REC Project # L 15512 Topic of donation
The name of the project:
Along the paths of health approaching Stara Planina (the Old Mountain) for better cooperation between nations.
NGO: The Teachers Association “ LOGOS” in Pirot ( Serbia and Montenegro )
Leader of the project:Dragan Nikli}
Contact information:Tanaska Raji}a 76, 18 300 Pirot, ( Serbia and Montenegro ),
tel/fax: +381 (0)10 312684, GSM: +381 (0)63 8461529
Start date: 2003 - 04 – 01 ; End date: 2003 - 09 – 30
Issue background:
About 40 per cent of the surface of Stara Planina is situated in the municipality of Pirot, where there is no any marked and mapped mountain track.” Along the paths of health approaching Stara Planina for better cooperation between the nations (Serbia and Bulgaria); LOGOS and the mountain club “Vidlich” will mark, provide and map 57 km of the tracks for “juniors”(school age),”seniors”(recreation) and “”professionals” for active climbers.
Non-existance of the map which will help the future visitors to spend their time safely walking through Stara Mountain.Walking along the marked tracks should influence the visitors and their ecological behaviour meaning not to destroy plant communities,depriving of “tourist waste” on particular places and their relation toward cultural treasure of Stara Mountain.
Improvement of the conditions for the development of eco-tourism on Stara Planina, by marking and categorizing of mountain tracks.
Making of the first tourist map of Stara Mountain in 500 coppies.
Itemized:
1. 57 km of the marked mountain tracks of 3 difficulty categories and map of 57 km of the tracks for “juniors”(school age),”seniors”(recreation) and “”professionals” for active climbers.
Metodology and strategy
This project has been realized by Teachers’ association “LOGOS” and Climber’s society “VIDLIC” from Pirot.Our cooperation and work are regulated by The Regulation on work predicting:
1. Equality in work and decision 2.Holding of meetings two times a week in the offices of the organizations(Wednesday and Friday) during realization of the project 3. The control of the realization of the project is led by Managing and monitoring boards of the organizations.
During implementation of the project we were using field research method of the best positions for climbers’-tourist track in Stara Mountain,taking into account the safety of the tourists,starting along the most-economical directions,near water,good sightseeing,not disturbing private properties and with theagreement of local community.There were negotiations with sertain owner of the land,local communities’ presidents,and we were particularly supported by the manager of SRBIJASUME(Serbia forests) from Pirot.The assistance in realization was given by TV Pirot and Radio Pirot,under the Informative public enterprise “Freedom” from Pirot through 5 Tvand 4 radio presentations, which had as their topic “Stara Mountain”.I add reports from radio and TV broadcasting on CD.
A special method of the field work was conducted with the help of 300 climbers from whole Serbia who were staying in the area of the village Dojkinci in August 2003 and among them the main consultants forr marking tracks.
Successes/Results
PROBLEMS WE FACED WITH
1. The money from the account REC CO YOU was transmited to LOGOS account in the amount 28.05.2003.(May was the month of stable weather)
2. at the beginning 57 km were easy to realize, but after passing the first 18 km we realized the difficulty of the project,
3. The bad road network to the destination Vrelo-Village Dojkinci.
4. Getting support from SRBIJASUME (defining the time of meeting)approvals of military authorities on using the topograph maps for elaboration of our one(it lasted more than 68 days)
5. Bees’ biting(two hours from the town by car)of two markers during the first markingsof “Junior” track, after which the marking was eventually delayed for ten days and moved to another locaton.
6. distrust of the people in our marking of the trunks, considering them to having been prepared for state necessities(it was necessary to organize discussions with local community.)
7. Bad weather conditions slowed down work in July 9 days further from plan
SUCCESSES IN REALIZATION:
1. Marking of more than 80 km of the tracks and better conditions for climbing.(indicator measurable on the map itself)
2. Arriving of more than 300 climbers from whole Serbia.(video record and media presentation of the activities of the climbers)
3. Positive results of the survey about Stara Mountain(I add the text of the whole survey results which are more than positive and encouraging)
The teracks SENIOR and PROFESSIONAL were visited by 300 climbers from Serbia and more than 80 hikers and nature lovers only in august 2003 (proof :The book of impressions).
