Grmoščica or Grmošćica is a hill on Medvednica mountain in central Croatia, just north of Zagreb. Its highest peak is 239 m.
Etymology
The oldest surviving mention of the hill is in a 1217 document under the name Gremla.: 152 : 17, 25
The form Grmoščica is Kajkavian, whereas the form Grmošćica is a correction according to the Croatian standard. It consists of a root inherited from Proto-Slavic grъmъ -oš -čica. A dialectal form Grmovčica is also encountered.: 188 Both spellings continue to be used.: 20
In other dialects, the word grmoščica is used to refer to the mushroom Armillaria tabescens.: 19
Biology
Flora
Trees include Castanea sativa, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea, Salix alba,: 23 S. purpurea,: 56 and others.
There is currently a Robinia pseudoacacia infestation, and foresters are trying to force the growth of native Q. petraea and F. sylvatica to combat it. The local C. sativa population is still badly affected by Cryphonectria parasitica.
The lichen species found on oak bark on the hill are Flavoparmelia caperata: 26 and Hypogymnia physodes.: 25 : 106, 115
Fauna
Insects include Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata: 113 and the invasive species Dryocosmus kuriphilus, the latter a risk for the spread of Cryphonectria parasitica.: 500 : 162
Geoscience
Geology
Grmoščica is home to some of the most active landslides in Zagreb.: 146
Speleology
Kustošijanka is a cave with two entrances and 44 m of passageway on the north slope of a valley on the east side of Grmoščica. It is located on the fault line dividing Grmoščica in half from northeast to southwest. Its entrance is at an elevation of 155 m. The caver Darko Višek learned of its existence in conversation with local resident Vlado Krapljan, who was among the visitors who left many names and dates inscribed on the walls of the cave in their childhood. It formed in Upper Pontian layers of marlstone, duststone, and sandstone: "Rhomboidea layers", deposited in brackish conditions. Thanks to being on a landslide-prone part of the hill, the entrance became covered at some point after 1993 and could only be passed following digging in 2010.
Clay pit
An inactive 15.85 ha clay pit remains in situ on the southeast side of the hill.: 12
Landslides
A large area of the forest on Grmoščica is under private ownership, which has resulted in forest loss, which has led to landslide formation.
Forest Park
The Forest Park Grmoščica is 76.9 hectares (190 acres) in area, of which 63.6 hectares (157 acres) is forested, of which 46.81 hectares (115.7 acres) is state owned. The average wood stock is 274.6 cubic metres (9,700 cu ft) per hectare, and average current annual increment 7.6 cubic metres (270 cu ft) per hectare.
It is planned to renew the Populus population in two cuts, to bring in 15,000 Q. petraea seedlings per hectare and to reforest cleared areas with Picea abies, Pinus species an others.
The park is one of the few places in Zagreb where dogs are allowed without a leash.: 17
Recreation
The arrangement of the Forest Park Grmoščica for recreation has been described as "neglected" by authorities.: 23 This began to change following the inclusion of the addition of recreational infrastructure to the park plan.: 207 A series of new downhill bicycle routes were added in 2021,: 37 although the majority of routes had been constructed on private initiative.
One of the earliest and more successful branches of the Croatian Pin Bowling Federation, Grmoščica, founded in 1938, meets on the hill.: 7 : 251 Within Yugoslavia, they won the male national cup 9 times.
References
