The priority task within UNESCO Biosphere Reserves is their sustainable development in the future. Tourism in a biosphere reserve is one of the main ways to achieve sustainable management, but it is also challenging in terms of both benefits and limitations. The "Golija-Studenica" Biosphere Reserve, as an area of extraordinary natural and cultural values and a high degree of protection, has gradually become well-known destination in the field of tourism. In order to achieve the development of the area that is in line with the principles of sustainable development and nature conservation, it is essential to strategically and practically direct tourist activities towards sustainable forms of tourism. This paper analyses the current state of tourism in the "Golija-Studenica" Biosphere Reserve, on the basis of which adequate guidelines for the future development of sustainable forms of tourism are defined. The focus in developing sustainable forms of tourism within the "Golija-Studenica" Biosphere Reserve should be directed towards the local communities, who are the best acquainted with the values of the area in which they live and its cultural identity. Educating the local population, including examples of good practice, is the first and fundamental step in recognising all the benefits that life in a protected area provides. Sustainable tourism would not threaten traditional activities, but would instead act in the best possible symbiotic way with them. At the same time, sustainable tourism is viewed as the best argument against mass tourist development, as well as an opportunity to strengthen the local economy and infrastructure, which is the first and fundamental prerequisite for the thriving of human communities within the "Golija-Studenica" Biosphere Reserve.
Brestovačko Lake, a reservoir located in the lowest elevational zone of the Nature Park "Radan", represents a potentially important habitat for the avifauna of southeastern Serbia. To determine the composition and seasonal dynamics of bird fauna, a survey was conducted in 2023 using transect methods (year-round) and point count methods along the lake shore (during the breeding season and migration periods). A total of 99 bird species were recorded, 72 of which belong to the breeding category. The analysis of seasonal dynamics revealed a relatively stable number of species across months at the point count stations, with the highest Shannon-Wiener diversity index value recorded in March (H' = 2.35) and the lowest in June (H' = 2.20), without statistically significant differences. The fact that majority of the recorded species are of national and international conservation importance underscores the need to preserve this area through the establishment of regular monitoring and the improvement of protection measures.
This paper presents main ecosystem services provided by amphibian and reptile species, with an emphasis on species that inhabit Serbia. Ecosystem services represent all the benefits that people receive from ecosystems and can be divided into four categories: provisioning services, regulating services, services of cultural importance, and supporting services. Amphibians and reptiles participate in all types of ecosystem services: supporting services (nutrient cycling, bioturbation), regulating services (biological control, pollination of plants and their seed dispersal), provisioning services (sources of protein, food, raw materials and medicines, resources), and services of cultural importance (amulets, folk beliefs and rituals). In almost all ecosystems, amphibians and reptiles play a key role in the flow of energy and the cycling of nutrients in the aquatic and terrestrial environments (and between them); in addition, they participate in the control of "pest" populations (insects and rodents), and potentially participate in plant pollination and seed dispersal. Amphibians and reptiles also serve as models in medical research, offering the potential for new pharmaceutical products such as analgesics, antivirals and other drugs. Both of these vertebrate classes, and amphibians in particular, are extremely endangered: highlighting their importance through the ecosystem services they provide can help with the education necessary for long-term conservation.
Field research conducted between 2012 and 2018 along the section of the Great Bačka Canal from Srbobran to Bačko Gradište resulted in the identification of 211 bird species. Additionally, through an analysis of available literature, museum collections, unpublished data from other ornithologists, and satellite telemetry programs, a total of 240 bird species have been recorded, whereas 79 species are considered recent breeders. The area is home to 58 species breeding in Serbia that are listed in the Red Book of fauna of Serbia III - Birds, while 24 species are listed in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Furthermore, 72 species are included in Annex I of the EU Birds Directive. The richness of the area's avifauna is internationally recognized, since Eastern part of the area is situated within the Internationally Important Bird Area (IBA) "Bečej Fishponds" . All of the above should serve as a foundation for potential legal protection of the study area.
