Jelena Beloica on the Ecolacus project: Education and awareness-raising on the environmental issues are the keys to shaping users' attitudes towards the protected natural areas - Zaštita biodiverziteta i voda jezera Palić i Ludaš

Prof. Dr Jelena Beloica visiting the field

There is a new section on the Ecolacus project website, created in close cooperation with the project consultant Posch & Partners’ team of experts, covering flora, fish and birds. The material, carefully collected, written, and organized by type, has been publicly available on the project’s website since December 2021, first in Serbian and then in English. While the translation of this material into Hungarian is in progress, we are talking to the associate professor. Jelena Beloica from the Faculty of Forestry in Belgrade, a person who is one of the most deserving of the fact that this valuable information is now available to everyone.

How long did it take to collect data for the development of the greenery project of the buffer zone of Palic and Ludas lakes? How many people were involved in it, and what was the biggest challenge?

Vegetation analysis began during the field trip in autumn 2018 and continued in 2019 to gain insight into all aspects of vegetation status and degradation degree of the buffer zone habitats defined by the Detailed Regulation Plan (PDR), as well as wider protection zones of these natural resources. Further work included research of the available scientific and professional literature related to the examined areas and principles and practices of ecological restoration for these types of habitats. The selection of species for the restoration included data on potential natural vegetation from the available databases, data on the existing vegetation in the Palic-Ludas region based on the studies on the protection of Nature Park Palic and Special Nature Reserve Ludas, and conditions of the Provincial Institute for Nature Protection. Our colleague Klara Sabados from the previously mentioned institute also provided us with valuable guidelines. The experienced colleagues from PE Palic-Ludas helped us a lot. Likewise, the colleague Tanja Jotanovic, having had a valuable experience, has given us great support, too. It refers to the specifics of maintaining and managing these two protected areas. Guidelines in the design of the buffer zone were clearly defined by the detailed regulation plans, which were a good starting point for us, and the knowledge of colleagues, who participated in the development of plans, was also very useful. After the collection of the available data from the mentioned sources, the study of the buffer zone current condition of habitats and the buffer zone greenery project were prepared. Twelve colleagues from the Faculty of Forestry, Department of ecological engineering for soil and water resources and the Department of landscape architecture participated in the preparation of the study. The biggest project challenge was to organise the time required for the preparation of technical documentation, obtain necessary permits, and implement-execute the project. Usually, the ecological restoration projects are implemented in several phases, but this project had a limited time of execution. Additionally, the execution of work was conditioned by the planting season and also the special conditions due to the birds` nesting period when work in the buffer zone was limited.

Field tour with colleagues from PE Palic-Ludas

How significant are the educational materials to ’ordinary’ people, residents of this area, and tourists?

Educational boards with QR codes: Bush’s Star of Bethlehem

Since the base of ecotourism is preserving and protecting the environment, supporting local cultures and economies, and educating local people and tourists, the educational contents are the key components in raising the environmental awareness and behaviour of protected area users.

The education of tourists aims to raise awareness, understanding, and respect for natural values and thus shape behaviour, making better connections in contact with the natural environment and the local population.

The definition of ecotourism is “the responsibility aiming trip to natural areas that protect the environment and improve the well-being of the local population”. Educational boards and a web platform are one of the ways to achieve this goal. The educational material presents the significant species of ornithofauna, flora and ichthyofauna of this area.

Oto Sekeres and Tamas Vinko, the colleagues from PE Palic-Ludas, helped us in the selection of the most important bird species and representatives of the flora of this area, which we presented on the educational boards. Additionally, Dr Gabor Mesaros helped us to prepare the material on the important and invasive fish species.

Why do you think it is important to educate people about the protected and undesirable species in and around the lake, and how much the collected and published material has contributed to that so far?

Educational boards with QR codes_ichthyofauna

During the works on the Project in 2020, a protected species of the Republic of Serbia Ornithogalum boucheanum (Kunth) Asch., Bush’s Star of Bethlehem, was found on Sector IV shoreline in the South, and in 2021 this species was recorded near the northern shore of Sector III. Thanks to the presence of this species and at the initiative of the Provincial Institute for Nature Protection (PZZP) in cooperation with PE Palic-Ludas, this part of the shoreline of Sector IV will be under the regime of the II degree of protection. The plan for tighter protection measures ensures more efficient work of the manager and improvement of the coastal natural values. The fact that protected and rare plant species grow in the environment of the local population can enhance their respect and appreciation for the natural values and thus shape behaviour in the protected natural assets.

After regular field trips in 2018-2021, we found that most of the invasive species recorded in the field were in the backyards of weekend houses in the coastal zone of both lakes, where people were growing ornamental plants, such as Elaeagnus angustifolia, Broussonetia papyrifera, Ailanthus altissima, Lycium barbarum, etc. These species behave very aggressively in natural habitats of this type and negatively affect biodiversity. For this reason, it is necessary to inform/educate the population on desirable species typical for this area. This material contributes to the fact that the population gets more familiar with native/desirable plant species, their ecological, cultural and aesthetic values to motivate the population to replace their backyard invasive species with natural ones. This would reduce the risk of the continuation of invasive species spreading from backyards to protected natural resources and, thus, to some extent, facilitate the work of the Manager.

How much has the scientific community interest increased for the living world of this area since the Ecolacus project implementation? Are there any examples that students and postgraduates have become interested in this area in the last few years since the Biodiversity and Water Protection Lake Palic and Lake Ludas has been active?

A project of this kind is unique in Serbia. It is unique in terms of volume and area where it is implemented, habitats` specific and protection categories. But it is also unique due to the application of different ecological restoration techniques for the first time at different microhabitats and habitats represented in the coastal zone.

At the very beginning, the Project Leader presented the idea of the significance of educating young people through such projects. The quantity and quality of data collected during the fieldwork and the preparation of technical documentation enabled and served for the preparation of, currently progressing, several graduate theses, one master’s thesis and one doctoral dissertation.

Collecting samples for grassland restoration purposes, which will be used in the doctoral dissertation_PhD student, Milica Cakovic

During 2019, we also organized field-based classes for 3rd and 4th-year students of the Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade – Department of Ecological Engineering for soil and water resources programme. Notwithstanding the programme plans for 2020 and 2021, we were not able to implement site-based classes due to COVID-19 measures. Yet, we hope the conditions will allow us to continue with these activities in 2022. There is an idea and goodwill to achieve the long-term cooperation between the Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade and PE Palic-Ludas, led by Director Marta Dobo, to organize working actions to help further invasive species reduction in the protected area. On the other hand, this would provide experience to students in the field. They would get to know the ecological problems of these types of habitats and acquire practical knowledge in the field of ecology, as well. This would be an experiential learning method motivating students for critical thinking about ecology, conflicts of sustainable development and nature protection – issues with global implications.