Sustainable development of the protected areas with the reference to the Sicevo gorge

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to test the topical and possible application of sustainable development principles in the protected areas. The sustainable development is observed as a goal and the flexible mechanism for reaching the consensus set by the fundamental postulates of the Agenda 21, among all the relevant factors in the decision making and enforcement of regulations. It is unquestionable that the spatial planning possesses the necessary integrative potentials for management of changes, long term time horizon and the catalytic position in reconciliation of public, social and private interest. The road towards sustainability is a long and complex process, because it requires the change of the way of thinking and behavior of all the social factors, that is, establishment of the understanding the environmental effect of the development is as important as the economic one. The main guidelines of this reconciliation must be the vision and the aims of preservation of natural resources, but not as the ultimate requirement of the authorities, but as the argument-supported and articulated public interest. This paper refers to the Spatial plan of the special area of Sicevo gorge through the review of basic regimes of natural resources protection, restrictions and prohibitions. It also pays attention to the measures which will allow to achive sustainability of development as well as apply protective regimes.