Posted on May, 24 2020

Parks and Protected Ares offer many benefits such as biodiversity preservation, protection of animals and plants habitats, and benefits for local communities and society in general. But it seems that today more than ever is important to highlight how important they are for human health. Spending time in nature is essential for recovering human’s mental and physical energy, and in an ever-more urbanized Europe, we must create more opportunities for citizens to connect and explore the outdoors.

Protected areas throughout Europe, but also in our region, will use the European Day of Parks, May 24, as an invitation for people to return to the parks.

"We invite all visitors to show special respect for nature, employees in protected areas, as well as other visitors in the coming months. This, in addition to respecting the general measures prescribed by national and local authorities, can be achieved by detailed planning of visits, avoiding risky activities in the park, as well as maintaining physical distance at the most visited natural attractions. I would especially like to emphasize the need for a responsible attitude towards nature through the principle – ‘I leave nothing behind’, i.e. by disposing of waste in the prescribed manner", points out the executive director of the Parks Dinarides Zoran Mrdak.

Responsible behaviour towards nature was promoted this year under the slogan "Healthy parks, healthy people" because only preserved parks can contribute to the preservation of human health.

"Only preserved parks and protected areas will continue to provide numerous ecosystem services, which include benefits for human health. Therefore, it is necessary to provide adequate funding, which will then be directed towards improving PA management and developing sustainable activities. One of the possible activities is certainly education because the parks are a, which allows physical distance in a situation where it is still necessary to respect measures to preserve public health," said WWF program manager for protected areas Marko Pećarević.

European Parks Day is celebrated since 1999 as an initiative of the Federation of European National Parks - EUROPARC, in memory of the proclamation of the first national parks in Europe in Sweden.