The Devon Karst Research Society.
ACTIVITIES (Europe).

THE PROJECTS IN BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

This is a special Web-published Version of sub-Project Documentation, last revised on 17 February 2009.
The Main un-edited Project-level Documentation is available in hardcopy form for Project workers and other Authorized Users.
Main BiH Project No. 3.  /  Главни БиХ Пројект бр. 3. [SDZB-DKRS-J I / BiH / H / SLN / UK / 140800PTPH.]
.
Project Title [GB] :.."A JOINT STRATEGY FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENDANGERED UNDERGROUND ENDEM Proteus anguinus
AND ITS NATURAL KARST HABITAT IN THE TREBIŠNJICA RIVER VALLEY"
Eastern Herzegovina, Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Project Title [BiH-Lat] :.."ZAJEDNIČKA STRATEGIJA ZA ZAŠTITU UGROŽENOG PODZEMNOG ENDEM ČOVJEČJA RIBICA (Proteus anguinus)
I NJEZINOG PRIRODNOG KRŠKOG STANIŠTA U DOLINI RIJEKA TREBIŠNJICA."
Istočna Hercegovina, Bosna i Hercegovina.
Project Title [BiH-Cyr] :.."ЗАЈЕДНИЧКА СТРАТЕГИЈА ЗА ЗАШТИТЕ УГРОЖЕНОГ ПОДЗЕМНОГ ЕНДЕМА ЧОВЈЕЧИЈА РИБИЦА (Proteus anguinus)
И ЊЕГОВОГ ПРИРОДНОГ КРШКОГ СТАНИШТА У ДОЛИНИ РИЈЕКА ТРЕБИШЊИЦА."
Источна Херцеговина, Босна и Херцеговина.
VRELO "OKO", (ZASAD), Habitat Restoration Programme.
ILLUSTRATED PROGRESS REPORTS.

Progress with Phased Action Plan - PART 1. (PHASE 2.) 
"The Permanent Removal of all Dumped Waste Materials from the Site" :
THE DEVON KARST RESEARCH SOCIETY, Plymouth, U.K. and
SPELEOLOŠKO DRUŠTVO "ZELENA BRDA", Trebinje, BiH-RS  -  СПЕЛЕОЛОШКО ДРУШТВО "ЗЕЛЕНА БРДА", Требиње, БиХ-РС.
.
.Sub-Project Title :...ВРЕЛО "ОКО", (Засад), Требињско Поље  -  VRELO "OKO", (Zasad), Trebinjsko Polje.
THE RESTORATION OF THE VRELO "OKO" (ZASAD) PROTEUS ANGUINUS HABITAT LOCATION.
Page 1.  Introductory Information, Background Notes and Proposals.
Page 2...Habitat Restoration Programme Illustrated Progress Reports. Progress with Phased Action Plan - Part 1. (Phase 1.)
"The Permanent Removal of the encroaching and structurally-damaging bush and tree growth".
Page 3.  Habitat Restoration Programme Illustrated Progress Reports. Progress with Phased Action Plan - Part 1. (Phase 2.) 
"The Permanent Removal of all Dumped Waste Materials from the Site".
Page 4.  Habitat Restoration Programme Illustrated Progress Reports. Progress with Phased Action Plan - Part 1. (Phase 3.)
"Reconstruction of the Masonry Infrastructure".

.Operational Progress Reports by B. Lewarne, Honorary Science Officer.
Copyright © 2006. The Devon Karst Research Society & Speleološko društvo "Zelena Brda". 
Original Proposals by The Devon Karst Research Society, dated 01 May 2003.

This is a Project within the remit of the Foreign Assistance Programme of the Foreign Policy of the Devon Karst Research Society. May 2003-2009.
08 July 2004 :
The situation at the Site on 08 July 2004 was similar to that when we departed the previous year. The surface canal had become overgrown with tall grass and had received some miscellaneous items of scrap metal. There was evidence of the recent dumping of small quantities of waste food. There was renewed growth of one of the bushes where the ground-level met with the outside perimeter of the circular stone structure. We had been unable to extricate the root systems of all such bushes the previous year.
Inside the shaft of Vrelo "Oko" nothing had changed, other than the sprouting of new shoots of fresh growth from the embedded tree and bush roots in the masonry lining. This was trimmed back further and more rootballs were dug out. Photo VOZ 3.1. at the top of this Webpage illustrates the general appearance inside the shaft before the rubbish removal process began. Photos VO-PRp2.- 1. and VO-PRp2.- 2. below, indicate the top of the rubbish pile from which we were to begin removing the larger items.


