The environment of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of diverse climates, flora and fauna, natural landmarks and landscapes. The climate ranges from continental, oceanic, subtropical and Mediterranean through the country. Most of the Dinaric Alps are located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the highest elevation point is the mountain Maglić at 2,386 meters (7,828 ft), while the lowest point of elevation is the Adriatic Sea in the south of the country. 42.8% of the land is covered in thick forests. The country is rich in water resources, and in some places, rivers and springs may be used without filtration. Significant rivers are the Drina, Neretva, Sava, Bosna and Una. Important national parks include Kozara National Park, Sutjeska National Park, and Una National Park, all nationally protected areas.
Biodiversity
Bosnia and Herzegovina's abundance of biodiversity is due to multiple factors, such as diversity of soil types, diversity of bedrock, diversity of climatic conditions, spatial and ecological heterogeneity, geomorphologic and hydrological diversity. The floristic diversity is reflected in the high numbers of cyanophytes, algae and vascular plants. 1,859 species from 217 genera have been identified within groups of cyanophytes and algae. More than 450 species and sub-species of vascular plants are endemic while more than 5,000 different species and sub-species of vascular plants, more than 100 species of fish, over 320 species of birds have been identified in the region.
Forests and mountains
Forests
The forests of Bosnia and Herzegovina are varied in type: from coastal Mediterranean to mountain forests in the center of the country. Coniferous forests are found in the highlands, mixed forests in the mid altitudes and broadleaved forests in the low-level terrains and floodplains. They play an important role biodiversity and habitat protection as well as for producing forest goods. The diversity in forest types is mirrored in the existence of 9 out of 13 of the European Environmental Agency categories. Those include:
Category 4 - Acidophilous oak forests Category 5 - Mesophytic deciduous forest Category 6 - Beech forest Category 7 - Mountainous beech forest Category 8 - Thermophilous deciduous forest Category 9 - Broadleaved evergreen forest Category 10 - Coniferous forests of the Mediterranean, Anatolian and Macaronesian regions Category 11 - Mire and swamp forest Category 12 - Floodplain forest Human-induced damages as a consequence of poor management, over-exploitation, illegal logging and air pollution, as well as forest fires are the biggest dangers to these forests. High discrepancies exist between harvested and marketed volumes of timber, likely due to private usage and a lack of an organized system for tracking and reporting volumes of timber. The forests are considered under used considering the annual allowable cut. The land use inefficiency is caused by the 1990s war: populations were displaced and abandoned their settlements in the mountains, and large areas of the lands are still contaminated by landmines, which may take at least 30 years to clean up. Bosnia and Herzegovina had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.99/10, ranking it 89th globally out of 172 countries.
Mountains
Among all countries in Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina has the tenth most mountain area shares, after countries like Switzerland, Armenia and Georgia. Trebević (1629 m, 5344 ft) is right above the capital city of Sarajevo. During the summer, it is significantly cooler than the city, while in the winter, it is cold and snowy. It is a popular destination for skiing. It houses multiple fresh-water springs which supply the city. Other springs feed the river Miljacka which flows through Sarajevo. The southern side of the mountain is exposed to strong winds from neighboring mountains Treskavica and Bjelasnica. Vegetative life is mostly present in lower areas of the mountains, which are more humid and fertile than the top. The mountain is covered with both wild and privately grown forests. Jahorina (1913 m, 6275 ft) is a mountain range bordering Trebevic. It is also above Sarajevo. It has two main fresh-water springs, which supply areas around the city. The springs flow into the rivers Bosna and Drina. Jahorina is also a source of strong winds, and scarce usable land. Most of Jahorina is covered by thick forests, the highest ones reaching heights of 1700 m (5577 ft). Its vegetation is luxuriant. A plane called Saracevo Polje is especially wealthy due to its specific position and sun exposure. Blueberries, strawberries, many varieties of flowers as well as maple grow in this area. The mountain was named after the abundance of maple that grows here. As far as biodiversity, the mountain Treskavica is one of the richest mountains in the country. This is likely due to the abundance of water sources. Several little springs are present as well as two smaller and three bigger natural lakes. The geological structure is the cause of such abundance of water. Trees such as beech, and red maple are abundant.
Water
Water is the biggest opportunity for the economic expansion of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Higher levels of water increased the GDP by 0.3%, due to boosted electricity production and exports. The United Nations conducted a survey in 2013 and asked participants to identify the biggest priority for the improvement of the country and "Water, Energy Efficiency and Environmental Sustainability" was ranked priority number five out of fifteen. There are no existing water management facilities, which is a big disadvantage to the potential of water exploitation in the country, as well as maintaining the quality and quantity of water. Flood control facilities have not been updated or maintained since the war in the 1990s. Considering that the country is surrounded by rivers, and towns are situated right next to rivers such as Vrbas, Sava, Drina and Bosna, the damages caused by potential floods would be enormous. The only cleaning or disinfection methods used to clean the water is chlorine disinfection. Most of the municipalities and areas in the country have access to clean water. There are no reported areas that lack water. A sample group was interviewed in 2011, and the results of that survey showed that most people were satisfied with the quality and access to the water.
Energy
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