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Migration trends and the concept of ecotourism
- 2. 750 MIGRATION TRENDS AND THE CONCEPT OF ECOTOURISM Sonja Braunović1 ; Mihailo Ratknić2 ; Abstract The paper presents the results of a study of the impact of the population migration in the area of Eastern Serbia (Kladovo, Negotin, Zaječar and Knjaţevac municipalities) on the natural potentials for the development of ecotourism. There are over 60 protected, rare, vulnerable or endangered plant and animal species, 7 protected natural resources, a large number of cultural and historical monuments and natural rarities registered in the area. On the other hand, there are certain limiting factors for the development of ecotourism, such as rich but polluted hydrographic network, proximity to Bor mines and transboundary impacts. The most striking features of the area are the demographic emptying of its mountain and hill areas and the migration of the population to their administrative centers. Demographic emptying of the area can be considered as a positive process, as it enables the natural ecosystem restoration and the return of endangered plant and animal species to their natural habitats. Key Words: migration, sustainable tourism, ecotourism, development constraints, Eastern Serbia JEL classification: Q24, Q25, R14, Z32 Introduction Ecotourism is now defined as `responsible travel to natural areas conserving the environment, improving the well-being of the local people, and educating the tourists`. Ecotourism typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna and cultural heritage are the primary attractions (The International Ecotourism Society, 2015). 1 Sonja Braunoviš, Research Associate, Institute of Forestry, 11030 Belgrade, 3 Kneza Višeslava, +381 11 355 355, e-mail: [email protected] 2 Mihailo Ratkniš, Senior Research Associate,Institute of Forestry, 11030 Belgrade, 3 Kneza Višeslava, +381 11 355 355, e-mail: [email protected]
- 3. 751 In order to develop ecotourism in an area, the area must fulfill the conditions that determine its tourist attractiveness, while the facilities of rural tourism must meet certain criteria. These conditions and criteria are used to determine the potential of an area for the development of ecotourism (favourable climate, unpolluted air, water and soil, absence of noise and vibration, absence of natural disaster risks, preserved nature, preserved architectural and cultural heritage, good road connections, regional cuisine, etc.). Ecotourism, as a sustainable and selective form of tourism, is determined by the adequate protection of natural values, their presentation and evaluation (Ratkniš & Braunoviš, 2015). In line with the above, we studied the recent state of biodiversity and geodiversity of the categories that are most important for the development of ecotourism in the study area. Special focus was put on the limiting factors because eastern Serbia has poorly developed tourist infrastructure. Otherwise, it is ideal for the promotion of ecotourism with its exceptional combination of geomorphologic characteristics, natural contrasts, rich flora and fauna and very low population density. Natural characteristics The study area includes the border part of eastern Serbia, i.e. the municipalities of Kladovo, Negotin, Zajeţar and Knjaţevac, covering 3 990 km2 . The topography of this area is characterized by diverse landforms (mountains, river basins, valleys and terraces), which have been formed through complex processes of genesis and evolution (tectonic processes, volcanic eruptions, seas, lakes). The forest belt stretches along the mountain massifs of Rtanj, Ţestobrodica, Juţnokuţajske planine, Crni Vrh, Stara Planina, Tupiţnica, Tresibaba, Miroţ, Deli Jovan, Severni Kuţaj, Liškovac. The altitude ranges from 28 m a.s.l. (Negotin) to 2,196 m a.s.l (Midţor). The most fertile part is the Negotin Plain, which covers an area of 260 km2 at an altitude of 37 m. It is suitable for all agricultural crops as well as for irrigation (close to the Danube and other smaller streams). Negotin is a municipality with an extraordinarily large share of arable agricultural land. Its total area of agricultural land amounts to 70,341 ha, which is 64.5% of the total area. About 25,000 ha of this area is cultivated. ("Official Gazette of Negotin Municipality", 2015). The municipality of Zajeţar is crossed by the rivers of Crni Timok (The Black Timok) and