Abstract: In June 2025, a dead specimen of the strictly protected Snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) was found in the "Tara" National Park. During the return visit, in September, live individuals were also observed. They were recorded at two additional places. The Snake-eyed skink is the 13th reptile species recorded in the Park thus far. Tara Mountain is one of its westernmost habitats in Serbia.
Farm and wildlife sanctuary Naankuse in Windhoek, Namibia is home to numerous animals who are taken care of with the aim of conservation and "returning the wild to the wild". Volunteering on the farm includes a variety of activities such as securing clean water in waterholes, enclosure cleaning, food preparing, feeding small and large carnivores, herbivores, and raptors. Activities in the Zannier Reserve, which is located at a small distance from the farm, include setting up camera traps, monitoring, patrolling with rangers and participation in anti-poaching training with a canine unit. The purpose of volunteering activities at the Naankuse farm was to provide experience in wildlife conservation, to make a contribution to the living conditions of animals on the farm, and at the same time to enable closer approach to the wildlife of the reserve in general.
During the activities on the valorization of natural areas and the revision of protection status within two natural areas, the pleasantness of the stay led to the idea that these environments probably had healing potential as well, and might be used for health, therapeutic and preventive purposes. The first one is the Natural Monument "Tufa Accumulation Beli Izvorac" near Majdanpek, in which a revision of the protection status was carried out in 2022. The second one is the Oak Forest in Radenkovac, on the southern slopes of Devica Mountain, which was determined and valorized as a natural monument and the designation procedure was initiated. The processing of a modest volume of literature, as well as the locations of some existing rehabilitation centers, have confirmed the healing potential of forests, at least in terms of recreation and relaxation. It has also been proposed to examine and test the aforementioned natural areas.
The Decree on the control of use and trade in wild flora and fauna ("Službeni glasnik RS" , br. 31/2005 od 8.4.2005. i 45/2005) pertains to wild species of flora and fauna, the harvesting of which from natural habitats is controlled and the fee for their use is determined. Appendix 2 of the Rulebook on the proclamation and protection of strictly protected and protected wild species of plants, animals and fungi ("Službeni glasnik RS", br. 5/2010, 47/2011, 32/2016, 98/2016) lists all species from the Decree, which are determined as protected wild species. This paper presents the analysis of the harvesting and trade in wild species, as well as the procedure for obtaining harvesting permits for the period from 1993 to 2024, i.e. the entire period in which the harvesting of wild species was controlled in the Republic of Serbia. The Institute's information system was established in 2005, which enabled monitoring of the state and analysis of approved and collected quantities of wild species in the territory of central Serbia without provinces. Records of collected quantities on the territory of Vojvodina are kept by the Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province. The annual reports of the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, which provide a summary of the trade in wild species of flora and fauna, have been used as main documents regarding the analyses presented in this paper. Monitoring and implementation of legal regulations are the basis for the sustainable development of natural diversity, and this paper is aimed at better understanding and improving this activity.
The journal "Life and Nature" is published to present scientific and professional papers and knowledge in the field of nature conservation, covering the following topics: protected areas, biodiversity, geodiversity, landscape diversity, ecosystem protection, management of natural resources, nature conservation and spatial planning, education and public involvement in nature conservation. Given that a list of published papers exists from 1950, i.e. the very beginning of the journal's publication, to 1999, what follows is an overview of the papers and authors who, from 2000 onwards, have covered a wide and diverse range of topics from this rich and multidisciplinary field. This overview testifies not only to the involvement of the Institute's experts, but also to the ongoing opening up of the Institute's journal for contributions of external authors. The journal is published twice a year. For a time, it was published under the title "Posebna izdanja" ("Special Editions"), but the name was soon changed back to "Zaštita prirode" ("Nature Conservation" and from issue 73/1 (2023) "Life and Nature"). It has a long tradition, and as of this year, it has been published for 75 years. Since 2000, the journal has also been available in electronic form on the Institute's website (https://zzps. RS/naša-izdanja/časopis-zaštita-prirode/), and from issue No. 75/1 it has been published bilingually - in Serbian and English. This journal is open access and is distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).
