{"id":4767,"date":"2025-05-18T05:09:41","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T03:09:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/conclusions-from-the-event-potentials-for-the-development-of-savnik-a-conversation-with-the-local-community\/"},"modified":"2025-05-18T08:38:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T06:38:13","slug":"conclusions-from-the-event-potentials-for-the-development-of-savnik-a-conversation-with-the-local-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/conclusions-from-the-event-potentials-for-the-development-of-savnik-a-conversation-with-the-local-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Conclusions from the Event: \u201cPotentials for the Development of \u0160avnik: A Conversation with the Local Community\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Held on November 1, 2023, at the Nevidio Eco Village, \u0160avnik<\/em><\/p> \n

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A full-day artistic and educational event, organized by the Montenegrin Ecologists Society, was held on November 1, 2023, at the Nevidio Eco Village in \u0160avnik. The aim of the event was to initiate dialogue <\/strong>between the local population, independent experts from various fields, and decision-makers about the potentials, obstacles, and solutions for the development of \u0160avnik, and more broadly, other rural areas of Montenegro.<\/strong><\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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During the event, participants had the opportunity to first learn about the specificities of the \u0160avnik region<\/strong>, then to hear directly from locals about the challenges hindering sustainable development, and finally to jointly construct conclusions about the steps needed for one of the most valuable areas of our country to embrace its attributes. With simultaneous investment in the local community and nature conservation, \u0160avnik could create a success story of true development in line with the principles of ecological Montenegro. Just as Montenegro\u2019s declaration as an ecological state has served as an example to other countries like Costa Rica\u2014which succeeded in applying these principles and showing the world what an ecological, sustainable, and prosperous country looks like\u2014\u0160avnik could become a successful model of rural area development.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants included local residents, experts from various fields (tourism, ecology, agriculture, communications, sustainable development, journalism…), and representatives from the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, and the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism. Unfortunately, although invited, representatives of the Municipality of \u0160avnik did not attend, despite this being\u2014according to locals\u2014the first event of its kind ever organised in \u0160avnik. Artists and creatives also enriched the atmosphere, using their work to showcase the beauty of this region in a unique way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tourists engaged in nature-based rural tourism spend an average of \u20ac312.00 per day<\/strong><\/p> \n

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Kirsi Hyvaerinen<\/strong>, a tourism expert from Finland<\/em> who fell in love with Montenegro and moved here in 2006, reminded us that \u201cif it\u2019s not sustainable, it\u2019s not development at all<\/strong>,\u201d because sustainability means \u201ca healthy environment for everyone, today and tomorrow.\u201d We were also reminded that Montenegro has so far used a flawed strategy to measure the success of the tourist season\u2014by counting people and beds. Mass tourism contributes just 14% of total revenue to the state, while adventure or rural tourism contributes up to 65%. Kirsi emphasizes that today\u2019s visitors are no longer the same as those from the 1980s<\/strong>. Properly designed rural tourism offerings\u2014focused on observing and enjoying wild, healthy, clean nature, water, air, and food, as well as traditional and cultural values\u2014are exactly what most tourists today seek and expect.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rural areas, which actually make up the largest part of our country, offer perfect opportunities for this kind of tourism. However, they require us to be thoughtful when creating content and accommodation capacities, which should reflect our history and authenticity, not damage them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honey from Bukovica named best in the world<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mirjana \u0110undi\u0107<\/strong>, an agricultural engineer from \u0160avnik<\/em>, introduced us to unique aspects of this region that few know about. Did you know that honey from Bukovica was named the best honey in the world in the 1990s?<\/strong> This speaks to the richness of the region\u2019s floral composition per square meter, which ensures not only the highest-quality honey but also excellent potential for dairy products and beekeeping. A breeding station for the Mountain Horse used to exist in Gornja Bukovica, and the first import of Tyrolean cattle in Montenegro is linked to this area.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Durmitor skorup (a type of dairy spread) is a typical product closely associated with this region and protected by a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) quality label\u2014offering more protection than even the famous Njegu\u0161i prosciutto. The gene bank of the Biotechnical Faculty holds a potato variety from Boan, and Du\u0161ka buckwheat is produced in Du\u017ei. This buckwheat should be seen as a symbol of resistance, both literally and figuratively. It remains unclear why the local population is not taking advantage of quality certification schemes\u2014whether due to lack of information or insufficient support from those responsible for the area\u2019s development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mirjana emphasized that a preserved environment is the fundamental condition for organic agriculture, which goes hand-in-hand with healthy biodiversity and soil microbiome. Finally, she stressed the need to conduct a needs assessment of the local population before a proper development plan or strategy can be created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fewer and fewer people can pass on traditional knowledge to future generations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nada Vemi\u0107<\/strong>, a designer<\/em>, showed us how traditional motifs from our cultural heritage can be presented in a new light today. By carefully combining them with modern design techniques, they can be proudly showcased to the world. She warned that traditional knowledge\u2014central to our identity, development, and uniqueness\u2014is vanishing rapidly as older generations disappear<\/strong>. Few people have committed to preserving and passing down these techniques to the younger generations.