Uros Pantovic
Other projects
14 May 2014
Conservation of Biodiversity through Designation and Promotion of New Ibas in Serbia
This project will enable us to define present conservation priorities, as well as determine the future course relevant to bird conservation and biodiversity in general in Serbia. IBAs represent sites which sustain primarily naturally occurring populations of wild birds, which are recognized as priorities for conservation, but are also significant for numerous other forms of biodiversity. They represent a basis for defining and designation of Special Protected Areas under the Natura 2000 network, which ensures the long-term survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats, listed under both under the Birds Directive and the Habitats directive and whose future application represents one of the biggest challenges in nature conservation in Serbia.
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas represent a network of sites that are significant for the long-term viability of naturally occurring bird populations and other forms of biodiversity. It is an effective tool for long term protection of ecologically valuable areas, where nature conservation CSOs have a major role in collecting, processing and presenting relevant scientific data to various stakeholders and general public. The majority of the populations of birds which are conservation priorities in Serbia are located within the network of IBAs. These sites, in terms of long-term conservation and ecological connectivity, are of great significance as they are planned to be incorporated in the National ecological network, which will be the corner stone for the future Natura 2000 network in Serbia. Further research and analysis of collected and previously compiled data relevant to population dynamics of key species for conservation and associated threatening factors is critical in order to define borders of new IBA sites, as well as revise existing sites.
The successful completion of this project will result in obtaining an up to date insight into the status and health of the network of IBA sites and prioritize future conservation efforts relevant to bird and biodiversity conservation. Through this project we will develop a database consisting of all relevant information regarding distribution and population dynamics of key species for conservation, habitat quality and most significant threatening factors. We will then be able to adequately revise borders of existing IBAs, as well as prepare proposals and delineate borders of new IBAs in parts of the country that are still poorly researched. This will directly affect the future course of nature conservation in Serbia, as these sites, in terms of long-term conservation and ecological connectivity, are of crucial significance as they are planned to be incorporated in the National ecological network, which will be the corner stone for the future Natura 2000 network in Serbia.