SERBIAN `POKRET GORANA` WORKSHOP IN PALILULA MUNICIPALITY
6.11.2015

Within the project '' Protection, conservation, multipurpose use and raising awareness and knowledge about forest values with young people '' and implementation of the Program of education for children, Movement of Serbia - Serbian Pokret Gorana in cooperation with the Palilula Municipality in Nis, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental mid- the Forest Service, organized in Nis Municipality Palilula one-day Gorani workshop. Participants and organizers of the workshop were visited by Boban Džunić, president of Palilula Municipality. On this occasion president of Palilula Municipality spoke with Miroslav Mihajlovic Secretary General of Nature Conservation Movement of Serbia on the projects and other activities of civil society organizations, a partnership in greening in interresidental block space in the municipality.

"You are aware that the Palilula Municipality is very active in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development-president stressed Džunić. We have successfully implemented CBC programme `LIVING GREEN` aimed at raising awareness of young people and we have very good cooperation with civil society organizations. These days (November ) we celebrated the International Day of clean air. Forests are a special kind of oxygen factories. Unplanned cutting of forests threatens human nature and according to the experts in one year disappears around 16 million hectares of forests in the world. Deforestation resulting ecological changes with detrimental consequences, among which are primarily land and climate change, and in this regard and the disappearance of many plant and animal species. In Serbia, currently are 29 percent of forest area, and three million hectares, and it should cover about 41 percent of the area, we are striving to it, reminded the president of Palilula.

To participate in the one-day Gorani workshop in Nis, was chosen nine students from the sixth grade of primary schools in three districts (Nisava, Pirot, Timok) from the municipalities and cities: Pirot, Svrljig, Knjazevac, Prokuplje, Aleksinac and City of Nis. The participants had the opportunity to learn about the actions and activities organized by Gorani Movement of Serbia and the Programme of protection and improvement of forest in 2015. Students were able to hear from eminent speakers in the field, why are forests significant and why is reforestation activities significant, the building of windbreaks, the tree species that thrive in this area.

The total area of forests, forest land and other land owned by the state in the area of Palilula is 198,45 ha. Out of a total covered area of blooming forests cover 100.90 ha, or 53%, artificially established 31,69 ha, or 17%, while the scrub and bush located on 56,89 ha or 30%. Beech is the most common type of natural forests, while the artificially established spruce predominates. Forests in private ownership in Palilula Municipality covers an area of 1,519 hectares, the area 15 KO, to the total 6,143 KP. The average size of the land is privately owned by 24,7acres. The unsatisfactory quality is of the private forests, unregulated private forests, or the lack of basis and program management of private forests, unresolved ownership relations and fragmentation of land hinder management of these forests. Forest owners are often in difficult economic and social conditions in the region, forced to take more from their forests than the state of these forests allows.