Nature protection and sustainable tourism interaction in selected Ramsar sites in Vojvodina (Northern Serbia)

Vladimir Stojanović,Jelena Dunjić,Lazar Lazić

doi:10.5937/gp22-16637

Abstract

This paper explores wetland-based tourism in four Ramsar sites in northern Serbian province Vojvodina, as well as a connection between tourism and nature protection. These regions are of great importance for Vojvodina, especially from the point of view of ecosystem services, because 83.3% of its territory are agricultural areas. Explored Ramsar sites were designated in period from 2004 to 2008 and they have been included in many plans as important areas for tourism development. However, the level of tourism development in these sites is not uniform because it depends on variety of factors such as touristic attractions value, engagement of nature protection managers in tourism development, and level of nature degradation and protection. The main objective of this paper is to determine the interconnection between nature degradation, nature protection and tourism development in selected Ramsar areas of Vojvodina, based on the Internal data of protected area managers,Report on the state of the environment and the scope of tourism development (infrastructure, services, development plans).

Highlights

The Ramsar Convention (The Convention of Wetlands of International Importance) is one among contemporary initiatives in natural assets protection around the globe, which is interrelated with the most endangered habitats in the world – wetland habitats, and is a core part of the international biodiversity governance system (Mauerhofer et al, 2015)
The key anthropogenic impact on protected areas in the Ramsar sites was accomplished during the 19th and 20th centuries, with a trend of huge melioration works that were performed in Vojvodina at that time
Poplar plantations have been systematically replacing the areas of the old autochthonous forests of white poplar for decades. These areas are accessible to tourists, but they are not as attractive as some others, because, to some extent, they lost the original properties of typical humid habitats (Stojanović, 2005), on which the quality ecotourism offer is based

Summary

Introduction

The Ramsar Convention (The Convention of Wetlands of International Importance) is one among contemporary initiatives in natural assets protection around the globe, which is interrelated with the most endangered habitats in the world – wetland habitats, and is a core part of the international biodiversity governance system (Mauerhofer et al, 2015). The convention highlights the significance of protection and wise utilization of wetlands (Matthews, 2013; Hettiarachchi, 2015). The need for wise utilisation is perceived in large number of services that such habitats may provide (Smart & Canters, 1991; Asaad et al, 2017, Verhoeven, 2014). By means of Ramsar Convention and other activities, should provide the aforementioned services with the aim of achieving the wellbeing of the local population and communities (Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2010; Ostrovskaya et al, 2013; Bego & Malltezi, 2011). There were 2,293 declared Ramsar sites in the world, covering the total area of 225,418,823 ha by January 2018 (http://www.ramsar.org/)

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Conclusion