Serbian forest conservation and remediation efforts

Following multi-week wildfires, the Serbian government adopted a remediation plan for the Deliblatska Peščara Special Nature Reserve. The plan, managed by the public enterprise ‘Vojvodinašume’, includes 50 million dinars in funding for soil analysis, damage assessment, and terrain monitoring via drones and satellites to preserve natural values.

Expanding on forest management, the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management announced a 400 million dinar tender for broader forest preservation and improvement. These funds are designated for afforestation, maintenance, and the restoration of forest roads, involving various stakeholders including forest owners and research institutions. A portion of this funding will support the FOREST Invest project to increase forest resilience and reduce carbon dioxide concentrations.

To support reforestation and renewal efforts, the Ministry has ordered forest seed producers to collect seeds from various species—including beech, oak, maple, ash, pine, and spruce—during the 2026/2027 autumn and winter seasons. A primary priority for this seed collection is the restoration of areas destroyed by the 2026 fires, specifically within the Deliblatska Peščara region. Minister Dragan Glamočić stated that the objective is to restore destroyed surfaces while creating “healthier, more resilient forests adapted to future climate conditions.”

In an urgent decree, Minister Glamočić emphasized that the struggle against the fires in Deliblatska Peščara lasted 52 days, resulting in significant consequences for local ecosystems. The mandate requires seed producers to collect seeds from species such as beech, various oaks, pine, spruce, ash, maple, and lime within registered facilities. This urgent procedure is necessitated by the limited seasonal window for seed ripening and collection, with the long-term goal of using professional assessments to select species that ensure forest resilience for future generations.