Valorization of Multifunctional Values of Unused Forest and Aquatic Ecosystem Potentials of the Danube Coast in Belgrade Region

by Milutin Dražić, B.Sc. and Dragana Dražić, Ph.D. ^[1]

paper presented at the XII International Conference "Danube - River of Cooperation" (October, 11-14 2001) and published in Danubius 1-2/2001

Introduction

Belgrade, the capital of Yugoslavia and Serbia, is characterized by great density of population in central urban zone, a small percentage of open green spaces, a significant number of industrial capacities - polluters of air, waters and soils, a great intensity of local and transit traffic which produce noise over permitted limits and also pollute air with very harmful exhaust gases.

Very modest permanently green surfaces in narrower, most densely populated part of Belgrade are not able to neutralize the mentioned harmful agencies. That is the reasons that the central urban core is ecologically most endangered environment.

But, on the other hand, Belgrade has a significant advance in the fact that two big rivers flows through the town – the lover part of the Sava with its mouth in the Danube, and the Danube, the most important European river which links north and central part of Europe with Middle East.

These two rivers have numerous islands and coastal zone with preserved forest and aquatic ecosystems very suitable for recreation and tourist development. They will be also very interesting, after certain investments in various recreative, sport and entertainment contents, for foreign tourists. There are also great possibilities for nautical and hunting tourism in the wither zone rich in various hunting games.

The Danube links Belgrade with nearby small towns - Grocka and Smederevo. Their historical and cultural values, as also the natural characteristic, especially the Danube islands in their vicinity, always attracted numerous visitors, not only from Belgrade, but also the tourists that are the guest of Belgrade.

Objects of high tourist-recreative potentials

In this paper, we will give a list of examples that have all the preconditions to develop (with certain infrastructure investments) into highly attractive tourist and entertainment objects:

• Ada Ciganlija with Makiš. Former island, and nowadays peninsula connected with land with two isthmuses that forms lake, is the only well organized recreation zone with all the necessary infrastructure equipment. The lake is with relatively clear water suitable for swimming. But, its surface is not enough for all the visitors desirous of relaxation in nature. Makiš is continental part on about 400 hectares, mostly overgrow with forests. Makiš with Ada Ciganlija could be united and unique recreational and tourist zone. They have all the preconditions to become a "Boulogne Forest" of Belgrade. Certain infrastructure investment in rehabilitation of the železnik river, into deepen and widen already existed and newly created canals, afforestation, creation of walking paths, restaurants and entertainment objects is necessary.
• Foreland of left bank of the river Sava up to Progar with emptying canals has to be regulated. This will creation en extraordinary zone for sport fishing. Tourist offer of this part will be completed with commercial hunting area of wild boars and deer.
• "Ratno ostrvo". Extraordinary attractive natural object in the mouth of the river Sava into the Danube. It is characterized with maintained ambient of swampy area, marshy forests into depressions and natural stand of waterfowls. With certain infrastructure investments, tourism could be developed in this region. That also means preserving marshy-aquatic spontaneous vegetation and enriching bio-diversity with introduction of new game species as the decoration of natural forest ambient.
• Foreland of left bank of the Danube opposite Belgrade is suitable for daily picnics. It is necessary to stop building weekend cottage settlements and usurpation of the banks. Existing plantations of Euro-American cultivars of poplars has to be transformed into long living natural forests of oaks, elms, lindens and other ecologically suitable species characteristic for these habitats. In the parts where the natural forest is very devastated or destroyed, besides other entertainment contents, it is possible to built golf course (it is also possible in the Makis place). These courses are very interesting for foreign tourists.
• "Ada Huja" could be "the pearl" of recreation-entertainment Belgrade's offer. It is necessary to be eliminated unsanitary housing objects and workshops that exist on the Ada Huja. It is also necessary to be professionally landscaped and by vegetation enhanced. Beach in the branch of the river (previously free from polluted waters) will be very visited. Mineral spring has to be activated and building of hotel with mineral water facilities will be the next step. Also, the playgrounds and other recreational and entertainment contents would supplement spas offer. Lower than Ada is the ideal place for marina necessary for nautical sports.
• On the border, east part of the narrow Belgrade's zone, in the meander of the Danube, there is a group of islands - "Ada Čakljan", "Ada Stefanec" and "Donja Ada". They are surrounded with the Dunavac and "live" course of the Danube. Above them is island in the course of the Danube - "Bela Stena" which is even today very visited by the nature and islands fans. The mentioned three islands, surrounded with the Dunavac and "live" course of the Danube, and are the most beautiful and attractive natural landscape. With modest infrastructure investments, they could be the most values and most complex recreational and tourist objects in the whole Danube course in our country. There is an ideal place for recreation center with most attractive contents. It is also possible to maintain impression of natural forest ambient with specific aquatoriums.
• "Gročanska Ada" with its free coast along branch of the Danube. Not so long ago, "Gročanska Ada" has been very attractive for numerous visitors, not only for citizens from Grocka, but also for visitors from Belgrade and other cities. In the summer, on the upper part of coast, there have been a great number of swimmers and other nature fans. Walking through the forest landscape they have been psychophysically relaxed. There was also a tourist object with very good offer. But, by the clear-cut of natural forests and with anthropogenically planted intensive plantations of selected Euro-American poplars for the wood production purposes, natural forest ecosystems have been destroyed. In this way, the bio-diversity has been reduced and impoverished. This was the reason that pleasant ambient and visual-esthetic impressions have been degraded. Instead of diversity plant and animal species that existed in reach forest ecosystems, there appeared uniform anthropogenic plantations in geometrical shapes of monotonous and negative impressions of only one tree species as an artificial creation. It is quite understandable that it become an ambient not interesting and attractive for visitors. But, with proper silvi-meliorative and other infrastructure measures, this island could be again very attractive recreational object with various contents.
• "Smederevska Ada". Smederevo, with its medieval town and other historical monuments has also an island - "Smederevska Ada". Tourist-recreation values has not been enough valorized, but it has all predisposition to become a center of tourism and recreation oriented development.