- 4. 752 Beli Timok (The White Timok), which merge to form The Veliki Timok (The Great Timok) and make the backbone of the hydrographic network of this region. The Timok River basin is of great importance because of its fertile valley which is suitable for agriculture. According to its geographical position, the area of eastern Serbia belongs to the continental climate zone with pronounced temperature extremes, rainfall variations and its unfavourable distribution during the year (Table 1). The mean annual temperature ranges from 10.4°C (Knjaţevac) to 11.9°C (Negotin), and the annual rainfall from 579 mm (Zajeţar) to 630 mm (Negotin). May and June are the wettest months in all municipalities. Because of its extremely low altitude, Negotin has a specific climate with very warm summers (265 sunny days) but cold and harsh winters. The municipality of Knjaţevac has a semi-arid continental climate type with hot and dry summers and cold winters. Table 1: Climate characteristics Municipality Climate type Mean annual Temperatures (0 C) Precipitation (mm) Knjaţevac semi-arid continental 10.4 599 Negotin humid continental 11.9 630 Kladovo humid continental 11.3 560 Zajeţar humid continental 11.1 579 Source: Authors A developed hydrographic network is made of the catchment areas of The Trgoviški Timok, The Svrljiški Timok, The Crni Timok, The Beli Timok, The Veliki Timok, and the Danube Basin. The Trgoviški Timok River is formed by the confluence of several rivers. It starts as The Strmna River at about 1,200 m above sea level in the northern part of Stara Planina (The Balkan Mountain Range). Upstream, its right tributaries are The Crnovrška River with The Debeštiţka River, The Janjska River and The Golaška River which strongly dissect this part of the terrain. The left tributaries of The Strmna River are numerous unnamed streams of relatively short flows and deep and narrow riverbeds. The second branch of The Trgoviški Timok stream is The Stanjanska River. In the village of Izvor, The Izvorska River flows into it from the left side and together they form the upper stream of The Trgoviški Timok. In the
- 5. 753 village of Kalna, The Trgoviški Timok cuts through the surface to make a gorge at the point where The Brezova River with The Mala River and The Papratna River with The Repušniţka River flow into it from the east side. Downstream from Knjaţevac, The Ţukovska River with The Dejanovaţka, The Aldinska and The Leva streamlets and their smaller tributaries join them. Near the confluence, The Balinaţka and Štitarska Rivers with their smaller streams flow into The Ţukovska River. All the water collected on the slopes of Stara Planina are carried by The Trgoviški Timok until it merges with The Svrljiški Timok and starts The Beli Timok watercourse, which flows through the lowest part of the Knjaţevac Basin. The Beli Timok tributaries are The Zniţka River, The Jelašniţka River, The Jakovaţka River, The Vitkovaţka River, The Selaţka River and The Bela River, whose sources are near the border with Bulgaria. From the western side, it has The Volevaţka River with The Ţubetinska River and its tributaries - The Gradna and Pavlovaţka Streamlets and The Sokolovaţka River with The Buţanska Streamlet as its tributaries. The Manjinaţka River "carries" water from the southern part of Tupiţnica Mountain. Watercourses named after the villages flow through the villages of Debelica, Trnovac and Vrbice and accumulate waters of the eastern slopes of Tupiţnica Mountain before they flow into The Beli Timok. In the area of Vratarnica Gorge, The Beli Timok receives The Šaska River from the east and The ZagraŤska River from the west. Below the gorge, the Grliška River flows from the west and with a number of small and large tributaries joins The Beli Timok, as well as The Lubniţka River. The Beli Timok meets The Crni Timok above Zajeţar forming the main course of The Veliki Timok. Artificial (accumulating) lakes in this area are Grliško Lake, Rgotsko Lake and Sovinac Lake. Grliško and Sovinac Lakes serve for water supplying purposes. Hot springs include Gamzigradska Banja (hot mineral springs with a modern spa health resort), Nikoliţeva and Rgoška Banja (a number of springs that emerge on a water producing fault 800 m in length). Rgoška Banja is a spa located on the bank of The Svrljiški Timok, 5km southwest of Knjaţevac. It has been known since ancient times, which is evidenced by the remains of a Roman bath.