5. Greater degree of participation of children and youth on the field along and arount “JUNIOR” track over 23%(the JUNIOR track has been visited by more than 850 children from primary and secondary schools, and the parts in process of building(marking) next to Climbers’ house 1250 students more.(proofs: photos, TV documentation and reports of schools)
6. Greater visiting of the guests in that part of Stara Mountain(evaluation scale, review of the book of impressions)
7. Greater degree of the senceof professionality on the project (proof: the evaluation of an expert consultant, members of the managing board and monitoring board of both organizations, who were presonally assured about the realization of the project)
8. Better conditions for development of tourism in Stara Mountain(proof: The survey of local population: before the beginning of the project in august and in the end of october 2003)The common evaluation of the examinees is: over 54,5% told that they were not assured that anything would be done in Stara Mountain and 14,8% claimed that it was impossible to do anything in Stara Mountain.
9. IN August 63.2% told that they were glad the “village came to life”,10% still claimed that it was temporary and that the next year the results would be seen.
In the end of october, after having had conversation with the inhabitants and planning future, as well as the map gave the following results: over 64.8% was satisfied with the visit and behaviorof the tourists,19% of them is unconcerned. The question arises: Did all of us created the new ambalance in Stara Mountain? Let the answer be NO, but nothing would be the same as before.
10. better transboundary cooperation(we had a meeting with friends from Bulgaria on 1800 m a.s-l on 14.August 2003)
11. We obtained an agreement about projects “green passport”, ”climbers’ meetings in Stara Mountain, organization of the semonar “On medical herbals in Stara Mountain”
REALIZATION OF THE PLANNED ACTIVITIES BY MONTHS
I month of activity is realized during May until the signing of Contract and expecting means.
II month: the followinf planned activities were realized: Providing the material (colours, pillars, tables, photo films)Transported to the destination all exept pillars. Why? The person engaged wasn’t able to find the appropriate wood for the purpose in expected time, so this activity was transferred to the third month.We had taken into account such a possibility, we took a lot of time to find out the alternative solution,for the time for marking of the tracks, when the pollars would be necessary to be marked too.Touring the field-track ”junior ”touring the field-track “Senior. Touring the field- track ”Professional”
After III months and strengtening of the team by new members for realization of the project, we realized the project in the expected time. The process of marking was the most effective part of rewalization although we were afraid how we would succeed in time(for the objective weather difficulties)
Media reported regularly in written and published form about which I add LOGOS - records. We acquired greater number of climbers in that time, and 46 climbers climbed to 1926m. a.s-l and realized the plan in 12 hours.
In August the party was organized in front of the ex-object of boundary, the evening of lectures and conversation. More than 40,5% of nature lovers told that they would be rather glad to come back again in the survey.
The realization of the financial part of the report was realized under the leadership of official person with a sertificate, and the managing and monitoring boards of LOGOS and VIDLIC were regularly informed.
IN APPENDICI marked by letters:
P-Different letters and transcriptions with superordinate bodies about using of military map.
S- Specifications of different expences
A-sutvey
TV-reports via electronic media(elaborated on CD)
f- reports of photo records of LOGOS
WHAT WE LEARNED:
The approach in realization of the project is possible to employ in other regions,
The education of local population is of great necessity, if you want support in organization.
The support of local authorities is important.
We have learnt that it is necessary to have a guider for behavior in nature
A special contribution through conversation we had with Entela and Cerasela who were in Pirot and helped with advice.
The products developed and accessible to REC
The results of the work on the project are possible to be used and we are already planning the continuation of the project.
We are going to distribute to schools the planned number of publications, as well as to the travell agencies in Pirot and its surrounding and in Nis and Belgrade, NGO, the library ,the museum of the
town Pirot.
Dragan Nikolic
executive director
S U R V E Y
for the participants of SERBIAN CLIMBER’S CAMP
from 09. To 16.08. in vil. Dojkinci
1. Are you in Stara Mountain for the first time? YES NO
2. If the answer is yes, how did you get to know for the possibility of staying in Stara
Mountain?
a) by media b )by tourist agency c) by friends d) by climbers from the society
3. If you have already been for how many times? 1 2 3 4 5 or more times
4. How do you evaluate the natural conditions for the development of tourism? 1 2 3 4 5
5. What did you like best in Stara Mount.? a) antropological values b)plentitude of water
c)floral and animal world d) untouched nature
6.Have you ever heard for the mountain tourist tracks of “LOGOS” and “VIDIC”:
“junior”, “senior” and “professional” after you had arrived in Stara mount.
7.Which track did you walk? “junior”, “senior” or “professional”
8.How do you evaluate the security of the tracks you’ve walked through? 1 2 3 4 5
9.Did you yourselves participate in the marking of the tracks? YES NO
10.Are you professionally satisfied with the method and the way of marking? YES NO
11. Do these tracks make possible a better transboundary cooperation? YES NO
12. Will you recommend to the others The Stara Mountain to use the tracks “junior”,”senior”and“professional” YES ,NO
Dragan Nikolic, techer