Photo VO-PRp2.- 1. Illustrating a view of the lower internal masonry structure. The stone archway supports
the upper set of descending spiral stone steps inside the shaft of Vrelo "Oko", at 1409 hrs. on 08 July 2004.
(Photo :  B. Lewarne, 08 July 2004.)


Photo VO-PRp2.- 2. Illustrating a view of the rubbish pile that has accumulated on the lower set of descending 
spiral stone steps, blocking the cave entrance portal inside the shaft of Vrelo "Oko", at 1409 hrs. on 08 July 2004.
(Photo :  B. Lewarne, 08 July 2004.)

Note that the car battery and the smaller of the two lorry tyres have already been removed at the end of the previous year's visit. Next we wanted to remove the very heavy lorry tyre and the internal metal drum of an industrial washing machine. The lorry tyre would have to be hauled up and out of the shaft by several people using ropes and a pulley system. We needed two attempts to achieve this!! The first attempt on 08 July 2004 was a failure, even with 4 Project Workers trying to haul the tyre out using a rope and pulley system !! (Are we men or mice?)

11 July 2004 :
The second attempt was successful and required the combined efforts of 6 Project workers with a rope and pulley system with which to haul the tyre up, out and on to the Canal floor at the surface.


Photo VO-PRp2.- 3. Illustrating a view of the rubbish removal team at Vrelo "Oko".
(Photo :  Dianovszki Tibor, 11 July 2004.)


Photo VO-PRp2.- 4. Illustrating a view of the rubbish removal team at Vrelo "Oko".
(Photo :  Dianovszki Tibor, 11 July 2004.)


Photo VO-PRp2.- 5. Illustrating a view of the interior of the Vrelo "Oko" entrance shaft
immediately after removal of the lorry tyre.
(Photo :  Dianovszki Tibor, 11 July 2004.)

Click on the Link below to see :-
the successful 2nd attempt at removing the lorry tyre!
(8.6 MB. wmv. Digital Video Streaming File; Sequence duration 5 mins 32 secs.; 16 bps stereo audio / full 32 bit colour, 
best viewed in Windows Media Player v.10.0. software, at nominal 256 kbytes connection speed at 320 x 240 pixels res...Videographer :  Lynne Satterley)

 23 July 2004 :
Our return to the Site to load up the tyre and various other large metallic objects for transportation to an official refuse-container, was not possible until 23 July. This was achieved as planned. However, of unexpected interest to us was a growing new pile of debris brought up and out of Vrelo "Oko" by a person or persons unknown to us. Photo VO-PRp2.- 8. below indicates the details.
Enquiries have revealed that one person was responsible for this highly commendable action. We are awaiting our counterparts in Trebinje to locate and talk with the individual(s) concerned and then to report back to us with the details.


Photo VO-PRp2.- 6. Illustrating a view of some of the larger items of rubbish that have been removed from
inside the shaft of Vrelo "Oko" and loaded up in the back of our hire-car for disposal, at 1022 hrs. on 23 July 2004.
(Photo :  B. Lewarne, 23 July 2004.)


Photo VO-PRp2.- 7. Illustrating a view of some of the larger items of rubbish that have been removed from
inside the shaft of Vrelo "Oko" and loaded up in the back of our hire-car for disposal, at 1022 hrs. on 23 July 2004.
(Photo :  B. Lewarne, 23 July 2004.)


Photo VO-PRp2.- 8. Illustrating a view of the some of the stone debris and rubbish that has been removed
from inside the shaft of Vrelo "Oko" since our previous visit, by persons unknown,1023 hrs. on 23 July 2004.
(Photo :  B. Lewarne, 23 July 2004.)


Photo VO-PRp2.- 9. Illustrating a view of the interior of the circular shaft of Vrelo "Oko" after the initial rubbish removal.
(Photo :  B. Lewarne, 23 July 2004.)


Photo VO-PRp2.- 10. Illustrating a view with the larger items of metallic rubbish now removed from the top of the pile
inside the shaft of Vrelo "Oko". Note the archway (and its structural condition) over the cave entrance portal has now come
into view for the first time and note also the position of a concrete block just in view below the archway.
(Photo :  B. Lewarne, 23 July 2004.)

At the conclusion of all this activity for July 2004, the top of the natural bedrock limestone entrance to Vrelo "Oko" has at last come into view. It is just a glimpse, but what a reward for our efforts. The maximum accessible depth has now been lowered to 8.2 metres (27 feet) below the top wall of the entrance shaft.

08 August 2005 - 06 September 2005 :
 
 
 
 

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