NEWS ARCHIVE

Stara Planina Nature Park is not only the highest Serbian mountain, but also the last remaining high mountain free of development. For decade, this mountain, along the border with Bulgaria, was protected by politics and the Iron Curtain. Nowadays, this Important Bird Area is protected as Nature Park – but only on paper!

For instance, the Critically Endangered bluish-violet Winged Bellflower (Campanula calycialata) is one of 160 endemic plants found here. In 1991, a dozen flowers were discovered for the first time at a site covered with a concrete viewing deck today. No botanist has found Winged Bellflower in several years and it may well be already Extinct.

Ski Resort

Despite the threat of climate change, its location deep in the south of Europe and the fact that only one peak is higher than 2000 metres, the Serbian Government has decided to build a mega ski resort with beds to accommodate 28,000 guests, 80 km of ski lifts, 200 km of ski slopes and skiing infrastructure for 40,000 skiers at a same time.

Alpine skiing resorts treat mountains like tropical strangler figs their host trees, covering it with their curling roots until final asphyxiation. 1700 ha of indigenous vegetation, including large complexes of beech and conifer forests, would have to be cleared for ski lifts and slopes alone, not to mention four planned dams for artificial snow production, new roads, car parks and several tourist villages planned in endangered habitat types such as mountain peat meadows.

This alpine resort would not only threaten rare and endangered species, as well as irrevocably destroying and disturbing sensitive ecosystems, but would also decrease the quality of life of local people.

People

“If the plans for the mega ski resort go ahead, the greatest looser will be the nature of the Nature Park, because it cannot move anywhere else,” explains Dragan Simic of the League for Ornithological Action of Serbia, “and local rural population because there will not be many jobs for them. Tourism requires skilled workers. Even construction companies will bring experienced workers. Once built, the ski centre becomes a closed system: accommodation, ski lifts, services, shops, entertainment; all leaving locals aside”.

Birds

Among the total of 5000 species recorded at Stara Planina so far, 213 of them are birds (find_bird_checklist_here). This IBA has greater avian diversity than any other mountain in Serbia. With its 155 breeding species, Stara Planina has almost 30 species more than the richest Serbian national park, the Iron Gates.

Horned Lark (endemic race balcanica) and Alpine Accentor (Balkan race subalpina) both breed on Stara Planina’s mountain tops and only a few other places in Serbia. The forests are the last stronghold of Capercaillie in eastern Serbia. Stara Planina is the single most important stronghold for Eurasian Woodcock in Serbia, as well as the only breeding site for Eurasian Dotterel in the Balkans. A plethora of species protected by both the Bern Convention and the Serbian Decree on the Protection of Natural Rarities includes the globally Endangered Saker Falcon and Near Threatened Corncrake, as well as Black Stork, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Rock Partridge, Tawny Pipit, etc.

Out of the total 213, 141 are protected as Natural Rarities and 92 of those are also SPEC species. The number of Natural Rarities that would be directly affected by the development is 63 – nearly every third bird species in the Nature Park. If the plans for the mega ski resort go ahead, the decrease in numbers and ranges of Stara Planina birds will be at least by 50%, or more in cases of some more sensitive species.

Status

Besides being an Important Bird Area, Stara Planina holds the international status of Important Plant Area (IPA - PlantaEuropa, 2005) and Prime Butterfly Area of Europe. Furthermore, it is on the preliminary list of Cross-border Man and Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO), on the Emerald list (sites significant for conserving the European ecological network), on the list of cross-border protected regions placed in the European programme Green Belt (IUCN) and on the list of ProGEO geological heritage sites under The European Association for the Conservation of the Geological Heritage.

Laws and Violations

National and International status of Stara Planina results from ratified international agreements such as Convention on Biological Diversity, Bonn, Bern and Ramsar conventions, and many other agreements. Yet, the State owned Serbia Skiing Enterprise constructed the first ski lift at Stara Planina without a prior Environmental Impact Assessment study, violating Serbian law. The first ski lift was opened in December 2006 at the Babin Zub peak, starting land slides and erosion processes.

On that occasion, six Serbian laws were violated: the Law on Planning and Construction, the Law on Forests, the Law on Surface Waters, the Decree on the Protection of Nature Park Stara Planina, the Law on Protection of Environment and the Decree on Protection of Natural Rarities.

