The natural and cultural heritage of Croatia () comprises sites, monuments, goods and species of particular importance to the Republic of Croatia which are protected by national law. The Croatian constitution states that the protection of natural and cultural heritage, as well as their use needs to be regulated according to the constitution and laws of the Republic of Croatia (art. 2).
As regards nature protection, the Croatian constitution states: <blockquote> Article 3
The protection of nature and the human environment belong among others to the highest values of the constitutional rights of the Republic of Croatia and are a foundation for interpreting the constitution.
OÃÂuvanje prirode i ÃÂovjekova okolià ¡a izmeÃÂu ostalih najvià ¡e su vrednote ustavnog poretka Republike Hrvatske i temelj za tumaÃÂenje Ustava. </blockquote>
Furthermore, the constitution states: <blockquote> Article 52
The sea, the coast and islands, waters, airspace, mining resources and other natural treasures, but also land property, woods, plants and animals, other parts of nature, immovable property and items of particular cultural, historic, economic and ecologic significance, which are of interest for the Republic of Croatia according to law, have its particular protection.
More, morska obala i otoci, vode, zraÃÂni prostor, rudno blago i druga prirodna bogatstva, ali i zemljià ¡te, à ¡ume, biljni i à ¾ivotinjski svijet, drugi dijelovi prirode, nekretnine i stvari od osobitog kulturnoga, povijesnog, gospodarskog i ekoloà ¡kog znaÃÂenja, za koje je zakonom odreÃÂeno da su od interesa za Republiku Hrvatsku, imaju njezinu osobitu zaà ¡titu. </blockquote>
The Croatian State Institute for Nature Protection (Croatian Drà ¾avni zavod za zaà ¡titu prirode, DZZP) is the responsible state body for nature protection. It has been established by governmental decree in 2002 (OG 126/02). According to the Nature Protection Act (Croatian Zakon o zaà ¡titi prirode) professional state tasks regarding nature protection are carried out by the institute (OG 70/05 i 139/08).
Within the Croatian Ministry of Culture (Croatian Ministarstvo kulture) the Administration for Nature Protection (Croatian Uprava za zaà ¡titu prirode Ministarstva kulture) has been established, which holds the Register of Protected Natural Values (Croatian Upisnik zaà ¡tiÃÂenih prirodnih vrijednosti). Protected natural monuments are marked as spomenik prirode in Croatian.
The Nature Protection Act (OG 70/05 and 139/08) stipulates nine categories of protected areas. The national categories largely correspond to the internationally recognized IUCN protected area categories.
The Croatian Ministry of Culture is the only body responsible for the protection of cultural monuments (Croatian spomenik kulture). According to the Act on the protection and preservation of cultural goods of 1999 (Croatian Zakon o zaà ¡titi i oÃÂuvanju kulturnih dobara) a Register of Cultural Goods has been established (Croatian Registar kulturnih dobara Republike Hrvatske) (art. 14, OG 69/99).
The register contains the following lists: