THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTED AREAS FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN SERBIA

Abstract

Protected natural assets contribute to the preservation and enhancement of: biodiversity, the phe- nomena of geoheritage, landscapes, environmental quality, durability and quality of natural resources and space as construction-urbanistic category. Protected natural assets are: protected areas, protected species and protected movable natural documents.

Management of the protected areas is a matter of general interest. The protected area is managed by the manager, a person who complies with the skill, personnel and organizational terms that are necessary for performing work on preserving, enhancing and promoting natural and created assets and sustainable use of the protected area.

In Serbia, there are 522,120.00 ha under protection (463 protected areas) or 5.91 % of the country's territory. SE "Srbijašume" is the largest manager of protected areas (manages 94 protected are- as, on an area of 216,804.68 ha, which makes 41.85 % of the total protected areas in Serbia). According to OECD definition, rural areas in Serbia take up 85% of country’s territory where lives more than half of the total population (55 %), with population density of 63 people per km2. As for the environment protec- tion, rural areas in Serbia are rich in ecosystems and biodiversity, marked as protected natural assets. Rural areas in Serbia are distinguished economically, socially and demographically.

Protected natural areas and objects represent the most valuable ecotourism potential. The most beautiful ecotourism destinations, with the best ecotourism offer there is, might be created in protected and preserved natural and rural areas, since those are usually mountain areas with shattered villages which expect additional income from rural tourism.