Conclusions

Today, Belgrade besides numerous historical monuments and cultural sight is not very attractive and completely beautiful town.

In the present degree of urbanization and organization, it is not attractive enough for tourists. Besides historical and other monuments, contemporary tourist would like to enjoy in ambient which gives a wide spectrum of possibilities for recreation in the continental conditions of healthy forest-meadow ecosystems, and with possibilities of sport fishing, nautical and other activities on the water.

It is necessary to eliminate the contents that not belongs to the center of town and the rivers and they costs has to be cleaned. Belgrade has to come down from Terazije plateau into the green oasis that surround rivers Sava and Danube, enriched with cultural and entertainment contents. Not until then we can talk about beautiful town on the banks of two rivers.

According to discussed problems, it is evidently that Belgrade has extraordinary potentials in forest and aquatic objects, with highly valuable tourist potentials. Unoccupied coast and islands with diversity of aquatic and forest ecosystems gives the opportunities for recreation and tourism in healthy natural surroundings.

But, in the present economical situation, neither Republic Serbia nor Belgrade as its capital, are able to finance infrastructure investments in valorization of multifunctional values of cited objects.

So, we appeal on the urbanists and planners of Belgrade to protect these objects from further degradation, deterioration and even destruction. They have to stop uncontrolled urbanization and uncontrolled devastation of their forest and other natural ecosystems.

They also have to forbid using these objects for different purposes, because they will be valuable in future for our capital and our citizens and also very attractive for foreign tourists.

References

Dražić, M. (1996): Multifunkcionalna valorizacija sumskih ekosistema priobalja Dunava sa posebnim osvrtom na podrucje Beograda. Danubius, No. 1-2/1996 Beograd.

Dražić, M., Dražić, D.(1997): Evaluation of potentials of the Danube region in the light of sustainable development, preservation of ecosystems and healthy environment. International Conference "Danube - River of Cooperation". Danubius, No. 1-2/1997 Beograd.

Stanković, S. (1996): Planovi razvoja turizma na Dunavu u Srbiji. Proceedings "Podunavlje u Srbiji - zaštita, uređenje i razvoj". Udruženje urbanista Srbije. Beograd.

Stojkov, B. (1996): Ka integralnom prostornom planiranju Podunavlja. Proceedings "Podunavlje u Srbiji - zaštita, uređenje i razvoj". Udruženje urbanista Srbije. Beograd.

[1] Milutin Dražić, Counsellor in Forestry
Dragana Dražić, Landscape architect, Institute of Forestry, S.E. "Srbijašume"
e-mail: drazic@yubc.net

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