Action

In response, 60 environmental NGOs, including League for Ornithological Action of Serbia and Bird Study and Protection Society of Vojvodina among them, have joined forces to form the Association for Preservation and Sustainable Development of Stara Planina (www.savestaraplanina.info). By the end of 2007, APSD has held two well attended public debates in southern towns of Pirot and Nis, and has plans for the next meeting in the capital Belgrade. Strong public support of the campaign is of utmost importance and thus the online petition is accessible through this link: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-staraplanina-petition .

In January 2008, letters were sent to the President, Mr. Boris Tadic; the Prime Minister, Mr. Vojislav Kostunica; the Deputy PM, Mr. Bozidar Djelic and the Minister of Environmental Protection, Mr. Sasa Dragin, requesting that laws must be respected and further works stopped until the proper Environmental Impact Assessment is made. Only after the EIA is produced, various development options may be considered, having the wellbeing of both local people and environment in mind.

In addition, APSD has submitted more than 50 objections to the proposed Spatial Plan and Environmental Impact Assessment. The proposed Spatial Plan would allow fragmentation and clear felling of 1700 ha of forests as well as tourist village at endangered habitat types (peat meadow Jabucko Ravniste); all of it against the existing Decree on the Protection of Nature Park Stara Planina which forbids tree felling near upper forest limit, as well as harming the basic natural values of the Park. Out of 120 pages of the proposed Environmental Impact Assessment, only half a page is devoted to biodiversity richness of 5000 recorded species. Public debate on both documents is expected in early February 2008.

Finally, APSD has sent the court appeal to the Constitutional Court questioning Constitution violations at Stara Planina. 

Biodiversity at Stake

The Serbian part of Stara Planina has at least 1742 growing plant species (including 41 indigenous orchids), of which 160 (9.2%) are locally or regionally endemic. Endemics are the most threatened category and also the most important floristic element of the biodiversity. Legislation: 40 Natural Rarities, two species listed in the Bern Convention. Only Lilium jankae is protected by both of them.

Mammal checklist of Stara Planina is 60 species long and includes the largest carnivore of Europe, Brown Bear. Legislation: 19 Natural Rarities, 18 species listed in the Bern Convention. Lynx and Otter, as well as the Snow Vole, a rare living fossil of Tertiary origin, are among the species protected by both.

There are 136 species of butterflies, twice as many as in the whole of Britain. Legislation: four Natural Rarities, three species listed in the Bern Convention. Only Clouded Apollo and Mountain Apollo are protected by both.

Furthermore, there are 26 species of fishes (one Natural Rarity, six listed in the Bern Convention) and 18 species of amphibians and reptiles (eight Natural Rarities, 10 listed in the Bern Convention).

Beside the living species, there is also one very important dinosaurian track fossil site from lower Triassic, one of the oldest dinosaur sites in the World. Intensive research is necessary but, if the ski resort goes on, this site will also be affected and possibly destroyed.

Vision of Sustainable Development

Dragan Simic continues “If the aim of tourism development at Stara Planina is to increase the quality of life of local people, the project should focus on a longer summer season, with lower costs and risks. Regional tourism studies show that the main profit in the Alps is made in summer when number of tourists reaches its annual peak. Therefore, the purpose of ski lifts is to prolong the season into winter, when accommodation capacities would otherwise remain empty.

“The Association for Preservation and Sustainable Development of Stara Planina proposes a different approach to tourism development, mainly eco and rural tourism activities that would directly benefit the local people. Thus, the offer of summer activities should be well developed and diverse, while skiing infrastructure should not harm both ecological and visual experience of the landscape,” concludes Simic.

(Source: Association for Preservation and Sustainable Development of Stara Planina)

The Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted Decree of mountain tourism development program in the area of Stara Planina Mountain (Official Gazette of Republic of Serbia: No. 85/2007) in September 2007. That led to violation of at least 6 Serbian laws and more than 10 international conventions on nature protection that Serbia signed and ratified and has an obligation to obey them! This Decree opens a path to degradation of the most valuble habitats and landscapes of the Nature Park Stara planina – the biggest protected area of Serbia. The Stara Planina Mountain is one of the most important areas in Europe in terms of plant diversity (at least 1742 species and subspecies on 115000 ha), with 160 local and regional endemic species and subspecies.

Therefore, we are asking You to carefuly read about our arguments on
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-staraplanina-petition and see the background of this Decree and its program, together with all consequences which could happen if our government continues implementation of this "mega ski resort" project.

If You share our concerns and our decision to STOP this illegal act of nature destruction, we appeal to You to support and SIGN OUR PETTION and demand the Decree of mountain tourism development program in the Stara Planina Mountain to be put out of force.

