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This study’s objective was to explore some of the annual Prussian carp’s (Carassius gibelio) biological characteristics (sex ratio, length–weight ratio, and gonado somatic index - GSI) in the Kopački Rit Nature Park in Croatia. The Prussian carp is an invasive fish species originated from Asia, which became widely distributed throughout Europe and is believed to be responsible for a decline in the number of indigenous fish, invertebrate, and macrophyte populations in different areas. The fish sampling was conducted from September to November 2017 and from February to July 2018, respectively, using electrofishing. A total of 475 fish individuals were caught and measured for the total length, standard length, body height, and body weight. Males made up 34.31% of the population of Prussian carp. The mean value of Fulton condition factor (FC) of Prussian carp in Kopački Rit was 1.77 ± 0.28. Overall, the FC value had a relatively small amplitude, but it exhibited a clear seasonal vari ability. The average GSI values of females (9.91 ± 5.34) were higher than those of males (3.58 ± 1.37) during the observed period. The average GSI values indicate that the majority of females are spawning in the late April and May, which are also the same periods when other cyprinid species are spawning, allowing the Prussian carp to exploit its gynogenesis strategy.

Protected areas can only deliver their environmental, social and economic benefits if they are effectively managed. The aim of the paper is to analyze the management of nature parks entrusted to the State Enterprise for Forest Management “Srbijašume”, identify management problems and opportunities, and provide management and other reform proposals in order to improve the efficiency of management of protected areas. SE “Srbijašume” manages 5 nature parks on an area of 280,497 ha, which makes up 94% of the total area of nature parks in Serbia. Managerial organization of protected areas in SE “Srbijašume” is in accordance with the Law on Nature Protection, which prescribes the conditions that must be met by the manager in terms of professional, personnel and organizational qualifications to perform the tasks of protection, improvement, promotion and sustainable development of the protected areas. The management of protected areas is coordinated with the three-level organizational structure of the Enterprise (General Directorate, Forest Estates, Forest Administrations). For the management of nature parks “Stara planina”, “Golija”, “Zlatibor” and “Radan” special work units have been formed.

Şehirler sahip oldukları imkanlar ile insanlara büyük kolaylıklar sunmaktadır. Ancak yoğun nüfus ve iş temposu sebebiyle kırsal alanlara göre daha stresli bir yaşam ortamı oluşturduğu için kentlerdeki insanlar serbest zamanlarında çeşitli doğal mekanları tercih etmektedir. Bu mekanlar; Milli Parklar, Doğa Parkları, Kent ormanları, Tabiat Anıtları veya Tabiat Parkları olabilmektedir. Tabiat Parkları; tahrip edilmemiş doğal yapıları, doğa ve yaban hayatı ile iç içe olmaları, manzara güzelliği gibi imkanları bir arada sunan ve ziyaretçilerini memnun edip bu imkanları sunmasından dolayı Turgut Özal Tabiat Parkı çalışma sahası olarak seçilmiştir. Malatya ili, Battalgazi ilçesinde bulunan Turgut Özal Tabiat Parkında yapılan çalışmada, Gülez (1990) tarafından geliştirilen rekreasyonel mekanların potansiyelinin belirlendiği yöntem kullanılarak alanın rekreasyonel potansiyeli incelenmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular ışığında Turgut Özal Tabiat Parkı’nın rekreasyon değerinin %78 olduğu belirlenmiştir. Gülez Yöntemine göre %75 ve üzeri bir puana sahip rekreasyon alanları çok yüksek potansiyele sahip alanlar olarak kabul edilmektedir. Bu bağlamda çalışma alanının daha iyi rekreasyonel bir hizmet verebilmesi için alanda görülen eksiklikler tespit edilip giderilebilmesi için öneriler sunulmuştur.

Protected areas play a key role in nature conservation but are also crucial for tourism. There are international recommendations in nature conservation (IUCN), and several international conservation conventions exist. Nevertheless, the protection categories are different in each country, and the proportion of protected areas also varies. Here we compare the nature conservation systems of some countries (Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia and Croatia) taking into consideration their nature protection laws. The selection of countries is based on an international project dealing with “Karst and National Parks”. For the comparison, national data sources and an international database (WDPA) are used. Our results show that the protection categories of the studied countries are largely similar, but there are unique characteristics as well (such as “forest park”, “monument of park architecture” in Croatia; “nature conservation area” in Hungary or “protected landscape element” in Slovakia, etc.). On the other hand, the internal proportions of protection categories are more heterogeneous, like, for example, the proportion of national parks within all protected areas which is 57.0 percent in Hungary but 11 percent in Croatia. International protection categories (Natura 2000, Ramsar, UNESCO World Heritage natural sites, UNESCO MAB reserves) are more or less similarly present in the countries studied (except Serbia, where there are no Natura 2000 areas yet). If national categories and Natura 2000 sites are all taken into consideration (and the overlapping areas are counted only once), then Croatia has the highest proportion of protected areas (39.1%), Slovakia is in second place with 37.5 percent, while Romania (23.5%) and Hungary (22.0%) show a similar proportion, and with the lack of Natura 2000, Serbia has 9.1 percent at present. As for the reliability of the WDPA, we found that this varies from country to country, with significant deficiencies for certain countries (e.g. Serbia) and very good reliability for others (e.g. Hungary, Slovakia). However, the availability of WDPA is in many cases better than that of national data, and since it also provides GIS data, it can be considered a useful tool for examining international trends and mapping protected areas.

