GEODIVERSITY
The conservation and protection of geoheritage, a representative segment of the geodiversity of Serbia, are an important part of the modern concept of nature conservation.
The term geoheritage includes phenomena and sites - natural areas with pronounced geological, geomorphological, hydrological, paedological and archaeological characteristics.
The geoheritage sites of Serbia have been protected from the very beginnings of the institutional conservation of nature, that is, from the establishment of the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, as evidenced by the Decrees on the protection of natural sites of geological heritage, which were passed in the 1950s (Velika and Mala Ripaljka, Prebreza, Resavska cave, etc.). In the beginning, these were yet individual initiatives of eminent experts in this field, and in the mid -1990s the systematic selection, evaluation and initiation of the protection of geoheritage sites began, when eminent experts in various scientific disciplines concerned with Earth became actively involved in this. During 60 years of work, the Institute has developed a network of protected sites in order to preserve records and testimonies of the past on the entire territory of Serbia, thereby contributing to the classification of geoheritage as an inextricable component of natural values.
The new impetus was given by the establishment of international associations dealing with the identification and listing of geoheritage sites, such as the European Association for the Conservation of the Geological Heritage - ProGEO, of which Serbia is a member. With the establishment of the National Geological Heritage Council (formerly the National Council of Serbia in 1995, and then the National Council of Serbia and Montenegro in 2002), the unique practice of geoheritage conservation was commenced in Serbia.
According to the initiative of ProGEO, the National Council took over the organization of these tasks and formed 16 working groups with the obligation to create the inventory of geoheritage sites according to the areas for which each working group was in charge, as well as to prepare a list of priorities in relation to the significance of the sites.
The Inventory of geoheritage sites includes about 1150 geological, palaeontological, geomorphological, speleological and neotectonic sites. The Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia has so far protected more than 80 geoheritage sites, mainly the ones designated as the monuments of nature, whereas a significant number of sites have been protected as part of larger protected areas. In cooperation with the National Geological Heritage Council, the Faculty of Mining and Geology, the Faculty of Geography and other institutions involved in the study of Earth, the Institute has established a network for cooperation, promotion and popularization of geoheritage in Serbia.
The term geoheritage includes phenomena and sites - natural areas with pronounced geological, geomorphological, hydrological, paedological and archaeological characteristics.
The geoheritage sites of Serbia have been protected from the very beginnings of the institutional conservation of nature, that is, from the establishment of the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, as evidenced by the Decrees on the protection of natural sites of geological heritage, which were passed in the 1950s (Velika and Mala Ripaljka, Prebreza, Resavska cave, etc.). In the beginning, these were yet individual initiatives of eminent experts in this field, and in the mid -1990s the systematic selection, evaluation and initiation of the protection of geoheritage sites began, when eminent experts in various scientific disciplines concerned with Earth became actively involved in this. During 60 years of work, the Institute has developed a network of protected sites in order to preserve records and testimonies of the past on the entire territory of Serbia, thereby contributing to the classification of geoheritage as an inextricable component of natural values.
The new impetus was given by the establishment of international associations dealing with the identification and listing of geoheritage sites, such as the European Association for the Conservation of the Geological Heritage - ProGEO, of which Serbia is a member. With the establishment of the National Geological Heritage Council (formerly the National Council of Serbia in 1995, and then the National Council of Serbia and Montenegro in 2002), the unique practice of geoheritage conservation was commenced in Serbia.
According to the initiative of ProGEO, the National Council took over the organization of these tasks and formed 16 working groups with the obligation to create the inventory of geoheritage sites according to the areas for which each working group was in charge, as well as to prepare a list of priorities in relation to the significance of the sites.
The Inventory of geoheritage sites includes about 1150 geological, palaeontological, geomorphological, speleological and neotectonic sites. The Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia has so far protected more than 80 geoheritage sites, mainly the ones designated as the monuments of nature, whereas a significant number of sites have been protected as part of larger protected areas. In cooperation with the National Geological Heritage Council, the Faculty of Mining and Geology, the Faculty of Geography and other institutions involved in the study of Earth, the Institute has established a network for cooperation, promotion and popularization of geoheritage in Serbia.
Source: Simić S., Gavrilović Lj., Belij, S. (2010). Hydrological Heritage: New Direction in Hydrology and Geoheritage. Glasnik Srpskog geografskog društva, 2010 90(4).
Thus, in 2004, when our country presided over the ProGEO Working Group for South East Europe (ProGEO WG1), the Second Scientific Meeting on the geoheritage of Serbia with international participation was organized, which was of great scientific and professional significance for determining the state of geoheritage in Serbia. In the framework of activities on promotion and presentation of the values of geoheritage sites to the public, a study tour (GEO-trip) and excursions, an international camp for students, an educational geo-trail in NP "Tara" were organized, along with a number of other similar activities.