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will there be any villages in Montenegro in ten years?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ivan Mali\u0161i\u0107<\/strong>, from the Regional Development Agency for Bjelasica, Komovi, and Prokletije<\/em>, who has worked in rural community development for twenty years\u2014expressed concern that there may be no villages left in Montenegro in ten years, simply because no one will live in them.<\/strong><\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A time is coming when land, healthy food, clean water and air will be the most valuable and sought-after resources<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tamara Brajovi\u0107<\/strong>, director at the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism<\/em>, remains optimistic. Though she pointed out issues like lack of cooperation and synergy among state institutions, she believes that the current MEPPU program will demonstrate how protected areas can benefit local communities. She reminded everyone that a time is fast approaching when wealth will belong only to those who own a piece of land<\/strong>\u2014a trend already evident in developed and overdeveloped countries. She added: \u201cWe have an advantage over the world\u2014developed countries need to restore their nature and resources, while Montenegro still doesn\u2019t have to do that, because it still possesses untouched nature, clean water, and clean air.\u201d<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Danijel Gari\u0107<\/strong>, editor of the \u201cEkovizija”<\/em>\u00a0program on RTCG, noted that environmental topics in Montenegro receive little attention, while globally, issues such as \u201cclimate change\u201d and \u201cenvironment\u201d are among the top four most-read topics.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0160avnik could be the perfect place to live<\/strong><\/p> \n

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Milija <\/span><\/strong>\u0106erani\u0107<\/strong>, <\/span>a <\/span>representative <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>local <\/span>population <\/span><\/em>from <\/span>the <\/span>village <\/span>of <\/span>Du\u017ei, <\/span>says <\/span>that <\/span>the <\/span>main <\/span>thing <\/span>they <\/span>currently <\/span>lack <\/span>is: <\/span>people. <\/span>He <\/span>says <\/span>he <\/span>owns <\/span>an <\/span>orchard <\/span>that <\/span>gives <\/span>above-<\/span>average <\/span>yields, <\/span>and <\/span>that <\/span>this <\/span>area <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>perfect <\/span>place <\/span>to <\/span>live, <\/span>but <\/span>that <\/span>in <\/span>some <\/span>parts <\/span>there <\/span>is <\/span>still <\/span>a <\/span>lack <\/span>of: <\/span>reliable <\/span>electricity, <\/span>good <\/span>roads, <\/span>mobile <\/span>phone <\/span>signal, <\/span>water <\/span>supply <\/span>and <\/span>other <\/span>infrastructure. <\/span>And <\/span>above <\/span>all, <\/span>he <\/span>says, <\/span>what\u2019s <\/span>missing <\/span>are <\/span>quality <\/span>projects <\/span>that <\/span>would <\/span>truly <\/span>support <\/span>human <\/span>life <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>countryside, <\/span>while <\/span>also <\/span>supporting <\/span>nature \u2014 <\/span>on <\/span>which <\/span>quality <\/span>of <\/span>life <\/span>primarily <\/span>depends. <\/span><\/strong>He <\/span>reminds <\/span>that <\/span>he <\/span>is <\/span>in <\/span>favor <\/span>of <\/span>protecting <\/span>nature, <\/span>but <\/span>also <\/span>of <\/span>protecting <\/span>people, <\/span>and <\/span>he <\/span>points <\/span>out <\/span>that <\/span>the <\/span>mechanisms <\/span>of <\/span>support <\/span>for <\/span>rural <\/span>populations <\/span>are <\/span>often <\/span>so <\/span>complicated <\/span>that <\/span>they <\/span>represent <\/span>a <\/span>kind <\/span>of “<\/span>noose <\/span>around <\/span>the <\/span>neck”, <\/span>and <\/span>therefore <\/span>do <\/span>not <\/span>represent <\/span>real <\/span>help \u2014 <\/span>which <\/span>is <\/span>why <\/span>they <\/span>are <\/span>rarely <\/span>chosen <\/span>by <\/span>people <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>countryside. <\/span>Milija <\/span>says:\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI wanted to ask the Municipality, but they didn\u2019t come \u2014 is our future to flood the Komarnica Canyon, or maybe to charge for the fact that the canyon is preserved? <\/strong>This region offers numerous untapped benefits like medicinal herbs, hundreds of types of mushrooms and edible plants, which form the basis for the most beautiful types of tourist offers.\u201d<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anka Kujovi\u0107<\/strong> from the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism<\/em> says that the importance of rural tourism development is still not sufficiently recognized in Montenegro.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

________________________________________________________________________________________________________\r\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
After a full day of learning, exchanging experiences, opinions, and ideas, the following CONCLUSIONS<\/strong> emerged from the discussion:<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Montenegrin Ecologists Society<\/strong> will continue to support the development of this region, especially working on the protection of both the Komarnica River and the improvement of life in the villages on its slopes. It will continue initiating meetings in \u0160avnik with the local community, decision-makers, and various experts \u2014 the next one is already scheduled for the end of November. Kirsi<\/strong> says that with this event we have all together extended a hand, and when someone takes it, that\u2019s when we\u2019ll succeed in taking a step forward. We hope that the next gathering will be attended by both a greater number of \u0160avnik citizens and their decision-makers.
