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Geoconservation in Serbia – State of play and
future perspectives
Aleksandra Maran*
Geoconservation in Serbia dates back to the
beginning of the 20 th century. During the
early decades, intensive geological activity
took place and many scientifically important
geological sites, outcrops and sections
were discovered and explained. Before 1995,
78 geosites were protected, based on individual
proposals. In 1995, Serbia became a
member of the ProGEO and established the
National Council for Geoheritage Conservation.
The systematic inventory of geological
sites began in 1996, and since then an
additional 552 sites have been designated
for conservation.
La conservation de l’héritage géologique de
la Serbie remonte au début du 20 ème siècle.
Pendant les premières décades, on a assisté
à une intense activité géologique et un
grand nombre de sites géologiques majeurs,
affleurements et coupesgéologiques ont
ainsi été découverts et documentés. Avant
1995, 78 sites géologiques étaient protégés,
sur la base de propositions individuelles.
En 1995, la Serbie est devenue un
membre de ProGEO et a fondé le Conseil
National pour la Conservation de l’Héritage
Géologique. L’inventaire systématique des
sites géologiques a commencé en 1996 et,
depuis cette date, 552 sites additionnels ont
été sélectionnés pour faire l’objet d’une conservation.
La conservación del patrimonio geológico
en Serbia comienza a principios del siglo
XX. Durante las primeras décadas se llevó a
cabo una intensa actividad de investigación
geológica y se descubrieron y explicaron
multitud de lugares de interés geológico,
afloramientos y cortes geológicos. Hasta
1995 se protegieron 78 lugares de interés
geológico en base a propuestas individuales.
En ese mismo año, Serbia se convirtió
en miembro de ProGEO y estableció el Consejo
Nacional para la Conservación del Patrimonio
Geológico. El inventario sistemático
de lugares de interés geológico empezó en
1996, y desde entonces se han seleccionado
para su conservación otros 522 lugares.
Geodiversity, geoheritage and geoconservation
have been recognized
worldwide as new challenges in
geological research in the last two decades.
The term geodiversity explains the nature
of the entire abiotic world we are seeking
to protect. Geodiversity encompasses the
natural range of geological, geomorphological
and soil features, assemblages, systems
and processes (Australian Natural Heritage
Charter, 2002). Geoheritage is an important
part of geodiversity, dealing with the
conservation of rocks, landforms and soils
that are significant to humans (Dixon, 1996
in Gray, 2004). Geoconservation involves
a set of actions focused on conserving and
enhancing geological and geomorphological
features, processes, sites and specimens
for their intrinsic, ecological and heritagerelated
values (Sharples, 2002).
History of geoconservation in Serbia
The territory of Serbia is abundant in
geological phenomena. It is one of just a
very few countries where the two Alpine
geotectonic units meet: the Carpathian-
Balkan mountain arch is in the east whereas
the Dinaric mountain system extends along
the western part of Serbia.
The first data on the geology of Serbia
were provided by foreign scientists, mostly
geologists and geographers who travelled
across the country during the 19 th century.
The beginning of the 20 th century was the
golden age for natural science research
and geology and that period was marked
by the geological surveys of the two great
Serbian scientists, J. Pančić and J. Žujović
and their successors, J. Cvijić, S. Urošević,
S. Radovanović, P. Pavlović and V. Petković.
The idea for conservation of geological sites
in Serbia was born at the same time the first
systematic geological investigations were
undertaken. The initiative by P. Pavlović
in 1924 to protect the Zlot caves in eastern
Serbia (Fig. 1) was the first official proposal
for conservation of a particular natural
monument (Maran, 1998).
* Natural History Museum in Belgrade,
Njegoseva 51, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia,
amaran@nhmbeo.rs
Figure 1: Zlot Gorge in eastern Serbia, first natural area proposed for protection in 1924 (photo: A.
Maran).
European Geologist 34 | November 2012
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