Belgrade plans 1,500 hectares of urban forests by 2035 amid alarming current state

Belgrade is embarking on an ambitious plan to significantly expand its urban forests, aiming for 1,500 hectares by 2035, up from the current 1,105 hectares. The draft program, currently open for public review, also envisions 300 kilometers of green and blue-green corridors to connect the city and aims to double the number of residents living within 300 meters of an urban forest.

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It is incomprehensible in what condition Ada Ciganlija is, which has a 'Blue Flag' for its beach.

Despite these forward-looking goals, the program's authors, from the Forestry Institute and "Foresting" d.o.o., highlight a deeply concerning reality: the severe neglect and degradation of existing urban forests. Several key areas, including Ada Ciganlija, Košutnjak, and Miljakovačka forest, are identified as being in particularly poor health. The report notes the paradox of Ada Ciganlija holding a "Blue Flag" for its beach while its forest is in a "incomprehensible" state.

The document criticizes the impact of private riverfront developments and the expansion of sports and recreational facilities at the expense of forest areas, warning of "unforeseeable consequences" for the forest cover's sustainability. Construction practices, such as building roads and paved surfaces too close to trees, are also hindering natural growth and root development.

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This has unforeseeable consequences for the sustainability of the forest cover.

Košutnjak, in particular, is described as "drastically deteriorating" over the last four decades, suffering from waste, noise pollution, and the impact of human factors, parasitic fungi, and temperature fluctuations. Other forests like Zvezdarska and Miljakovačka face shrinking boundaries due to encroaching construction and housing development. The report contrasts these issues with Topčiderski Park, which is noted as being in good condition.

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Košutnjak is drastically deteriorating, especially in the last four decades.