Karst Geoheritage of Tara National Park (Serbia) and Its Geotouristic Potential

Abstract

By the example of Tara National Park (NP), we present how the geoheritage can and should be presented in a NP where the primary role is played by biology. Tara NP has a rich geoheritage, especially its karst phenomena, which include gorges (e.g. the 1000-m-deep Drina Gorge), plateaus with dolines, dry valleys, and uvalas as well as springs and travertines. In addition, ophiolites also enrich the geoheritage; hence, the area has a high geodiversity. Large reservoirs of the territory provide an opportunity to study the anthropogenic impact on hydrology and geomorphology. After presenting the geoheritage elements of the area, we examine the views and knowledge of local people and visitors about karst and geotourism with the help of a questionnaire survey. The results show that local residents support the further development of tourism, but geotourism is a rather new concept for them. On the contrary, tourists are more familiar with geotourism. Among the development perspectives, tourists support those that involve only minor environmental changes, that is in agreement with NP policy. Finally, we formulate some suggestions about geotourism development in the area. First, we outline some plans for new geo-educational trails and viewpoints. Second, we highlight the possibility to increase the geo-content of some already existing programs (e.g. boat tours). Third, we emphasize that geotourism of Tara should be connected to neighbouring areas. A new geopark is already under planning, which would include the area of Tara NP as well.

Attitudes and preferences of visitors of Krka National Park, Croatia

“…However, as the relatively small size of Croatian subsample demonstrates, where the issue of karstification is more emphasized in public education, the knowledge of the karst-related concepts and facts may be slightly higher. In our previous survey, we found that the concept of "karst" was significantly better known in the Tara NP, Serbia (Telbisz, T. et al 2021). Nevertheless, we must add to the Tara case, that the proportion of teachers among the respondents was relatively high, as school groups, and consequently teachers, make up a large proportion of the Tara NP's visitor composition, and it could significantly increase the knowledge about karst in the Tara survey).…”

“…Local residents experience the "benefits" of the national park most directly through tourism, so they understandably expect the development of tourism from the national park as well. This is especially true in the former socialist countries, where the entrepreneurial culture is less developed, especially in disadvantaged areas (Kőszegi M. et al 2019;Telbisz, T. et al 2021). Thus, people expect that the national park can also manage tourism development in the most efficient way.…”

Georesources as an Alternative for Sustainable Development in COVID-19 Times—A Study Case in Ecuador

“…In the present study, a georesources analysis of the Manglaralto River watershed was carried out through its registration and evaluation (SGI, potential geosites, groundwater reserves and materials of industrial-artisanal interest), focused on sustainable development and proposing strategies framed in the SDGs, as has been applied in some studies [171,172]. Similar studies show that geotourism allows the establishment of geoeducational trails and viewpoints [173], and promotes knowledge of earth sciences through geology and landscape [174]. Additionally, the authors proposed complementary applications of the sector's georesources (tsunami refuge areas, proposed landfill sites, and ES identification).…”

Inland-coastal demographic transformations in a karst area: a case study of the surroundings of Krka National Park (Croatia)

“…Moreover, demographic statistics alone are not enough to examine the complex social impact of karst national parks, but the recognition of stakeholders' opinions should also be explored in finer detail. Surveys with questionnaires and interviews have been conducted in relation to karst national parks in Hungary at Aggtelek National Park (Telbisz et al 2020b), in Slovakia at Slovak Karst National Park (Nestorová-Dická et al 2020), in Croatia at Paklenica National Park (Krpina 2015), Mljet National Park (Šulc and Valjak 2012), in Serbia at Tara National Park (Telbisz et al 2021), in Vietnam at Ba Be National Park (Huong and Lee 2017), and many other national parks.…”