Strengthening HabiProt and Knowledge of Endangered Peatlands in Southwestern Serbia

 

Local Organization: Association for Sustainable Development and Conservation of Natural Habitats of Serbia (HabiProt)
Mentor Organization: Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia (BPSSS)
Award Amount: €10 000
Project Type: PROZHUM Mentorship Project
Duration: July 2025 – November 2026
Project Contact: Bojana Nadaždin, bojananadazdin91@gmail.com
Keywords: Peatland; field traning

Zlatibor Mountain wet meadows

Project activity in the wet meadows of Zlatibor Mountain (© Ivan Tot)

Summary

The high-mountain peatlands and aquatic ecosystems in the Zlatibor district of Serbia  shelter rare and threatened insects and orchids and are part of a unique natural mosaic. However, they are increasingly at risk from stone quarrying, military exercises, highway construction, and solar power plant development, while the region remains largely unexplored and underrepresented in national conservation efforts.

The lack of data on biodiversity in certain areas of Serbia is one of the biggest challenges in protecting these regions. This project aims to develop a proposal to support conservation studies for the Giljeva Mountain area. Training, education workshops, and field research events  will be organized by BPSSS and HabitProt to increase the capacity of local communities in collecting data on biodiversity in unexplored high mountain peatlands in the municipalities of Sjenica, Čajetina and Tutin. Data collected will be added to the public “Alciphron” biodiversity database and used to prepare a conservation study for the Giljeva Mountain area. The finalized proposal for the conservation study work will be submitted to the relevant institutions to strengthen long-term protection of Serbia’s fragile mountain wetlands.

Objectives

  • Support biodiversity research in the unexplored high mountain peatlands of the Zlatibor District, collecting essential data on insects, orchids, and other key species.
  • Strengthen local and organizational capacities by training community members, collaborating with local CSOs, and enhancing HabiProt’s abilities in conservation initiatives management and advocacy.
  • Provide the scientific foundation for Giljeva Mountain’s legal protection by developing a formal proposal for a conservation study in the study area.

Resources

  • Learn more about the PROZHUM project

Funding

Agence Française de Développement (AFD) implements France’s policy on international development and solidarity. Through its financing of NGOs and the public sector, as well as its research and publications, AFD supports and accelerates transitions towards a fairer, more resilient world. It also provides training in sustainable development (at AFD Campus) and other awareness-raising activities in France.