The dragonfly fauna of the Smilovska Lakes was investigated during 2022 and 2023 as part of the conservation study "Odorovsko Polje". This research recorded a total of 21 species of dragonflies in the lakes, which, when combined with previous surveys, brings the overall number of species documented at the site to 24. It is important to emphasize the presence of the yellow-spotted emerald (Somatochlora flavomaculata (Vander Linden, 1825)), a species not recorded during the present study but known from earlier publications. Future research on the lakes should focus on obtaining additional data about this species, which is considered rare and threatened in Serbia. Given its conservation status, it would be advisable to consider its inclusion in one of the Annexes of the Regulation on the Proclamation and Protection of Strictly Protected and Protected Wild Species of Plants, Animals and Fungi.
A Knowledge Co-Creation Program titled "Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR)" was held from September 10th to October 11th, 2024, organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The first part of the course, from September 10 to 27, was held online, during which participants were required to listen to lectures on topics such as forest fires, landslides, water basins, the importance of coastal forests, and modern technologies in environmental protection, and subsequently pass tests for each topic individually. The face-to-face program took place from September 29 to October 12 at the JICA Center in Tsukuba, Japan. This program aims to reduce disasters, preserve and strengthen natural ecosystems in developing countries through an understanding of practical examples of Eco-DRR, including the disaster prevention functions provided by forests (water resource management, prevention of sediment-related disasters, climate change mitigation, etc.).
The National Museum of the Czech Republic (NMP) in Praha possesses 80 specimens in 45 species of birds from Serbia. Most of them were collected by Antonín Frič in 1852 in south-eastern Vojvodina, and by Jan Hanzák in 1969 in Kosovo. A revised list of those specimens is provided. The faunistic records are of historical value.
Rudnik Mountain is the highest mountain area in central Serbia with the highest peak called Veliki Šturac (Cvijić's peak) at 1132 m above sea level. It is characterized by relatively well-preserved natural and semi-natural habitats, as well as a rich hydrographic network. Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia has evaluated this area, and by submitting the conservation study to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the designation procedure was initiated on August 29, 2023. According to the determined values and the proposed protection category, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has prepared a Draft Decree, which categorizes the Rudnik Mountain area as a protected area of the I (first) category, the Outstanding Natural Landscape, with established protection regimes I, II and III, and with a total protected area of 10,017.74 hectares. The vision of the Rudnik Mountain sustainable development is to create more favourable and qualitative conditions for the life and work of the local population, primarily based on the improvement of agricultural production as the main activity of the majority of this area inhabitants. An important step in the designation process based on sustainable development is the involvement of all interested parties, primarily the local population. The sustainability of the protected area development can be achieved if there is support from the local population and their motivation and ability to implement their activities and the infrastructure of local communities in accordance with the conservation of natural values through the established protection regimes of ONL "Rudnik".
Monitoring avian fauna in protected areas is crucial for detecting changes in populations of key species and communities, identifying threatening factors, and for the planning and implementation of conservation and management measures. The Special Nature Reserve "Slano Kopovo" (Vojvodina, Serbia) is a protected area and part of the Important bird and biodiversity area "Slano Kopovo" . From 2021 to 2023, systematic monitoring of key and indicator bird species was conducted in the Special Nature Reserve "Slano Kopovo." This included monitoring of the migration of geese and cranes, autumn migration of passerines, common bird species, breeding of the Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica), the Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus), the Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), the Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), the Common Redshank (Tringa totanus), and breeding of the European Roller (Coracias garrulus). The results indicate the significance of the area for all selected species, but also highlight conservation challenges and the need for the implementation of active protection measures. Notably, the necessity for managing hydrological regimes is emphasized, as water scarcity during various times of the year significantly impacts both breeding and non-breeding birds in the area. The monitoring also underscores the importance of active conservation measures targeted at specific species, as exemplified by the use of nest boxes for the European Roller.