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Tamara Brajovi\u0107<\/strong> emphasizes that MEPPU will continue to support similar ideas and will continue working on improving laws and strategies aimed at the protection of biodiversity.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Milija \u0106erani\u0107<\/strong> concludes by pointing out that the plans for the development of the municipality of \u0160avnik are confusing<\/strong>, because in the Spatial Plan and other strategic and planning documents this area is presented both as a zone for energy development and as an area that will be dedicated to nature conservation and tourism development. Considering that focusing on energy projects can in no way go hand in hand with the development of tourism, he proposes deleting the plan to form an energy hub, and instead connecting local agriculture and tourism<\/strong>, so that tourists are finally encouraged to buy local products, and not those from Aroma and Voli chains.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the end, Ivan<\/strong> says that as long as the word \u201cpeasant\u201d (seljak) is not something to be proud of, there will be no development of rural tourism<\/strong>. \u201cIt won\u2019t be easy for at least another decade, but then the whole world will turn toward the development of the countryside \u2014 unless, in the meantime, it disappears.\u201d<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Jelena Pavi\u0107evi\u0107<\/strong> agrees that people from the countryside need to be presented as heroes in public discourse, and that we should regularly express gratitude to them, because they are precisely the people who preserve our nature, who produce our food, and who take care of and maintain our land \u2014 whose beauty and hospitality everyone admires. According to her, the staying of young people and the return of people to \u0160avnik can become a reality. \u201cEcology is something that can be wisely valorised.<\/strong> A confirmation of that are foreigners like Kirsi who decide to stay and live in our beautiful country. A large number of foreigners remind us of that every day.\u201d<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the whole event, participants had the opportunity to enjoy photographs of the stunning landscapes of the \u0160avnik municipality, then images and other artworks resembling creations made from wool in the art colonies held in \u0160avnik, and an additional atmosphere was provided by the string trio Neda Tadi\u0107 & Maja Anti\u0107 Kalezi\u0107.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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This event was organised within the project \u201cEcological Networks \u2013 the Key to Development Based on Preserved Nature,\u201d implemented by the Montenegrin Ecologists Society. The project is supported by the Centre for Civic Education (CGO), within the program \u201cCSOs in Montenegro \u2013 from Basic Services to Policy Shaping \u2013 M\u2019BASE\u201d which is funded by the European Union, and co-financed by the Ministry of Public Administration. The organization of this event was additionally supported by the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, within the project \u201cMainstreaming Biodiversity into Sectoral Policies and Practices and Strengthening the Protection of Critical Biodiversity Areas in Montenegro.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Held on November 1, 2023, at the Nevidio Eco Village, \u0160avnik 
 A full-day artistic and educational event, organized by the Montenegrin Ecologists Society, was held on November 1, 2023, at the Nevidio Eco Village in \u0160avnik. The aim of the event was to initiate dialogue between the local population, independent experts from various fields, …<\/p>\n
  Conclusions from the Event: \u201cPotentials for the Development of \u0160avnik: A Conversation with the Local Community\u201d<\/span> Read More \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4020,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"disabled","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3L1A0328.jpg",2438,1626,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3L1A0328-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3L1A0328-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3L1A0328-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3L1A0328-1024x683.jpg",1024,683,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3L1A0328-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/3L1A0328-2048x1366.jpg",2048,1366,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"\u017eaba","author_link":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/author\/jelena\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Held on November 1, 2023, at the Nevidio Eco Village, \u0160avnik 
 A full-day artistic and educational event, organized by the Montenegrin Ecologists Society, was held on November 1, 2023, at the Nevidio Eco Village in \u0160avnik. The aim of the event was to initiate dialogue between the local population, independent experts from various fields,…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4767"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4767"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4767\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4897,"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4767\/revisions\/4897"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drustvoekologa.me\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}