Water Quality Estimation and Population’s Attitudes: A Multi-Disciplinary Perspective of Environmental Implications in Tara National Park (Serbia)

The paper analyzes the water quality of hydrological resources in the wider area of Tara National Park (NP Tara) in Serbia and the opinions of the local community and the national park visitors about the grade of the possible damage. The pollution level of the Drina River at the Bajina Bašta hydrolo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2021-01, Vol.13 (1), p.241
Main Authors: Brankov, Jovana, Pešić, Ana Milanović, Joksimović, Dragana Milijašević, Radovanović, Milan M., Petrović, Marko D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Hydrology
National parks
Natural resources
Perceptions
Pollution index
Pollution levels
Pollution surveys
Protected areas
Rivers
Socioeconomic factors
Sustainability
Tourism
Water pollution
Water quality
Water quality measurements
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Summary:The paper analyzes the water quality of hydrological resources in the wider area of Tara National Park (NP Tara) in Serbia and the opinions of the local community and the national park visitors about the grade of the possible damage. The pollution level of the Drina River at the Bajina Bašta hydrological station was analyzed using the Water Pollution Index. The results showed that water quality corresponded to classes II (clean water) or III (moderately polluted water) and revealed the presence of organic pollution. In addition, using a survey combined with field research, the perceptions of local inhabitants and national park visitors related to environmental pollution were analyzed. The community believed that tourism does not cause significant damage to the environment. However, the older and more educated groups of residents and visitors had a more critical perception of the environmental impact of tourism. The results also indicated that the perceptions of visitors were mostly in agreement with measured water quality in the Drina River. The findings of this study have important implications for the management of protected areas and future policies related to national parks.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su13010241