Project NatureRegio Balkans promoted nature conservation, nature protected areas’ management and sustainable development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. Within this project, a sub-project named “Communication, education and public awareness on the national park on Mountain Bjelašnica” was initiated.
The project was developed based on findings from the previous research activities implemented within assessment studies for the legal protection of this area as well as results from the survey conducted in May, 2012. All findings indicated a low level of awareness of the local population on initiatives for the protection of mountain Bjelašnica as well as the high number of those who were not familiar with the definition of the national park and aims of the protection.
Specific objectives of the project were:
- Raising of the awareness of the local population on the initiative for establishing of the national park Bjelašnica
- Education of the local population on the aims of nature protection and potential benefits for the local community
- Encouraging and strengthening of the communication among key stakeholders related to protection issues and possible benefits and outcomes of the protection