- 6. 754 The map of land use was the basis for the assessment of the share of non- productive (man-made) areas, productive areas and water basins (Table 2). In the category of productive areas, the share of forests and semi- natural habitats ranges from 34.4% in the municipality of Zajeţar to 64.1% in the municipality of Knjaţevac, while the share of agricultural area ranges from 34.9% in the municipality of Knjaţevac to 63% in the municipality of Zajeţar. The high share of forest and agricultural ecosystems is an important indicator of the ecotourism potential. Furthermore, Knjaţevac and Negotin vineyards are also valuable. ‗According to the 2012 Census, there are 1076.47 hectares of vineyards in the Knjaţevac region (about 1033.37 ha or 95.55% of which are fertile vineyards) with 118.23 ha of stone grape varieties and 958.24 ha of wine grape varieties. There are 978.04 hectares of vineyards in the Negotin Krajina region (about 955.83 ha or 97.73% of which are fertile vineyards), with 87.92 ha of table grape varietis and 890.12 ha of wine grape varieties‘ (Ivaniševiš et al., 2015). Table 2: CORINE land use CORINE land use Zajeţar Knjaţevac Negotin Kladovo Area (ha) % Area (ha) % Area (ha) % Area (ha) % Man-made areas 2730.0 2.5 625.2 0.5 2844.9 2.6 1550.3 2.5 Agricultural land 67310.9 63.0 42194.5 34.9 66271.3 60.9 26789.8 42.5 Forests and semi natural areas 36749.5 34.4 77380.3 64.1 39560.7 36.3 29895.2 47.5 Wet habitat 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 223.0 0.2 99.2 0.2 Water basins 109.6 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4665.5 7.4 Total 106900.0 100.0 120200.0 100.0 108900.0 100.0 63000.0 100.0 Source: Authors Protected natural areas `Stara Planina` Nature Park was protected by the Decision of the Government of RS No. 110-1307 / 97 of 18 April 1997. The area of the Nature Park is 142,219.64 ha. The position of Stara Planina in the center of the Mesian floristic province, the diversity of its bedrock, soil and terrain and the altitude have contributed to the diversity of flora and vegetation of this mountain. From the lowest point of the Nature Park (about 300 m above sea level) to the highest peak of Midţor (2,169 m
- 7. 755 above sea level) there are seven vegetation belts. Its vegetation richness is reflected in the diversity of forest, shrub, meadow, pasture and peatland communities within strict nature reserves and natural monuments. The Nature Park has protection regimes of 1st , 2nd and 3rd degrees. The first- degree protection regime prohibits the use of natural resources and restricts activities to scientific research and educational purposes. The second-degree protection regime allows the selective and limited use of natural resources and controlled interventions and activities in the area provided that they are in line with the functions of the protected natural area or that they are related to traditional forms of economic activities and housing, including tourism. All the remaining areas are under the third- degree protection regime. `Golema Reka` was declared nature reserve in 1981 (`Official Gazette of SRS `, No. 50/75) with a total area of 34.60 ha. The reserve belongs to the Golema Reka Basin, at an altitude of 1,250-1,350 m. on a steep terrain. The boundaries of the reserve include the forest community of mountain beech (Luzilo – Fagetum serbicum Misic at Popoviš 1954.). This virgin forest community is native to Stara Planina. It occurs in patches (as small stands in the oak zone) on its western, southwestern and northeastern slopes, at an inclination of 200 - 400 . `Draganište` was declared nature reserve in 1981 (`Official Gazette of SRS`, No. 50/75). The area of the reserve is 112.03 ha within the altitude zone of the subalpine spruce on Stara Planina (1,200 - 1,800 m above sea level). Babin Zub peak was proclaimed natural monument in 1981 (`Official Gazette of SRS`, No. 50/75) as a monument of geomorphological character. It covers an area of 44 ha at an altitude between 1,710 and 1,758 m. Depending on the meso and micro topography and microclimate conditions of the locality as well as its other site conditions, it has developed a complex, diverse and unique mosaic of meso and micro vegetation types including mountain pasture communities (Hygronardetum, Coccineo – Dechampsietum, Deshampsietum subalpinum, carici – Sphagno – Eriophoretum. Nardetum strictae), shrub communities (Vaccinio – Juniperetum nanae) and a belt of broadleaved forests (Fagetum montanum and Fagetum subalpinum serbicum). `Bukovo` Reserve is a mixed stand of beech, sessile oak, hornbeam, common ash, mountain elm, linden, field maple, etc. It was protected by
- 8. 756 the former Institute for Protection and Scientific Research in Natural Rarities of the People's Republic of Serbia of 26 July 1961 (`Official Gazette of the NRS`, No. 46/91) and covers an area of about 10 ha. The Canyon of The Vratna River with three gates was proclaimed natural good of geomorphological character by the Decision of the former Institute for Protection and Scientific Research in Natural Rarities of the People's Republic of Serbia No. 274 of 20 June 1957. `Near the Vratna Monastery, on a clear mountain river suitable for fishing, there are huge stone gates, which nature made without a chisel or a hammer`. The first gate is called Veliki Prerast, the second is Mali Prerast, and the third is Suvi Prerast. The whole complex of the Vratna, including a village, a monastery and the gates, is surrounded by rivers and forests. These `nature jewels` are only thirty kilometers away from Negotin. http://www.negotin.rs/turizam.htm The Canyon of The Zamna River with a stone arch was proclaimed protected natural good of geomorphological character by the Decision of the former Institute for Protection and Scientific Research in Natural Rarities of the People's Republic of Serbia No. 275 of June 20, 1957. Stevan meadows are located at the foot of Deli Jovan Mountain, at an altitude of 480 meters. Its natural and climate conditions make them one of the most famous air climate spas of Serbia. Nature lovers have marked hiking trails leading to the top of Deli Jovan mountain. 8. Part of the National Park Djerdap Protected, rare, vulnerable and endangered species Rare, vulnerable and endangered species include 12 species of ground flora, 41 species of mammals, reptiles and birds, 5 species of trees and 2 species of fungi (Table 3). The group of meadow vegetation consists of a large number of medicinal herbs (artemisia, belladona, yarrow, chamomile, centaury, St John's wort). Rural areas have a tradition of collecting these raw materials but they lack processing capacity (Ratkniš & Milovanoviš, 2016).
