Posted on December, 15 2014

As of today, December 15, two Serbian protected areas – the Fruska Gora National Park and the Gornje Podunavlje (Upper Danube) Special Nature Reserve -- are officially among the most prestigious protected areas in Europe. They won the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas. The Charter is awarded by EUROPARC, an independent NGO bringing together the protected areas, governmental departments, NGOs and businesses that manage most European protected areas.
 
The recognition comes thanks to the WWF Dinaric Arc Parks Initiative carried out in 7 countries in partnership with UNESCO-BRESCE, UNDP, IUCN, the Council of Europe, FAO, Euronatur and SNV World. Dinaric Arc Parks is a network of protected areas and ecological corridors in south-eastern Europe. The area includes the entire region facing the eastern Adriatic Sea. Besides the two protected areas in Serbia, it contains areas in  Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy,  Montenegro and Slovenia.

The directors of the Fruska Gora National Park and the Gornje Podunavlje Special Nature Reserve received the award in the European Parliament in Brussels. WWF Programme Manager for Serbia Duska Dimovic said that there are several reasons the prestigious award is given to the two protected areas important for sustainable tourism, apart from its significance for environmental protection. The award is also important to people because it helps develop and establish ties between all segments of society.

The Deputy Director of Fruska Gora, Dusan Pajkic, said that only 131 out of over 28,000 protected areas in the EU have so far won this recognition. The recognition lists Fruska Gora among the leaders in both sustainable development and cooperation between the public and private sector in Serbia, the region and worldwide, Pajkic said.