Natural and cultural resources

Of the available natural potentials, hydrographic wealth, agricultural potential and forest wealth are the most important. The strategic development advantage of this area is in programs in the field of environmental protection as an area of wider importance for recreational and tourist activities, water supply and production of organic food of known and protected geographical origin, with the application of the highest ecological standards.

Until now, the great opportunities for using the hydrographic potential have been insufficiently used, both for better water supply to the population not only in this area, but also for energy purposes. There are five hydropower plants in the district: Bajina Bašta, Uvac, Kokin Brod, Potpeć and Bistrica and one reversible Bajina Bašta, all in the system of Drina-Lim hydropower plants.

The most important natural entities that have been protected so far are:

• Tara National Park;
• three nature parks: Šargan – Morka Gora, Zlatibor and Golija (one part in the Zlatibor administrative district);
• eleven special and strict nature reserves: Peštersko polje, Zelenika (Jelova Gora), Iznad Tatalija (Jelova Gora), Tesne Jaruga (Jelova Gora), gorge of the Mileševka river, Gutavica, Paljevine, Uvac, Čalački potok, Velika pleć – Vražji vir and Ravništa;
• three landscapes of exceptional qualities: Ozren – Jadovnik, Kamena Gora and Ivlje forest park on Zlatar;
• fourteen monuments of nature: botanical – Black pine (Hisardžik, Prijepolje), lužnjak oak (group of 5 trees Draganovac, Požega, tree in Ljutica, Požega, tree in Beli vode, Požega and tree in Visibaba, Požega), cer oak (Počeča, Požega), Klokočevac (Kosjerić); munika (Senište, Nova Varoš), mecja leska (Svetog Sava Square and Majdanska Street, Užice); geological – Bukovik cave (Nova Varoš), Potpećka cave (Užice) and Stopića cave (Čajetina); Sopotnica waterfalls (Prijepolje).
• Peštersko polje is under international protection, based on its inclusion in the Ramsar list. The definition of the status, spatial scope and protection regime for the gorges of Djetinje, Zaovina, Zlatar, Giljeva, and the valley of Mali Rzava is being prepared. Also in preparation is a proposal for acquiring international protection status for Uvac and Golija, and for the EMERALD network cluster of protected areas: Tara – Zaovine – Mokra Gora – Zlatibor; Ozren – Jadovnik, Giljeva, Peštersko polje and Pešterska plateau.

In addition to natural beauty and riches, numerous cultural and historical assets and entities are under the protection of the state:

• 74 cultural monuments of which 4 medieval towns, 11 monasteries, 16 churches, 7 log cabin churches, 2 khans, Sultan-Valida mosque in Sjenica, Spasojevića tower in Sjenica, 2 fountains, partisan hospital in Prijepolje, Old hydropower plant in Užice, moats, bridge in Uvac, buildings, houses, villas, school in Kremni, memorial ossuary in Priboj;
• 3 spatial cultural-historical units (the center of the village of Godovik, Požega, the Old Bazaar of Bajina Bašta and the unit in Gornja Dobrinja, Požega);
• 16 archaeological sites (in the area of Požega, Bajina Bašta, Prijepolje, Sjenica and Kosjerić) and the famous memorial complex “Boško Buha” in Jabuca, Prijepolje.