Jubilee

DRAGIĆ KARAKLIĆ, DIRECTOR OF ”TARA” NATIONAL PARK, ON THE OCCASION OF FOUR DECADES OF PROTECTION OF THIS EXCEPTIONAL AREA
Treasure and Care
Many rare and amazing natural features have been amassed on almost 25,000 hectares of this mountain beauty. Now it is also a tourist destination, with unforgettable lookouts, hiking and biking trails, adrenaline sports... The popularity of this Cyrillic mountain increases the pressures, as well as the risks of deterioration, from which it must be wisely defended

In this part of the old Vlach mountains, in the extreme west of Serbia, above the great elbow of the Drina, clarity and beauty are a given. The average altitude is up to 1,200 meters, the highest peak (Kozji rid) is 1,591 meters. We are talking about distant views and the abundance of natural beauty, as well as the responsibilities that come with it, for the National Review, with Dragić Karaklić, the director of ”Tara” National Park.

The area of ​​Tara was officially declared a national park exactly forty years ago (July 13, 1981). What are the main achievements in those four decades?
Tara was then placed under protection thanks to forestry experts and professors Dragomir Milojković, Dušan Čolić and Stevan Kolarević. After the establishment, there was a transition from the forest estate to the company for protection and development of ”Tara” National Park, which required a lot of adjustments. Given that this is a border area and the situation in the 1990s, there was not much room for improvement in that period. It was not until the end of the 1990s that work began on various projects that contributed to the affirmation of the Park. We now have a developed tourist infrastructure in the form of visitor centers, lookouts, walking, hiking, biking trails ... In order to improve the area, cooperation has been established with relevant organizations and institutions from various fields, primarily at the national level, but we are also active in the field international cooperation. The recognizability of the Park is now at a high level not only within the borders of Serbia, but also beyond. And most importantly: all the core values ​​of the area have been preserved and we are trying to keep it that way.

What makes ”Tara” National Park stand out today on the map of protected areas in Serbia and this part of Europe?
This is a repository of natural treasures and a refuge for many species from the distant past. Pančić’s spruce and Pančić’s grasshopper stand out, and it should be pointed out that this area is the most important habitat for bears and chamois in Serbia. However, the basic phenomenon of the National Park is represented by forests that cover 80 percent of the territory and are among the best preserved, highest quality and most productive in Europe. 1/3 of plant species of Serbia, 60 species of mammals, 140 species of birds, 19 species of fish are registered here. Also, Tara has important cultural and historical monuments, the most famous of which are the monastery of Rača, the endowment of King Dragutin from the 13th century and the necropolis with tombstones are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

”Tara” National Park, therefore, has exceptional natural features and resources. Do you manage to protect them, and how, from all the temptations brought by modern civilization? From pollution, extinction of plant and animal species, illegal construction, vulgarly conceived and arbitrary liberal capitalism?
For now, we manage to resist all challenges, but the pressures are great. Protected area management requires finding the ideal balance between the manager and the user of the space, i.e. the balance between protection and conservation measures, and the desire and need to use the area and resources. The problem is that we do not all experience nature protection in the same way. Often certain interest groups view things exclusively from their own perspective, ignoring the needs of others. It is necessary to have a broader picture, to look in detail at the benefits and consequences of certain actions and decisions. The recognizability and popularity of the area also carry a number of potential pressures and problems. The problems are numerous and complicated, but, in the long run, global problems such as climate change are the biggest challenge.

TOURISM AND IDENTITY

Besides everything else, the area of ​​Tara has grown into one of the most important centers of mountain tourism in Serbia. What are the most important elements of your tourist offer?
The area of ​​”Tara” National Park and the municipality of Bajina Bašta are one of the most important tourist destinations in our country. We can say that Tara is predominantly a summer destination, but that does not mean that it does not offer enough fun and enjoyment in the winter season. This is an area that bases its offer on enjoying nature, through active vacation and education. Tara is recognizable by its viewpoints, and there are ten of them that are developed and safe for visitors, but there are also many other possibilities, from hiking, cycling, kayaking, rafting, rowing on SUP boards, canyoning... One of the main attractions is cruising the Drina canyon from Perućac to Višegrad, and there are also exclusive wildlife observation programs, such as the brown bear. Of course, everything is accompanied by a rich culinary offer, as well as different types of rakia for which this area is famous.

This year, ”Tara” National Park won a special award for its contribution to the preservation of the Cyrillic alphabet. What is your activity in the field of nurturing and protecting cultural heritage and preserving identity?
The public enterprise ”Tara” National Park, during forty years of work on the protection and promotion of natural and cultural heritage, is actively working in the field of preservation and promotion of Cyrillic heritage. We are the publisher of a large number of publications written in Cyrillic, a good part of which is intended for the youngest population. We are not only working on promoting the values ​​of the area, but we are also actively promoting our national alphabet. In addition to the great contribution to the promotion of Tara, Bajina Bašta and Serbia at numerous presentations in the country and abroad, ”Tara” National Park is constantly working to connect with various institutions in the country and the diaspora in order to strengthen and preserve national identity.

CONTINUED RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT

What are your further plans and projects in the management of the national park, in the development and protection of that area?
We will continue to manage this area responsibly and to actively work on its improvement and promotion. We will try to find a balance between the requirements for protection and the use of area. By educating and informing visitors and the local population, we will try to reduce the pressure on nature. We will support all initiatives that are sustainable and environmentally friendly, but we will also fight against everything that threatens the values ​​of this area. We will constantly work on maintaining the existing and building new infrastructure for visitors.

Last year, and it will probably be similar this year, you had an influx of domestic tourists and probably unprecedented crowds. How do you deal with it and can it endanger nature in the area you care about?
Last year, ”Tara” National Park was one of the most visited destinations in Serbia. According to the data of the Tourist Organization of Serbia, the lookout point Banjska stena was the most visited tourist site in Serbia. This has created a lot of difficulties for our operation. The biggest problem was the crowds, i.e. the physical load of certain localities. Fortunately, the visitors were mostly concentrated on popular and easily accessible destinations, and they did not delve deeper into nature. Considering the number of people who stayed on Tara last year, I can say that there were no significant problems. In any case, this pointed us to our shortcomings and omissions that needed to be corrected. We plan to develop a visitation management plan in the coming period. Tourism is the best and easiest way to valorize attractive spaces. However, we must be aware that it also carries the danger of self-destruction. Therefore, it must be developed in such a way as to ensure the protection of nature and the entire area for its own development and activities, because otherwise it will destroy them.

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Young
There is obviously a large increase in the number of young people among tourists on Tara. What attracts them?
This is a destination that offers an active vacation and numerous adrenaline activities. This probably attracts young people. Also, one should keep in mind the influence of social networks and numerous ”influencers” who share their experiences from Tara.

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Recommendation
What do you personally like most about Tara? What are your favorite places here? Where do you take your important guests and friends?
As someone who was born and raised in Tara, that is, in Zaovine, I am primarily proud of my homeland. Forests, and especially the habitats of Pančić’s spruce, are landmarks of this area. The place that I would recommend to everyone is the top of Janjac, since it offers an unforgettable view of most of Tara, but also of Višegrad and the wreaths of the Bosnian and Montenegrin mountain. However, there is no mistake if you visit any other lookout point or other location in the national park.