Nature parks are protected natural areas whose purposes are the protection and conservation of landscapes in which the interaction of human activities with nature over time has created a distinct area, with significant landscape and/or cultural value, often with great biological diversity. This is the case of Apuseni Nature Park, which includes a significant karst terrain and is a very important tourist destination. In this article, we examine the attitude of local people towards the protected area with the help of a questionnaire composed of 32 questions. After the general questions, the economic situation was examined first. Then the respondents had to evaluate the values and the difficulties of their region and their relation to tourism. The answers reveal that they are aware of the importance of tourism, which may represent a serious complementary income for them. The most intriguing questions were some open-ended questions, which focused on the relationship of locals to Apuseni Nature Park. Based on the answers, we can conclude that the negative opinions slightly dominate. The dissatisfaction of the locals, the feeling of limitations due to the park are expressed in many different ways. But probably the most relevant problems can be linked to the rules and laws. As it is a nature park, people in fact, live inside the park, thus, the equilibrium between their lives and the purposes of the park should be approached. The administration of the nature park should involve local people more closely in decision-making, and maybe certain rules should be changed.

In 2016, the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism of the Kyrgyz Republic organized and funded a program for the study and documentation of a large monument of rock art Saimaly-Tash. The program "Pri­mary archaeological and historical-architectural study of the Saimaluu-Tash State Natural Park and its adjacent territories with partial documentation of historical and cultural heritage objects" was implemented during two seasons of 2016 - 2017. The works on the monument were carried out within the framework of the project objectives and the results were provided to the Ministry of Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic in the form of a report, the first album about the Saimaly-Tash rock art monument was published. Thanks to this project, for the first time it was possible to make a detailed and extensive topography of the monument, count the number of stones with drawings using a total station and the exact locations of each rock art, identify objects of a dif­ferent category in the area of the main clusters of petroglyphs and enter their location in the map. Exploration work was carried out on a large scale.

Protected areas have a primary role in preserving the biodiversity of a region and are often valorized as a resource in tourism. The paper is based on the results of an empirical study conducted on a sample of 160 respondents. The main research goal was to determine the opinions and attitudes of the respondents about the development of rural tourism and its impact on the conservation of biodiversity in the Lonjsko polje Nature Park (Park). The results show that 56.9% of respondents consider that pollution caused by human activity has the greatest impact on biodiversity loss, but also that informing visitors about responsible behavior is a way to preserve biodiversity in the Park. Respondents agree with the statement that rural tourism is "eco-friendly" and that a sustainable form of tourism contributes to nature conservation. It was found that age and level of education were not statistically significantly related to the respondents' perception of the impact of rural tourism on biodiversity in nature parks. Respondents are moderate in the view that tourism should not be carried out in nature parks (M = 2.85) or that rural tourism in the park pollutes the environment and disrupts the landscape (M = 2.61). With a high degree of agreement (M = 4.04), respondents believe that the Park has the potential to develop ecotourism.

Spatial planning is a vital process for a rapid and successful development of projects related to wetland management, and thereby projects related to tourism. Tourist activities could provide a boost to the development of general understanding of wetlands and raise public awareness of the functions and the ecosystem services wetlands provide. The tourism economy could be a source of income and could provide employment opportunities in rural areas. However, tourists also have an impact on wetlands. Protected areas accessible to tourists require a comprehensive management. In order to ensure a harmonious relationship between tourism activities and environmental protection, when developing an urban design within a protected area, it is crucial to have a sensitive approach. The paper suggests an approach to the development of the Urban Design "Karaotok", within the Hutovo Blato Nature Park.

Abstract This work aimed to promote, observe and describe the restructuring process of the Morro do Osso Nature Park Management Council (PNMO). To that end the study used participatory diagnostic methodologies and the data were analysed using QSR International software. As a result, it was possible to verify information and leadership failures in the process of construction of the management council that generated demotivation of the members leading to their disaggregation. However, the potential for mobilization and restructuring was identified provided the collaborative process is structured by a leadership that mobilizes stakeholders to drive collaboration and extend the scope of the (PNMO) council. In conclusion, the Management Council must engage in a continuous activism and its members must be constantly prepared to act as articulators in the various spaces related to the Conservation Unit.