- 9. 757 Table 3: Protected, rare, vulnerable and endangered species Data on species Latin name Common name Latin name Common name Allium ursinum L. The ramsons Lepus europaeus The European hare Apodemus uralensis The pygmy field mouse Martes foina The beech marten Asarum europaeum L. The asarabacca Meles meles The European badger Betula pendula The birch Mustela nivalis The least weasel Boletus edulis Bull. The penny bun Myotis myotis The greater mouse- eared bat Bubo bubo The Eurasian eagle-owl Natrix natrix The grass snake Canis aureus The golden jackal Onthophagus (Furconthophagus) furcatus The dung beetle Canis lupus The wolf Oreopteris limbosperma The mountain fern Cantharellus cibarius Fr. The chanterelles Otus scops The Eurasian scops owl Capreolus capreolus The roe deer Pieris brassicae The cabbage butterfly Cervus elaphus The red deer Rosa canina L. The dog rose Columba palumbus The common wood pigeon Rubus fruticosus L. The European blackberry Cornus mas L. The cornelian cherry dogwood Rubus idaeus L. The red raspberry Corvus corax The common raven Salamandra atra The salamander Corylus colurna L. The Turkish hazel Salamandra salamandra The fire salamander Crataegus monogyna The common hawthorn Sciurus vulgaris The red squirrel Cuculus canorus The common cuckoo Sorex alpinus The alpine shrew Darevskia praticola The wall lizard Strix aluco The tawny owl Dendrocopos major The great spotted woodpecker Sus scrofa The wild boar Dendrocopos medius The middle spotted woodpecker Testudo hermanni Hermann's tortoise Dendrocopos minor The lesser spotted woodpecker Thymus serpyllum L. Breckland thyme Dryomys nitedula The forest dormouse Tilia tomentosa The silver linden Erinaceus roumanicus The northern white- breasted hedgehog Turdus merula The common blackbird Felis silvestris The wildcat Tyto alba The western barn owl Fragaria vesca L. The wild strawberry Upupa epops The Eurasian hoopoe Garrulus glandarius The Eurasian jay Vipera ammodytes The horned viper Helix lucorum The land snail Vipera beru The common European adder Hypericum maculatum The imperforate St John's-wort Vulpes vulpes The red fox Ilex aquifolium L. The common holly Zamenis longissimus The Aesculapian snake Source: Authors
- 10. 758 Socio-demographic characteristics The basic demographic characteristic is the existence of the areas of demographic rise (cities) and the areas of demographic decline (most rural settlements). The uneven distribution of population has been caused by the migrations from rural areas to administrative centers (Table 4). Table 4: Population and population density by municipalities Category Population 1948 1953 1961 1971 1981 1991 2002 2011 Knjaţevac Urban 4862 5906 7448 11249 16665 19705 19351 18404 Rural 56698 56067 51997 40761 32124 24331 17821 13087 61560 61973 59445 52010 48789 44036 37172 31491 Negotin Urban 6143 6982 8635 11166 15311 17355 17758 16882 Rural 57304 57376 56774 52540 48662 42204 25660 20174 Total 63447 64358 65409 63706 63973 59559 43418 37056 Kladovo Urban 3867 4019 4484 8625 10024 11183 10218 9729 Rural 22294 23773 23733 24548 23352 20698 13395 10906 Total 26161 27792 28217 33173 33376 31881 23613 20635 Zajeţar Urban 11861 14489 18690 27599 36958 39625 39491 38165 Rural 51026 50418 49926 45548 39723 33138 26478 21296 Total 62887 64907 68616 73147 76681 72763 65969 59461 Study area Urban 26733 31396 39257 58639 78958 87868 86818 83180 Rural 187322 187634 182430 163397 143861 120371 83354 65463 Total 214055 219030 221687 222036 222819 208239 170172 148643 Population density (inhabitants/km2 ) Knjaţevac 51.2 51.6 49.5 43.3 40.6 36.6 30.9 26.2 Negotin 58.3 59.1 60.1 58.5 58.7 54.7 39.9 34.0 Kladovo 41.5 44.1 44.8 52.7 53.0 50.6 37.5 32.8 Zajeţar 58.8 60.7 64.2 68.4 71.7 68.1 61.7 55.6 Average 52.5 53.9 54.7 55.7 56.0 52.5 42.5 37.2 Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, 2014a The trends of population, household population and population density were analyzed according to the Censuses of 1948, 1953, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2002 and 2011 (Braunoviš & Peroviš, 2017). The 2002 census is not fully comparable to previous Censuses. The Censuses of
