Abstract
The paper analyzes the water quality of hydrological resources in the wider area of Tara National Park (NP Tara) in Serbia and the opinions of the local community and the national park visitors about the grade of the possible damage. The pollution level of the Drina River at the Bajina Bašta hydrological station was analyzed using the Water Pollution Index. The results showed that water quality corresponded to classes II (clean water) or III (moderately polluted water) and revealed the presence of organic pollution. In addition, using a survey combined with field research, the perceptions of local inhabitants and national park visitors related to environmental pollution were analyzed. The community believed that tourism does not cause significant damage to the environment. However, the older and more educated groups of residents and visitors had a more critical perception of the environmental impact of tourism. The results also indicated that the perceptions of visitors were mostly in agreement with measured water quality in the Drina River. The findings of this study have important implications for the management of protected areas and future policies related to national parks.
Highlights
In many European countries, including Serbia, special attention is paid to the protection and preservation of water resources and the environment, as they are identified as crucial for sustainable development in the 21st century
Based on the seven chemical parameters results of this study showed that water quality was very good at the Bajina Bašta station and the other three hydrological stations
Analysis in the period 2006–2010 gave similar results for the Bajina Bašta station, while at the Ljubovija station the water was assessed as moderately polluted. When it came to the influence of individual parameters on water pollution, increased values of S and coliform bacteria (CB)
Summary
In many European countries, including Serbia, special attention is paid to the protection and preservation of water resources and the environment, as they are identified as crucial for sustainable development in the 21st century. It is noteworthy that the protection and improvement of water resources have become one of the most important segments of the broader debate about the sustainable development of tourism in the 21st century. The awareness of the visual qualities and the level of water pollution are essential when planning and managing tourist activities related to hydrographic sites. This is important for different categories of protected natural areas, where water resources are dominant
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