Candidacy for beech forest extension will bring Croatia’s natural jewel a second world heritage site – only a handful of parks have it
Plitvice Lakes National Park has submitted a candidacy for inclusion in the serial UNESCO World Heritage site “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe,” inscribed in 2017. If approved by the committee, Plitvice would become one of the rare parks with dual status on the World Natural Heritage List – examples include Yellowstone or rare European cases.
The park has been on the UNESCO list since 1979, recognized for its “undisturbed tufa formation” (tufa barriers) that creates lakes, waterfalls, and colors, under criteria vii (aesthetic beauty), viii (geological processes), and ix (ecological interactions). The candidacy highlights ancient beech forests as part of broader European heritage, emphasizing conservation of ecosystems with bears, wolves, and endemic species.
This initiative comes after 46 years of protection and recent successes like the Top 100 Green Destinations story (2025) and improved UNESCO conservation status. Success would further protect the park from climate threats and boost tourism, alongside global prestige that already attracts millions of visitors annually.
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