- 11. 759 1971, 1981 and 1991 included not only the population living in the country as permanent residents but also the population temporarily working abroad and their family members living with them. The population analysis was based on data for 4 municipalities: Knjaţevac 86 settlements, Negotin 36 settlements, Kladovo 23 and Zajeţar 42 settlements. Data were collected and analyzed for 187 settlements. Compared to 1948, the population decreased by 69% in 2011 and the biggest changes occurred in the municipalities of Knjaţevac and Negotin. A decrease in the total population was followed by an increase in the urban population and in the number of urban households at the expense of the number of rural people. This process is most noticeable in the municipality of Zajeţar. Regarding the study area, there has been a triple increase in the number of urban households. On the other hand, rural households have almost halved. Table 5: Comparative overview of the number of households Category Number of households 1948 1953 1961 1971 1981 1991 2002 2011 Knjaţevac Urban 1667 1901 2353 3650 5179 5854 6268 6168 Rural 12226 12328 12391 10962 9814 8451 7114 5404 Total 13893 14229 14744 14612 14993 14305 13382 11572 Negotin Urban 2074 2291 2874 3767 5075 5630 6212 6240 Rural 13180 13087 13505 12763 11946 10731 8989 7666 Total 15254 15378 16379 16530 17021 16361 15201 13906 Kladovo Urban 1030 1093 1255 2760 3108 3499 3575 3594 Rural 4749 4996 5348 6041 5601 5208 4722 4151 Total 5779 6089 6603 8801 8709 8707 8297 7745 Zajeţar Urban 4261 4913 6118 9119 11955 12666 13733 13441 Rural 12131 12160 12525 11991 11074 9856 8974 7590 Total 16392 17073 18643 21110 23029 22522 22707 21031 Study area Urban 9032 10198 12600 19296 25317 27649 29788 29443 Rural 42286 42571 43769 41757 38435 34246 29799 24811 Total 51318 52769 56369 61053 63752 61895 59587 54254 Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, 2014b Table 5 shows a comparative overview of the number of households according to the Censuses from 1948 to 2011 by municipalities. The
- 12. 760 municipalities of Knjaţevac, Negotin and Zajeţar had the largest number of households in the 1981 census, and then it decreased in all municipalities. In the municipality of Kladovo, the number of households has been in a constant decline since 1971. The analysis of the presented data shows a decline in the population and in the number of households since 1971 in all municipalities, with an exception of urban settlements that had increasing population until 1991, and since then, there has been a slight decline. Out of a total of 187 analyzed cadastral municipalities, the largest number of settlements are in the altitude zone from 101 to 300 m (68 settlements), then in the zone of 301-500 m (46 settlements) and in the zone below 100 m (37 settlements). The highest concentration of settlements is in the zone below 500 m (151 settlements). Accordingly, this altitude zone has the highest concentration of population (Table 6). The altitude in the municipality of Knjaţevac ranges from 177 to 1126 m a.s.l. The largest share of settlements are at altitudes between 300 and 500 m, and the smallest share of them are over 1000 m. According to the 2011 Census, there are 3 inhabitants in the settlement of Tatrasnica (1126 m above sea level), while Repušnica village (956 m) hasn`t been populated in the last decade. Table 6: Number of settlements by altitude zones and municipalities Altitude zone m a.s.l. Knjaţevac Negotin Kladovo Zajeţar Number of settlements % Number of settlements % Number of settlements % Number of settlements % below 100 16 44 20 87 1 2 101-300 17 20 16 44 3 13 32 76 301-500 35 41 3 9 8 21 501-700 26 30 1 3 701-1000 7 8 > 1001 1 1 1 1 Total 86 100 36 100 23 100 42 100 Source: Authors The town of Negotin and 35 settlements in the municipality are located mostly below 300 meters above sea level (32 settlements), 16 below 100 m and 16 from 101 to 300 m. Their altitudes range from 44 m to 758 m. In the municipality of Kladovo, 87% of settlements are located in the
