Perspectives of Revitalisation of High Nature Area Through Organic Apiculture

Danijela Branković1, Nebojša Nedić2, Suzana Đorđević-Milošević3 BIOSERBIA , Serbia1, Faculty of Agriculture Belgrade2, University of Belgrade3 a heterogenous relief&climate conditions. The Republic of Serbia is located in the South-Eastern part of Europe and covers 88,361 km2. The Serbian climate is continental, with cold winters, and hot humid summers with well distributed rainfall patterns. Average annual precipitation ranges from 600 mm to 800 mm in the plains and between 800 mm and 1,200 mm in the mountains. There are three broad zones that can be distinguished in Serbia on the basis of geography and climate conditions namely , Central Serbia and Southern Serbia. • 354.568 colonies in Serbia. Average honey yield per bee colony was 13 kg (Statistical Annual 2007). Chart 1. Percent of bee colonies per dictrict, %

9,22 7,83 40,71

LR DB 42,24 AŽ Other Chart 2. Percent of bee colonies per dictrict

7,6 6,8

8 6,1 5,8

7 5,3 5,1 4,8 6 4,6 4,5 4,3 4,2 % 3,7 3,9 5 3,5 3,4 3,3 3,2 2,9 2,8 4 2,8 2,8 2,3 2,3 2,1 3 1,9

2

1

0

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i k i i k k k i k k k k k k k k k k k k k k k s k k k d k s s k č š č s č s č s s č s s s a s ij s r s rs i a s s li t i j t ts t č a m n r v r v o r v in v p o n in a a a a a a g v d a a o a R a ir b a b b re a b e a r B č b r s š o la č - n n n - - v u n o č o ti a i T P b P o a a a o o S č l u e i m je o n b b n a o d B n u m a la R N a r - -b - n ž a M J e o d M K o r S o Z Z e j o a u P d B P v n n n p J ra e d r ž S e u a G re v J Z S e S According to official statistic, 2002 Chart 3. Hilly mountains terrains covering, %

Over 500m alt. Over 1000 m alt. Betw. 1000-1500 m alt. 0,23 11 Over 1500 m alt.

11,19 38,47 Chart 4. Extraordinary biological diversity

Flora in the hilly mountains zone (>3650 plant species) 20%20%20% The rest of flora

80%80%80% Migration of the inhabitants toward cities, led to depopulation of the cross border mountainous region of Serbia, especially in the east and south regions of the country. High depopulation rate characterizes the mountain regions, particularly hilly- mountanious. Demographic Today in Serbia there are rural settlements increasment about 4600 villages, and if index usually comes to demografic trends in rural approximatelly 70%, while areas continue in this way some villages have almost in a ten years or so each completely extincted. fourth village will disappear from the map or 1200 of them. In hilly-mountainous region Above upper border of forest agricultural production has area there are grasslands remained within a traditional which represent the only way framework with respecting of vegetable production and “laws of nature”.nature unpollutedu area. The most usefull plants for honeybee could be found in that high nature teritory such as: thymus, heath, milfoil, star of bethehum, bistort, crocus, mourning widow, mountain clover, wild strawberry, cytisus, dandelion, red dead nettle, birds trefolium, black medick, white clover, willow herb etc., as well as deciduous plants filbert, male dogwood, black locust tree, common sallow, wild cherry, common apple tree, sycamore, fir tree, hawthorn, linden tree, and others.

Some teritories in Serbia are protected and having a status of exceptional nature estates such as: National parks (, , Fruška , Đerdap, Šar planina), Parks of nature (, Stara planina, , Vršačke planine and other), Protected landscapes like , Ozrenske livade, Rajac, , Ovčar i Kablar (INCS, 2002). Special protection of majority like /Vardenik/Čemernik, Kučaj, Suva planina, , Prokletije, , Zlatar, , Cer, Institute for nature conservation of Srbia Goč/Željin/Stolovi and others. National park “Fruška Gora”

In the north of the country there is the National Park Fruška Gora which represents a location with one of the biggest concentrations of linden tree in Europe and 700 species of medicinal plants. It represents a very complex vegetation system with expressed prerequisites for obtaining ecologically clean bee products. In forests there are present many firm deciduous trees such as black locust, poplar, willow and other. National park “Đerdap” In the north-east of Serbia, on the very border area with Romania and right riverside of there is the National Park Đerdap. It is distinguished by rich flora with more than 1100 plant species and over 50 plant communities in which 35 is of a relic character (Turkish filbert, Kavkaz linden etc.). The nearest beekeepers from (2.4).

“” A region of Homolje is especially interesting for beekeeping because forest vegetation is favourable for honey bee, so for early development of colony we can encounter willow, hazel tree and dogwood. A medium height is characteristic of oak woods, and we encounter maple and hawthorn berry. This region is known also by black locust pasture and high quality black locust and meadow honey. Beekeepers from Žagubica (1.0) and beekeepers from Krepoljin (0.8). National park “Kopaonik” In central part of Serbia is situated the National Park Kopaonik with spacious meadows and significant natural eco- systems. Forest eco-systems are being changed from submediteranean, through mixed oak woods to shrubby vegetation with Siberain juniper tree, bilberry and very large area of clear spruce forests. A convenience that should be used is well organized bee colonies out of which in the vicinity of high nature region Kopaonik there are a well organized association of beeekeepers in , and Krusevac. Park of nature “Stara planina” Natural Park “Stara Planina” situated in the east of Serbia is rich in many grasslands and forest phytocenoses (over 1560 species and sub-species of plants in which about 135 are endemic ones). It covers the area along Serbian-Bulgarian border (about 140,000 ha) and reaches deep into Serbia to about 20 km, it is almost uninhabited what resulted in development of wild flora and numerous melliferous plants. The nearest bkp are from Knjaževac (4.5) and beekeepers from Zaječar (5.0). Pešterska plateau is situated near border with Montenegro and it is distinguished by large pastures and meadows of various floristic composition from which a meadow honey of prime quality is being obtained. In this region as regards the number of bee colonies the dominant are beekeepers from nearest places as , Tutin and (4.3). Park of nature Golija represents the highest mountain of south- west Serbia in which the most dominant are deciduous plants, whereas on south slopes the most dominant are grasslands with rich floristic composition. Mountain Zlatar is characterized by abundant forest and grassy vegetation. In lower parts of mount Zlatar there is a deciduous forest and beside waterways a developed melliferous pasture of alder and willow. Management of bee societies and strict rules were momorere like limiting factor to those beekeepers who intended to join the certification process. However, by making amendments to Regulative No. 2092/91 by EU, which concerns organic production, it is allowed to remove certain defects from previous period while the way of joining bee keepers into the process of organic production is much more easy. A competent Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Serbia by passing the regulation regarding the stimulation in the amount of 1.500 RSD per beehive and series of Regulations on the way of production, packing, transport and similar, make conditions for joining greater number of bee keepers into the process of organic beekeeping. The Ministry has included many regions with characteristics of high nature area into marginal regions in which occupation in agriculture, and therefore organic beekeeping is being subsidized by a higher percent. The result of the possibility given by the Ministry within stimuli for production which is certified and afterwards value added (adding value) through traditional processing is the product with protected geographical origin or some other trademark (brand) which will make possible the increase of the price of that product on the market.

The value that the bees would obtain through development of organic beekeeping in high nature regions can be perceived not only in economic value which they create through direct bee products, but also in much greater ecological favour by helping pollination of some precious and rare species and preserving them in that way.