Journal of the Geographical Institute "Jovan Cvijic", SASA 2019 Volume 69, Issue 3, Pages: 241-252
https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI1903241C
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Can winter tourism be truly sustainable in natural protected areas?
Ćurčić Nina B. (Geographical Institute ”Jovan Cvijić” SASA, Belgrade, Serbia)
Milinčić Uroš V. (University of Belgrade, Faculty of Geography, Belgrade, Serbia)
Stranjančević Ana (Modul University Dubai, Department of Tourism and Service Management, Dubai, UAE)
Milinčić Miroljub A. (University of Belgrade, Faculty of Geography, Belgrade, Serbia)
Even though legally protected, many areas worldwide are under a certain level
of human pressure. Significant for humanity for many reasons, mountain
regions are also threatened because of different anthropogenic activities,
especially the ones with developed winter tourism. There are four main ski
resorts in Serbia (Kopaonik, Zlatibor, Stara Planina and Brezovica) and the
strongest environmental impact is registered on Kopaonik Mountain. In this
paper, we tried to answer if winter tourism could be sustainable in
protected areas, especially on Kopaonik Mountain, which is recognized as the
largest ski resort in Serbia and a natural protected area of the highest
state level-a National Park. The main threats to the environment in Kopaonik
National Park are logging, building and construction of ski slopes,
urbanization, artificial snow use, illegal and unplanned building. Negative
consequences of winter tourism development are land degradation,
deforestation, loss and fragmentation of natural habitats, ecosystem
disturbances, erosion, soil loss and pollution, water and air pollution,
noise and light pollution. Harmonizing tourism development with conservation
activities within natural protected areas is one of the main priorities of
sustainable use of natural values and resources. For the successful and
sustainable development of an area, it is necessary to conduct
multidisciplinary planning, based on the results from the relevant
scientific disciplines.
Keywords: nature protection, human impact, ski resorts, sustainability, Serbia
Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 47007