- 13. 761 zone below 100 m a.s.l and 3 settlements in the zone from 101 to 300 m. In the municipality of Zajeţar the settlements are located in the range between 94 and 1158 meters above sea level. Out of 42 settlements, 33 are in the zone below 300 m a.s.l., 9 in the zone of 300-400 m a.s.l. and one settlement above 1000 m a.s.l. (Braunoviš et al., 2017). Table 7: Settlements by category of population Category 1948 1953 1961 1971 1981 1991 2002 2011 Number of settlements Municipality of Knjaţevac no inhabitants 1 1 1 to 10 inhabitants 1 2 5 11 to 20 inhabitants 1 1 3 7 21 to 50 inhabitants 2 7 10 9 51 to 100 inhabitants 1 9 11 13 23 101-300 inhabitants 12 13 14 30 26 34 37 33 301-500 inhabitants 25 25 23 17 23 20 14 4 501-1000 inhabitants 33 31 35 34 21 9 4 2 > 1000 inhabitants 16 17 14 4 4 3 2 2 Total 86 86 86 86 86 86 86 86 Municipality of Negotin 301-500 inhabitants 2 3 3 7 15 22 501-1000 inhabitants 11 11 11 10 12 13 14 8 > 1000 inhabitants 25 25 23 23 21 15 7 6 Total 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 36 Municipality of Klatovo 101-300 inhabitants 2 2 1 1 1 3 6 7 301-500 inhabitants 1 1 2 1 3 2 2 2 501-1000 inhabitants 9 8 8 6 7 6 9 13 > 1000 inhabitants 11 12 12 15 12 12 6 1 Total 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 23 Municipality of Zajeţar 101-300 inhabitants 2 2 2 2 3 6 12 20 301-500 inhabitants 1 1 3 4 7 11 12 8 501-1000 inhabitants 13 15 14 18 18 12 8 8 > 1000 inhabitants 26 24 23 18 14 13 10 6 Total 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 Source: Authors The number of settlements by population categories (settlement size) is shown in Table 7. The analysis shows a decreasing tendency in the population and in the number of large settlements (with the population of
- 14. 762 300), while at the same time there is an increase the number of settlements with the population below 300 (particularly the settlements with the population below 100). The total population of the settlements with the population below 100 increases along with the number of settlements of this size. The number of settlements with the population over 1000 was reduced in the period from 1953 to 2011 from 78 to only 15. According to the altitude zones, the number of settlements in them and the changes in the population numbers, the following areas can be distinguished: 1. The area with positive demographic development (the zone below 300 m a.s.l.) and constantly the highest concentration of population. 2. The area with variable (positive and negative) demographic development (the zone of 300-500 m a.s.l.). 3. The rural area with negative tendencies of demographic development and the pronounced depopulation processes (above 500 m a.s.l.). The changes in the population and its structure in the hill and mountain areas have brought about the changes in the land use patterns (Braunoviš & Ratkniš, 2012). The most important change affecting the development of ecotourism has been the abandonment of agricultural areas at greater slope inclinations, which has contributed to the stabilization of soil and vegetation cover and natural restoration of vegetation on abandoned fields, meadows and pastures. Furthermore, the level of environmental pollution and the number of pollutants have been reduced. Table 8: Population in the altitude zone of 701-1000 m Knjaţevac Municipality Altitude Population by Census years 1948 1953 1961 1971 1981 1991 2002 2011 Aldina Reka 941 315 332 396 184 35 20 12 1 Banjski Orešac 701 356 350 323 311 247 154 96 66 Crni Vrh 893 1325 1303 1243 805 383 225 133 91 Ravno Buţje 994 521 436 349 218 85 40 28 15 Repušnica 956 369 333 297 149 12 6 - - Stanjinac 752 762 707 614 506 289 156 95 53 Tatrasnica 1126 820 724 435 102 45 21 5 3 Total 4893 4607 4059 2629 1407 846 541 343 Source: Authors This is confirmed by the fact that the population in the zone of 701 to 1000 m a.s.l. has been drastically reduced and a great number of settlements in that altitude zone have been abandoned. All the settlements
- 15. 763 in this zone belong to the municipality of Knjaţevac. According to the 1948 Census, there were 4893 inhabitants. According to the Censuses of 1953 and 1963, these settlements recorded a slight decrease in the number of inhabitants, and since 1971 their population has been falling sharply. The last Census (2011) registered only 343 inhabitants (Table 8). The share of agricultural population In the study area, 28.2% of the total population is engaged in agriculture. In the municipality of Knjaţevac, according to the official data of the Census of Agriculture (Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, 2012), 4,959 agricultural holdings use agricultural land and 11,151 inhabitants (35.4%) are engaged in agriculture. In the municipality of Kladovo, 2,132 households use agricultural land. In Kladovo there are 4,883 people working in agriculture (23.7%). In the town of Zajeţar, 6,124 households use agricultural land, while 