Nature Protection Day, April 11 was celebrated in Tara National Park by awarding business ideas that will contribute to nature protection and enable sustainable use of natural resources at the same time. To live in the area of the National park, is a special privilege considering the natural values, but exactly due to natural treasure that is protected, life in the Natonal park represents a special commitment and certaing limitations in business activities. Guided by this principle, Tara National Park awarded 3 best Pro Biodiversity (nature and biodiversity friendly) business ideas, that will be implemented in the Park.

11 project applications from the area of Tara National Park were submitted to the Pro Biodiversity Award. The jury members were experts from Slovenia Forest Service, consulting company ZaVita from Slovenia, Global Nature Fund from Germany, Regional development agency Zlatibor and a journalist from the national television RTS.

The third award in amount of 47.000 RSD (equals to cca 400,00 EUR) was given to the citizen’s association Bios from Bajina Bašta for the business idea of soap production named ECO soap – Tara soap. The idea is to produce soap in a traditional way, by including the local community in production and raw materials purchase. Besides, educational activities on the topic of harmful substances from commercial detergents is also planned.

„We will use basic raw materials such as pork tallow and beef tallow and after that the most interesting part comes – a selection of meadow or medicinal herbs, that will enrich the quality of soaps“, says Jasna Stanković from the citizens’ association Bios.

The second award in the amount of 70.000,00 RSD (equals to cca 600,00 EUR) was given to Mr. Miloš Stevanović from the village Jagoštica who has an idea to build a fruit dryer plant for autochthonous fruit and to establish fruit processing in a traditional way. This business idea would also include a certification of whole village for the organic production as well as preservation of genetic resources.

The first award, in the amount of 118,000 dinars, was given to Mr.  Miloš Jovanović from the village Rastište for the idea of ​​collecting bee venom and building an api chamber. The contribution of bees to the conservation of biodiversity and rare plant species in this area is extremely important.

"My business idea - collecting bee venom and dealing with the beekeeping, has no boundaries. I came up with this idea in 2018, due to a small income of organic honey, so I had to think of some of the side bee products," says Miloš Jovanović from Rastište.

In addition to these awards, three more applicants will be able to travel to Slovenia at the Final Conference of the ECO KARST project. The cash awards were financed from own funds of Tara National Park. 

Tara National Park covers about 25,000 hectares, and preserves more than 1200 plant and most attractive animal species. When it comes to beauty and wealth, Tara forests are among the most valuable in Europe. The role of the man in this protected limestone area, while working and making income is inseparable from the obligation to protect and develop these natural treasures. "This is just one of numerous activities that will contribute not only to the preservation of nature, but also to better life quality of the population in the area of ​​the Park," says Marijana Josipović from the Tara National Park.

Nature Protection Day in Serbia, April 11th, was established in 2009 by the Law on Nature Protection and it is celebrated with the aim to remind the general public of the role and importance of protecting the national natural heritage. This date was selected because on April 11, 1949, Nature Monument "Big and Small Ripalka" in the municipality of Sokobanja was the first natural heritage to become institutionally protected.