For more info, documents and photos visit: www.savestaraplanina.info

List on NGOs from Serbia which are under this campaign:

• Nature Society "Natura Balkanika", Dimitrovgrad
• Alpinist Club "Srebrna Glava", Dimitrovgrad
• Society of farmers "Stara planina", Pirot
• Society for Conservation of Nature "Stara planina", Pirot
• Biology Student Science and Research Society "Josif Pancic", Novi Sad
• Society of Young Researchers of Institute of Geography "Branislav Bukurov", Novi Sad
• Biological Society "Dr Sava Petrovic", Naisus
• Ecological and Research Society "Mladen Karaman", Kragujevac
• Ecological Movement of Yugoslavia – National Unity, Novi Sad
• Local Education and Ecological Challenge “Stari Begej-Carska Bara”, Zrenjanin
• Ecological Movement of Novi Sad, Novi Sad
• Society of friends of nature, Naisus
• League for Ornithological Action of Serbia, Belgrade
• Bird Protection and Study Society of Vojvodina, Novi Sad
• Center for Developing Ecological Awareness - "The Well", Belgrade
• Eco-Base "JUG", Vlasotince
• Civil society for protection of animals, life environment and rare endangered sorts of herbs "Beloglavi sup", Pirot
• Homestead Asociation of  "Valjevo", Valjevo
• Center for eco-ethnological research "Bostava", Belgrade
• Ecological association "Baštara", Belgrade
• Young Researchers of Belgrade, Belgrade
• Biological Research Society "Josif Pančić", Belgrade
• Volunteers' Centre of Vojvodina, Novi Sad
• European Geographic Asociation - entity Novi Sad
• Center for Civil Society Development "Protecta", Naisus
• Society for Protection of Nature "Okanj", Elemir
• Society for Biodiversity Conservation "Mustela", Belgrade
• Gorans Movement of Sremska Mitrovica, Sremska Mitrovica,
• Society for Study and Protection of Fishes "Umbra", Novi Sad
• Ecological Society of Local Community "Gornja Grabovica", Gornja Grabovica
• Ecomovement "Odzaci", Odzaci
• Ecological association, "Avalon", Vrsac
• "Jugo Cycling Company", Belgrade
• Ecological Club "Zeleni ključ", Naisus
• Yugoslav Association for Water Law, Novi Sad
• Climbing Club "Adrenalin", Novi Sad
• Sanitary Ecology Society, Belgrade
• Environmental Ambassadors, Belgrade
• Ecological association “Vanessa”, Svetozar Miletic
• Green Network of Vojvodina, Novi Sad
• "Anastazija", Belgrade
• Society for Chinese traditional fighting skills "Hua Kang", Belgrade
• Center for promotion of creativity "Inspiration", Sremski Karlovci
• Society for nature lovers, medicine plants and fitotherapy "Mellisa", Zajecar
• Botanical garden for mountain plants of Montenegro, Kolasin
• Civil society "Eko-kamp", Morovic
• Yugoslav Association for Water Law, Novi Sad
• Ecological society "Waiting for Wind", Zajecar
• Camping Association of Serbia, Belgrade
• Balkan Youth Union, Belgrade

Dear Madam/Sir,

League for Ornithological Action (LOA), Bird Protection and Study Society of Vojvodina (BPSSV) and Birds of Prey Protection Fund (BPPF) strongly oppose the recent clandestine, unprofessional and conflicting Hunting Seasons Act (June 2006). It is unclear who signed the Act - Ministry of Agriculture's web-site pdf displays Ivana Dulic-Markovic' signature while the printed version in the official «Sluzbeni glasnik» has the signature of the new minister Goran Zivkov.

August 1 was the opening of the bird hunting season and game species included Northern Goshawk, Common Quail, and European Turtle Dove. Three years ago BPSSV and LOA submitted a request that Common Quail and European Turtle Dove be removed from the list of game species and listed as protected natural rarities. This request was approved by the Ministry of Science and Environmental Protection.  Despite this request these two species continue to be targets for poaching Italian hunters and hunting tourism companies.

Even more scandalous is the fact that this Act allows for a hunting season for the Northern Goshawk, a natural rarity under the exisitng law (Uredba o zastiti prirodnih retkosti)!!! According to the previous Hunting Seasons Act (2002), Northern Goshawk was protected in Vojvodina throughout the year (no hunting). Exisiting code (1) specificaly forbids «destruction, exploitation, capture and disturbance» of natural rarities. Under the new Act, Northern Goshawk can be hunted in Vojvodina – despite the fact that previus regulations should have legal supremacy.