15,113 inhabitants (25.4%) are engaged in agriculture. In Negotin municipality, 4.658 households use agricultural land, while 10,809 inhabitants are engaged in agriculture (29.2%). The largest number of households are family households (99.5%), and the rest are legal entities. Most of them have arable fields and farm plots, i.e. they most commonly grow grain corn, wheat and spelt. The largest number of households raise different combinations of crops and cattle. There is a significant share of households that grow vine (municipalities of Negotin, Zajeţar and Knjaţevac). Cultural heritage Trajan`s plaque, Trajan`s bridge (the remains of a bridge of the Pontes fortress located in the village of Kostol, 5 km downstream of Kladovo), Diana Zanes, a fortress built on a high bank of the Danube (in the village of Sip), remains of Rtkovo – Glamija fortress about 3 km downstream of the village of Rtkova (the most prominent point to the Romanian border, and thus very important in the defense of the fortress), Fetislam fortress built in 1524, the `Pena` and `Varnica` balloon stations at Djerdap - the former system of six signaling balloon stations on both banks of the Danube, which were used to regulate the river traffic (today they are part of monumental Infrastructure Heritage), St. George's Church in Kladovo built in 1735, Monastery of St. Trinity in Manastirica, The Archaeological Museum of Djerdap are only some of the monuments in this area. Pimnice are unique complexes dedicated to vine growing and wine production. Whole villages in Negotin are turned into wineries. There
- 16. 764 used to be wineries in all settlements around the Timok River, but they are now preserved in the villages of Rajac, Rogljevo, Smedovac and Štubik. Most of them were built in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but it is thought that some wineries existed in the 18t h century. Restrictions on the development of ecotourism Unfavourable demographic trends (reduction in the natural increase rate, population migration to urban centers, demographic emptying, depopulation, change in the population age structure, unfavorable spatial distribution) and inadequate financial support of the state have hampered the development of this type of tourism. Land use analysis shows that the `waste disposal` category is not registered in this area. According to the Census of Agriculture 2012, about 60% of the total number of households do not dispose of the waste such as oil, plastics or packaging on the designated dumping places, but `somewhere else` (Table 9). These substances directly endanger ecosystems, soil and watercourses, thus making the method of disposing waste from agricultural holdings a limiting factor for the development of ecotourism. Table 9: Waste disposal methods in the study area Municipality Kladovo Negotin Zajeţar Knjaţevac 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 Oil 277 320 995 143 1186 2300 320 1239 2576 349 707 1667 Plastics 995 225 433 348 1627 1933 962 1647 2183 752 866 1509 Rubber 320 324 806 219 1508 1828 366 1499 2272 307 624 1552 Plant protection product packaging 635 266 760 320 1532 1763 609 1474 2732 568 832 1980 Veterinary helthcare packaging 488 251 765 188 1158 1479 310 1205 2387 411 532 1320 Other waste 378 396 1024 175 1868 2134 495 1800 3348 406 1147 2986 Legend: 1. By the communal utility service; 2. By households on designating dumping sites; 3. Other methods. Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, 2012 There is a Regional Waste Management Plan and Agreement on Joint Waste Management between the Local Self-Government Units of Zajeţar, Bor, Negotin, Kladovo, Knjaţevac, Boljevac and Majdanpek, which set goals and tasks related to municipal waste management, financing of
