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ŠUMARSKI LIST 5-6/2022 str. 84     <-- 84 -->        PDF

important from a financial and marketing perspective (Sangpikul, 2017; Stanciulescu & Felicetti, 2020; Wondirad, Tolkach & King, 2020). Also, benefits for local communities and their natural environments can include community services and facilities, new technologies, increased cultural and environmental awareness, conservation and protection and improved land-use patterns (Dowling & Fennell, 2003).
Although formally there is no “permanent platform” for communication and cooperation with the local population and stakeholders in the Kopački Rit Nature Park, this cooperation has been going on since the establishment of the Nature Park. In recent years it has even intensified with the development of the PPKR. In Croatia, it is required that local stakeholders, including the local population, should be involved in the development of planning documents of the Parks. Thus, since the founding of the Park, one of the forms of cooperation with the local population and stakeholders has been based on this aspect. Also, local population is of crucial importance for Kopački Rit Nature Park in the implementation of its numerous activities in the field of tourism. Workshops and trainings are continuously conducted in order to raise the awareness of the local population (Naglav, Martinović & Mrvica Mađarac, 2019).
Cooperation with the local population, living in the settlements in surrounding of the Special Nature Reserve, is realized through the Stakeholder Forum. The forum was constituted in 2014 for the needs of providing the sustainable destination management and as a result of the applying procedure for the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism. Within the Forum, one of the key principles of sustainable development is achieved, directed to the cooperation of all local actors of importance for nature protection and tourism development in the Special Nature Reserve. These are mostly non-governmental organizations in the field of nature protection, ecology and heritage preservation (Visitor Management Plan in Gornje Podunavlje Special Nature Reserve, 2019).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
REZULTATI I RASPRAVA
This research was oriented towards analyzing the concept of ecotourism development in two UNESCO biosphere reserves, Mura – Drava – Dunav and Bačko Podunavlje. More precisely, the main aim was to make a comparative analysis of nature protection and ecotourism development in the case of Kopački rit Nature Park and Gornje Podunavlje Special Nature Reserve within aforementioned Reserve Biospheres, located in neighboring countries Croatia and Serbia. The main findings might be divided into the several sections, those related to nature protection according to the national legislation and international nature protection statuses, nature degradation and challenges of protected area management, organization of tourism, cooperation between nature protection and tourism development, projects supporting the nature protection and ecotourism development and involvement of the local population.
In terms of nature protection according to the national legislation and international nature protection statuses, it could be said that both researched Biosphere Reserves are sharing the common characteristics, considering the fact that these protected Ramsar sites are part of the Pent Lateral Biosphere Reserve (Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia) and they are also a part of the Important Bird Area (IBA).
Furthermore, comparison of nature degradation and challenges of protected area management indicated the common characteristics, related to the unsustainable management of water resources and disruption of natural processes on rivers (flood wave). Besides that, Kopački rit Nature Park is faced with the spread of invasive species and poaching, while in Gornje Podunavlje Special Nature Reserve there is a loss of native habitats and plantations of Euro-American poplars.
The main findings related to the organization of tourism in the case of Kopački rit Nature Park are indicating to the fact that tourism is mainly organised at the level of the County and the protected area. Besides that, it is also important to indicate that all tourism activities need to be in line with Tourism Development Strategy in the Republic of Croatia and County Tourism Master Plan. The similar goes to Gornje Podunavlje Special Nature Reserve, where tourism in this protected area needs to be in line with Tourism development strategy of the Republic of Serbia. The entire organization of tourism development (including the planning documents, arrangement of the space, educational trails) is at the level of the Manager, while the main role of the local tourist organizations (City of Sombor and Municipality of Apatin) is related to marketing and propaganda.
Cooperation between nature protection and tourism development in Kopački rit Nature Park resulted in Mali Sakadaš Centre (interactive hall, museological display, interpretation of nature and tradition, walking trails and zoning with two main zones - Base and Transition Zone. On the other hand, in the case of Gornje Podunavlje Special Nature Reserve, such cooperation resulted in equipping and improving the offer within the Eco-center Karapandža, as well as in the Visitor Management Plan (2019), which envisages three zones for development of ecotourism: Karapandža, Štrbac and Bestrement.
Projects supporting the nature protection and ecotourism development in Kopački rit Nature Park are mainly at the state level (strengthening institutional sustainability in protected areas, integration into EU Natura 2000), or at the level of the protected area (Educational Center Tikveš). The main projects in the case of Gornje Podunavlje Special