We find three species in the new Act not mentioned in the previous one: Garganey, Eurasian Wigeon and Common Snipe. Contrary to the rest of Europe, where more focus is placed on managed game such as Common Pheasants while other species are being taken off the game species list, we are chosing to add species to the list, while declaring that we want to become a part of Europe and abide by its regulations.

Furthermore, for all ducks and geese, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Jay and Rook, the hunting season has been extended for additional two weeks, and it will not end on January 31, but on February 15. The effect will be that we will be hearing gun salvoes during the key stages of life-cycles – pair formation and the begining of reproduction! Serbian ornithologists will continue to be asked to explain how come our bird populations are crashing even though they are making a comeback elsewhere in Europe.

Some of the species affected by the extension of hunting season include Common Pochard and Garganey, both of which are currently listed as  Species of European Conservation Concern (SPEC) due to the declining trends of their populations (2). Between 1990-2002 in Serbia, Mallard poulations declined by 15% and Garganey by 10% (3). In spite of that fact, this Act extends the hunting season for Common Pochard and Mallard, and establishes a hunting season for Garganey!

Other species on the SPEC list mentioned in the new Act are showing recent decline in population trends as well in Serbia: Rock Partridge, Grey Partridge, Common Quail, European Turtle Dove, Eurasian Woodcock and Common Snipe – all of these species are showing decline throughout Europe and are still hunted in Serbia where they are similarly declining. In Serbia, Rock and Grey Partridges showed 25% decrease between 1990-2002 and Common Quail and European Turtle Dove 20% (3)!

United in protest,

Dragan Simic
League for Ornithological Action

Marko Tucakov
Bird Protection and Study Society of Vojvodina

Stefan Skoric
Birds of Prey Protection Fund

Sources:

1) Decree on Protection of Natural Rarities (Uredba o zastiti prirodnih retkosti), Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia (Sluzbeni glasnik RS), No. 50/93

2) Burfield I & van Bommel F eds. Birds in Europe: Population Estimates, Trends and Conservation Status. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International, BirdLife Conservation Series No. 12.

3) Puzovic S, Simic D, Saveljic D, Gergelj J, Tucakov M, Stojnic N, Hulo I, Ham I, Vizi O, Sciban M, Ruzic M, Vucanovic M & Jovanovic T 2003. Birds of Serbia and Montenegro – breeding populations estimates and trends: 1990 – 2002. Novi Sad: Ciconia 12: 35-120.

The cargo list:

• Quail Coturnix coturnix -1766
• Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur - 1060
• ducks (featherless and unidentifiable) - 97
• Mallard Anas platyrhynchos – 13
• Teal Anas crecca – 1
• Wigeon Anas penelope – 3
• Pheasant Phasianus colchicus – 13
• Corncrake Crex crex – 1
• Skylark Alauda arvensis – 133
• Crested Lark Galerida cristata – 2
• Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba – 2
• Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava – 1
• Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis – 30
• Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus – 17
• Linnet Carduelis cannabina – 1
• Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella – 1

All these species with the exception of Quail, Turtle Dove, Mallard, Teal and Pheasant are protected by permanent hunting ban (The Hunting Law and the Hunting Seasons Decree). Two species, Corncrake and Red-throated Pipit are protected under the Natural Rarities Decree.

This cargo once again points our attention to the problem of widespread poaching of birds, and proves that large numbers of protected and rare species are being taken. Encouraging news comes from the Serbian Government’s Ministry of Agriculture’s web site (March 9th, 2005) announcing that a new Hunting Seasons Decree will bring a permanent hunting ban of Quail and Turtle Dove. (LOA - G. Sekulić)

December 2004 - Organised by the League for Ornithological Action of Serbia & MN (LOA), Saturday, 11th of December, bird walk totalled 17 pupils of the Drinka Pavlovic primary school (11-12 years of age) with their biology teacher Marina Karakašević (LOA’s Education Officer), while scopes and binoculars were provided by Zoran Petronijević, the Swarovski Optic Salesrep. Bird walk was lead by Dragan Simić, Marko Raković and Milica Dajović from the LOA.

They were joined by Branislav Božović, City Secretary for the environmental protection, Bratislav Grubač, ornithologist from the Institute for Protection of Nature of Serbia, and Predrag Marinković, GM of the water economic centre of the JP Srbijavode, together with Dejan Veselinov and Ivan Jočević of the Tourism organisation of Belgrade.

