Regional Factor of Sustainable Development of Rural Settlements of Kalna and Minićevo at the Foot of the Stara Planina Mountain
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SPATIUM UDC 005.412:338.48-44(497.11-22) No. 35, June 2016, pp. 63-70 338.484:502.131.1 Professional paper DOI: 10.2298/SPAT1635063A REGIONAL FACTOR OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL SETTLEMENTS OF KALNA AND MINIĆEVO AT THE FOOT OF THE STARA PLANINA MOUNTAIN Miloš Aranđelović1, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Architecture, Belgrade, Serbia Aleksandar Videnović, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Architecture, Belgrade, Serbia Developmental potential of rural settlements of Kalna and Minićevo should be reviewed in the wider context of the area in which they are located. The natural resources of Stara Planina mountain, as a special purpose area focused on tourism and agriculture, represent the basic components for sustainable development of the mentioned settlements. The heritage of autochthonus, traditional rural architecture and sacral buildings, together with natural resources potentials, represent attractors for the development of a specific form of rural tourism. This research paper presents an analysis of the options for the development of rural tourism in the territory of Knjaževac municipality, aimed at sustainable development of rural settlements of Kalna and Minićevo. The basic idea of the paper is for Kalna and Minićevo to become the centres towards which the population of smaller surrounding villages will gravitate: towards Kalna as a potential tourism centre and towards Minićevo as a transit tourist settlement with accompanying public and other services. The purpose of the paper is not to offer a solution that would completely eliminate economic and demographic changes, but to review different options for the development of rural settlements that could keep up with modern social needs. Key words: rural settlements, Stara Planina mountain, rural tourism, sustainable development. INTRODUCTION The decrease of agriculturally active population in the territory of Stara Planina mountain requires drafting of new development strategies which could have a positive municipality in Timok region, are situated in the territory impact on the economic structure of households in this ofThe the rural “Stara settlements Planina mountain”of Kalna and Nature Minićevo, Park inand Knjaževac tourism area. Tourism as an engine of development in the context region which is suitable for tourist activities from the of modern society can improve the social and economic aspect of developmental possibilities. In this sense, the position of the local population. Stara Planina mountain Stara Planina mountain presents a regional factor of their sustainable development. The settlement selection criterion cultural point of view, which can certainly be used for the is based on the geographical position of the aforementioned has specific developmental capacities from theet al. natural, 2009). and settlements, but also on the fact that they used to be municipal centres. purposesThe development of a potential of tourism tourism in thisoffer sense (Milijić would contribute The research has included two settlements different in the to a more comprehensive integration of rural settlements time they emerged, their functions and positions as they, in contemporary social trends. This, naturally, relates to the considering their character, generate different possibilities settlements which have appropriate capacities. However, it should be kept in mind that the majority of settlements lower part of Stara Planina mountain, and Kalna, located in this area consist of households populated with old infor the the higherrural tourism part of development. the mountain, Minićevo, are two locateddiametrically in the individuals, as well as that many of them have less than 100 opposite settlements which have different possibilities for development regarding their natural resources and cultural inhabitantsTourism in (Mitrović,rural areas 2015). implies a whole set of activities, and historical values. services and facilities provided by the local community 1 Bulevar kralja Aleksandra 73/II, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia, and population, with the purpose of creating additional [email protected] income sources. In line with this, capacities and options for spatium 63 Aranđelović M., Videnović A. : Regional factor of sustainable development of rural settlements of Kalna and Minićevo at the foot of the Stara planina mountain Essentially, the task of this research paper is to indicate the anthropogenic factors. Depending on these, rural tourism possibility of linking several rural settlements in the goal of canrural focus tourism on activitiesthe development are defined of bynature-based natural, cultural activities and common tourist activities. The basic idea of the paper is for development of rural tourism aimed at familiarizing tourists the population of smaller surrounding villages will gravitate, withsuch villageas hunting, life. fishing, mountain climbing etc., or on the whichKalna andwould Minićevo provide to an become easier entry the centres in the tourismtowards market which This paper analyses the possibilities for the rural tourism and placement of the values of natural, traditional and development aimed at sustainable development of rural cultural heritage of this area (Figure 1). settlements and creation of secondary centres, using the This paper is not aimed at promoting sustainable development at all costs, in case that there are no objective capacities for it. Sustainable development of settlements theexample aforementioned of settlements settlements Kalna and structurally Minićevo which belong belong to the to categorythe territory of small of Knjaževac rural towns, municipality. the existence Having of inappropriate mind that development aligned with the capacities of individual infrastructure favours the option of transforming them households,of Kalna and asMinićevo well as is the primarily existing aimed natural, at ruralcultural tourism and into economic and administrative centres of surrounding historical values of the immediate surroundings. villages. characterized by negative birth rate, ranging from 10 ‰ to improvement of the existing sustainable development The demographic trends in Knjaževac municipality are strategiesThe contribution which recognizeof this research rural tourism paper isprimarily defined asby onethe trend of migration to larger centres which has a negative of the tools for revitalization and development of rural 15.5 ‰ (Mitrović, 2015). We should also note the distinct settlements. The settlements concerned are viewed in this paper as a part of the wider area of Stara Planina mountain impact on the age structure of settlements (Devedžić and which, owing to its natural resources potentials, as a regional Stojilković-Gnjatović,Table 1. Number and percentage 2015)(Table of population 1). aged 65 and more in the resource, can be used from the aspect of development of total population according to the 2011 Census rural settlements in its territory. Region In total 65 years and over % Our research is based on the assertion that sustainable South and East Serbia 1563916 303006 19.37 development of rural settlements in Stara Planina mountain can be attained through mutual integration of several Source: Devedžić and Stojilković-Gnjatović, 2015 settlements on a functional basis, which in turn can enable their coordinated development. Rural tourism development in that sense is used as a starting point, with the idea of belongsA large number to those of Serbian settlements municipalities in Knjaževac which municipality contain theare integrating a tourist offer, easier entry on the market, and highestin the phase number of demographic of settlements decline. with Knjaževac the population municipality of 100 integrating new functions in the settlements. If we consider the basic determinants of sustainable rural there.or less As (Mitrović, far as the 2015). rest of municipalOut of the population total of 85 is settlements, concerned, 34.4%only one live is classified in the settlements as urban, and located 52.1% in of lowerpopulation hills, livesand have acceptable capacities from the aspect of natural values. Thetourism existence development, of municipal the settlements infrastructure of Kalna is one and of Minićevothe basic parameters, since it enables the rehabilitation or construction 9.5%This inresearch higher mountainsaims to connect (Sibinović Stara and PlaninaМartinović, mountain 2010). villages within the framework of rural tourism activities of facilities that could satisfy specific contemporary lifestyle needs. Figure 1. Minićevo and Kalna as gravitation centres (Source: http://www.kartasrbije.net/karta%20srbije.html; proccesed by authors) 64 spatium Aranđelović M., Videnović A. : Regional factor of sustainable development of rural settlements of Kalna and Minićevo at the foot of the Stara planina mountain with the trend of further development. The purpose of the relationships to have a considerable impact on the direction of its development. Sustainable tourism development in and which would direct the development of all settlements Serbia remains in its initial phase, where its legal framework inpaper the isarea. not toThe offer basic a final idea solution relates which to the should establishment be followed of et a network of those rural settlements which (economically al. speaking) have authentic natural, cultural and historical situationis being harmonized (Maksin et al. with, 2011). EU legislation (Orlović-Lovren potential for sustainable tourism development. , 2013). However, such practice does not reflect the