Man and Biosphere is an intergovernmental scientific programme, launched in 1971 by UNESCO, that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.Since then, many areas have been included in the programme that have the potential to balance environment preservation with rapid economic development.
Serbia has two carefully protected and preserved biosphere reserves: Bačko Podunavlje in the north of the country and Golija-Studenica in the south. They are Serbia’s contribution to maintaining the balance between natural processes and human activity, which have been crossing paths without issues for thousands of years in these parts.
There are many reasons why Bačko Podunavlje was chosen for this programme: it boasts rare natural habitats and has a great diversity of plant and animal species and a rich cultural heritage cherished by the people of this region.
The central feature of the Golija-Studenica Biosphere reserve is Golija, one of the most densely forested mountains in Serbia, home to many bird and mammal species. Studenica monastery, one of the most exquisite examples of Serbian mediaeval architecture, lies within the boundaries of this reserve.