“This bird walk focuses on the Pygmy Cormorant, which winters in Belgrade in large numbers (1200),” explained Dragan Simić. “That represents 3% of the European population of this species, thus making Belgrade city centre an internationally important bird area! All Pygmy Cormorants roost in only two neighbouring, willow scrub overgrown mud bars, one at the end of the Ciganlija Island and other by the opposite right bank,” adds Simic. “With plans for the bridge to be built over the Sava River, its column is planned to cover the entire island roosting site.”

LOA presented plans for the official protection of the right bank roosting site (endangered by the spread of floating summer cottages). Božović and Grubač supported the plan. On its side, LOA will present the research results to the Institute for Protection of Nature of Serbia and work together in order to protect this 50 meters long stretch of the Sava River bank. Marinković agreed, promising that no permits for floating summer cottages or restaurants will be issued for this particular site. Veselinov and Jočević showed interest in the future joint projects to promote birding tourism potential of Belgrade. (LOA Press release)

Serbia and Montenegro estimates were realised by the three NGOs dedicated to bird conservation: League for Ornithological Action of Serbia & MN (Belgrade), Society for Protection and Study of Birds of Vojvodina (Novi Sad) and Center for Protection and Research on Birds (Podgorica). National coordinators were Slobodan Puzović and Dragan Simić. Contributors: Darko Saveljić, Jožef Gergelj, Marko Tucakov, Nikola Stojnić, Ištvan Hulo, Ištvan Ham, Ondrej Vizi, Marko Šćiban, Milan Ružić, Milivoj Vučanović, Tanja Jovanović. (LOA - D. Simić)

October 2004 - LOA has held its AGM on October 23rd, starting with Chairman’s report, where D. Simić mentioned winter wildfowl watching events organised for primary school kids, Big Birding Day, publication of the Serbian nomenclature and start of the field guide project, meeting with the representatives of BirdLife Slovenia and BLI, the first 4 successful issues of the Dvogled newsletter and thanking to all those who have helped in any way.

The new Committee was elected: Chair Marko Raković (proposed by D. Simić), Vice Chair Marina Karakašević, Secretary Marko Šćiban (proposed by M. Ružić), Treasurer Goran Sekulić (proposed by D. Simić). Members: D. Simić (Dvogled Newsletter and Serbian translation of the field guide editor), J. Gergelj, S. Kulić (regional representative for the Southern Serbia), M. Ružić (reg. rep. for the Western Serbia), Ž. Stanimirović (minutes), M. Tucakov (reg. rep. for the Backa Region), M. Vučanović (reg. rep. for the Banat Region; the only new member, proposed by S. Kulić).

Next, M. Šćiban elected for the national Crane Working Group coordinator under the auspices of the ECWG coordinated by O. Franz, and several other topics discussed. At the end of the meeting, B. Marčeta, MD of the Magelan Tours, and M. Ružić, Magelan’s birding guide presented their experiences with the first foreign birder in Serbia taking part in an organised tour for 14 years. (LOA - T. Jovanović)

September 2004 - There were no definitively and officially decided names for bird species in Serbian language, and there is a large diversity of local names. Expert scientists mostly use scientific names in their everyday work, but the general public is at loss. Various popular magazines, books and science programs on TV use various interpretations of bird names, and very often the same name is applied to different species, the same species may be called by different names in two sources, or some species are just called “these birds”. Therefore, League for Ornithological Action of Serbia and Montenegro has decided to make a revision of bird names in Serbian language, with the aim of assigning one final name to each bird species.

Three ways to reach the list of bird names were considered: by one expert authority, by expert committee and by interested parties. The process has started aiming to include all the interested parties but since less than ten ornithologists and birders took part, help was seeked from Serbia’s leading expert, Dr. Voislav Vasić who agreed to name all species recorded within Serbia and Montenegro (380 in all).

Further 145 European species were named by interested parties (Ž. Stanimirović, D. Simić, M. Šćiban, M. Ružić, S. & M. Kulić, S. Puzović, plus literature sources).

The birds that were named now include 887 species that are dealt with in the Birds of Britain and Europe with North Africa and the Middle East by Hermann Heinzel, Richard Fitter & John Parslow, a bird guide that we are translating. Therefore, additional 362 species of North Africa and the Middle East were named by the translators, D. Simić, Ž. Stanimirović and M. Karakašević. (LOA - V. Vasić, D. Simić, Ž. Stanimirović, M. Karakašević, M. Šćiban, M. Ružić, S. Kulić, M. Kulić, S. Puzović)