- 17. 765 preparatory activities and construction of a joint regional center for the management of municipal waste at `Halovo` landfill (the city of Zajeţar). Its construction has not been realized yet. Conclusions The analyzed part of eastern Serbia is a natural, cultural and spiritual treasure which completely fulfills the prerequisite of ecotourism - to see, feel and enjoy the richness of natural resources and cultural and historical heritage. The natural attractiveness of the rural areas in the investigated area, their preserved state and cultural and historical heritage make an essential and important requirement for the development of tourism, but it is not enough. A number of negative factors such as inadequate road network connectivity in rural areas, lack of tourist tradition, bad communal infrastructure, spatial and demographic imbalance in the network of settlements, pronounced depopulation and demographic decline of rural settlements above 500 m above sea level etc. disturb the ecological and sociocultural aspects of sustainable ecotourism. Demographic emptying of areas above 500 m can also be considered to be a positive process. Apart from enabling the natural restoration of ecosystems and return of endangered plant and animal species to their natural habitats, it has reduced the pressure on forest ecosystems and the number of pollutants of soil and rich hydrographic network. Sustainable tourism (which includes ecostourism) is the most important factor in the development of the rural part of the investigated area. The rural environment plays an important role in the protection of bio-, geo- and landscape diversity. In this way, its role is not only the production of healthy food or the provision of recreation and holiday facilities but also the provision of new job prospects and increased sustainability of rural areas. Recognition of the restrictions on the development of ecotourism should help the local community become aware of the black spots that can prevent its development in this area. References 1. Braunoviš, S., Ratkniš, M. (2012). The Change of Land Use - Impact on the Distribution And Intensity of Water Erosion in the Watershed.
- 18. 766 International Conference on water, climate and environment BALWOIS 2012, Ohrid, The Republic of Macedonia. 2. Braunoviš, S., Ratkniš, M., Rakonjac, Lj. (2017). Analiza uticaja antropogenog faktora na promenu intenziteta erozije, Časopis Ecologica. Vol.24, Broj 87, Pp: 578-583. 3. Braunoviš, S., Peroviš, V. (2017). Soil Erosion, Changes of Land Use And Migration Trends - Impact on Tourism Development. The Second International Scientific Conference Tourism in Function of Development of the Republic of Serbia - Tourism product as a Factor of Competitiveness of the Serbian Economy and Experiences of Other countries, Thematic proceedings II, University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Hotel Management and Tourism in Vrnjaţka Banja, pp. 306-323. 4. Ivaniševiš, D., Jakšiš, D., Kor, N. (2015). Vinogradarski atlas. Census of Agriculture 2012. Agriculture in The Republic of Serbia, Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, http://webrzs.stat.gov.rs/WebSite/ repository/documents/00/01/69/22/Vinogradarski_atlas.pdf, (9 March 2018). 5. Official Gazette of Negotin Municipality, 6/2015, http://www.negotin.rs/ turizam.htm, (14 March 2018) . 6. Ratkniš, M., Braunoviš, S. (2013). Migration movement in the area of Grdeliţka klisura and concept of bioregionalism. International Scientific Conference `Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Terms of The Republic of Serbia Strategic Goals Realization Within The Danube Region – achieving regional competitiveness`, Topola, Thematic Proceedings, 1007-1024. 7. Ratkniš, M., Braunoviš, S. (2015). Sustainable tourism and forest fires. International Scientific Conference `Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Terms of The Republic of Serbia Strategic Goals Realization Within The Danube Region- Regional Specificity`, Belgrade, Thematic Proceedings, 622-639. 8. Ratkniš, T., Milovanoviš, J. (2016). Medicinal Herbs As Part Of The Development Of Sustainable Tourism In Nature Park `Stara Planina`, Economics of Agriculture, vol. , no. 3, pp. 847 – 859.
- 19. 767 9. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (2012). Census of Agriculture 2012, Census results (by settlements), http://popispoljoprivrede.stat.rs/?page_id=6221&lang=cir, (14 March 2018) . 10. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (2014a). Book 20: Comparative Overview of the Number of Population by 1948, 1953, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2002 and 2011 Censuses - data by settlements. 11. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (2014b). Book 21: Comparative Overview of the Number of Households by 1948 – 2011 Censuses and Dwellings by 1971 – 2011 Censuses. 12. The International Ecotourism Society (2015). What is ecotourism, http://www.ecotourism.org/what-is-ecotourism, (14 March 2018).