, and also with the aim of noticing any possible negative influences on their population over time.

Did you know?

The griffon vulture feeding site

…that griffon vultures, endangered in Croatia, are often flying over Učka in search for food? Once they were nesting here, but today their northern-Adriatic population is decreasing and in order to help in their preservation, a feeding site was build in Učka Nature Park, popularly called 'griffon vulture restaurants'.

The „Two towers“ trail

…that in 2018 a trail named „Two towers“ was established, which connects the town tower in Lovran with the Vojak tower on Učka? The trail goes through the existing hiking trail, and alongside there are educational boards that inform visitors on the flora and fauna of Učka.

The Roman cheese

…that it is traditional on Učka to produce the „molded“ sheep cheese of distinctive taste since the Roman Empire time? Its production was standardized due to its use in the nutrition of the Roman legions, while today's cheese made on Učka doesn't differ much from its antique ancestor.

Slavic mythology

…that the Mošćenička Draga's canyon used to be the scenery of sacred beliefs for the first Slavic settlers on the Kvarner area? The local toponyms like Perun, Babin grob and Voloski kuk witness about the old Slavic cult of Perun.