Implementation of the concept of sustainable exploitation of medicinal plant resources facilitates the development of tourism offering and the related activities that would enhance the development of rural areas in this region. When managed in a sustainable manner, tourism can bring many advantages to protected areas, tourism industry and a local community. By using high-resolution satellite images and application of GIS technology, a method is developed for monitoring periodic changes in eco-systems. The collected data enable design of models that incorporate in themselves dynamics of changes taking place in natural ecosystems. By means of periodic imaging of characteristic areas, the spatial representation of eco-systems will be monitored, along with the changes in their composition and structure, which may seriously endanger the development of tourism potential in the region. The integral approach to the management of medicinal herb resources in the region of Mt. Stara Planina, based on the results of this study, necessitates the integration of these results with the results of the studies investigating views and needs of the local population, whose quality of life depends on sustainability of the process of collection and valorization of this resource.

Taxonomic studies on wildlife biodiversity has always been very fascinating along with great purpose of providing valuable information of their present status with regard to species number and future course of action required for their conservation. A study regarding survey of flora and fauna was carried out at Dhauladhar Nature’s Park of Gopalpur in district Kangra of Himachal Pradesh during the month of April, 2015. The present study has revealed the presence of 9 mammals, 2 reptilians, 5 pheasants and 4 other birds belonging to 12 families along with 44 plants species belonging to 28 families. Further, it is suggested that provisions for Himalayan snakes and butterflies, the other two are very important Himalayan fauna which could be created as soon as possible so that nature’s park can fulfill its true purpose of conservation of Himalayan wild animals in real sense.

Stara planina has great natural and anthropogenic potentials for tourism development that have not been recognized by tourism experts. Intensive state interest for tourism development started in 2006, when started building of the master plan for winter tourism development at Babin zub area. However, most of the central part of the mountain is part of Nature Park “Stara planina” that can be endangered by mass tourism development. Within this context, this paper researches potentials for ecotourism, as an alternative to future mass tourism development. Started projects of mass tourism development cannot be stopped, but also they do not have negative impacts to natural surroundings. The aim of this paper is to represent ecotourism as a “conscience”, a correction factor of mass tourism development.

In the past, the greatest part of the Stara mountain had been subjected to anthropogenic processes which induced serious ecologic consequences and diminished the worth of the potential for tourism development. The present study investigates the possibilities for the development of sustainable tourism of the Stara mountain with focus on analyzing the natural environment and the consequences that may be induced by preparations for more intensive tourist exploitation (technical interventions). The importance is stressed of anti-erosion protection and of the measures for improvement of biodiversity and geo-diversity of the Stara mountain. The necessity of finding the modes of more rational exploitation of natural and anthropogenic qualities of the Stara mountain is indicated.

Punti Kayu Nature Park can provide various benefits. Currently benefits obtained are still considering to be low. An objective and quantitative assessment of a recreation benefits by calculated travel cost and willingness to pay of visitors to recreation benefits, in the end good for as consideration to determine development alternative, construction and cost of conservation activity in Nature Park Punti Kayu (TWAPK). This research was conducted in the Nature Park Punti Kayu Palembang city, South Sumatra Province. The object of research in this study were the respondents (visitors) in the Nature Park Punti Kayu. Number of visitors samples in this study were 100 visitors. Data obtained in the form of tabulations and percentages, then analyzed descriptively. According to the research, visitor assessment to TWAPK related to condition of road to recreation object, accessibility, biodiversity, and recreation facility are good with mean score 3,62, 3,91, 3,18,and 3,33. While security and information service are ugly, with mean score 2,58. Mean of travel cost of visitor TWAPK range from Rp 44.913,04 till Rp172.000,00. Progressively far the distance which is gone through by a visitor from home to location of recreation, hence expend more and more traveling cost conversely. Totalize value of willingness to pay of visitors in TWAPK for forest and land cost rehabilitation equal to Rp 876.070.734,00/year

During the last years tourism in natural environments noted an increase in demand from the part oftouristy products consumers. The Vrancea mountain area, though having a divers touristy potential,is not very well known on the tourism market. The Putna – Vrancea Nature Park, recentlyestablished, has real odds to be included in touristy programs made by traveling agencies. Thisarticle present the possibilities of tourism development in the area so the good protection of thenature variety is still achieved, but with a minimalist influence on the environment and alsobeneficial for the local community..

The establishment of protected areas is often preceded by tensions and intense discussions between stakeholders of differing interests. Governmental bodies, environmental conservation groups and local actors, such as farmers or locals involved in tourism, are either in favour of or in opposition to the designation of protected areas in their home regions. Using two protected areas in the Eastern Austrian Alps as cases in point, the present study combines the methods of oral history and archival research to trace these timelines of tension and to identify the actors involved and the issues debated on the way to designation. Our results reveal the complex nature of both cases shaped by a variety of actors from the public, non-profit (or voluntary) and private sectors. After up to 30 years of discussions, both protected areas now seem to be accepted by large parts of the local population and are even well-integrated in the regional agrarian and touristic setting. To shorten these “timelines of tension” in future conservation projects, communication measures and strategies could clearly be improved and past experiences of protected area designations made available to present policy makers of the Alpine region. In this way, new protected areas could be established without undue tensions and pave the way for sustainable development in sensitive environments of the European Alps.