A new initiative is helping Serbia’s wetlands by funding creative, practical projects that preserve and restore these critical ecosystems. Launched under the project “Protection and Investment in Biodiversity and Water to Strengthen Climate Resilience,” the Challenge Call for Innovative Solutions for the Protection, Preservation, and Revitalization of Wetlands is part of the broader “EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia” initiative.
The Kraljevac reserve is home to a rich variety of fish, birds and mammals, including some of the rarest and most strictly protected species. © Convention on Wetlands
With the technical and financial support of the European Union and in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the initiative is being implemented by UNDP in cooperation with Sweden and the European Investment Bank (EIB), with additional funding from the governments of Sweden, Switzerland and Serbia.
More than 500,000 USD has been secured to support projects that enhance wetland biodiversity and resilience.
This comes as Novi Sad has been named an official Wetland City, one of 31 new cities to receive this title in January 2025. It’s a sign of a growing national focus on wetlands—not just as ecosystems we rely on for clean water, flood protection, and food, but also as places for recreation and wellbeing. Initiatives under “EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia” aim to build on this momentum.
Boosting wetland conservation through targeted action
The Challenge Call focuses on forward-thinking solutions to protect and restore wetland habitats in and around protected areas, including several Ramsar sites like Gornje Podunavlje, Obedska Bara, Koviljsko-Petrovaradinski Rit, Zasavica, and Stari Begej – Carska Bara. Proposed projects focus on active conservation measures such as:
- Ensuring consistent water presence and improving hydrological infrastructure,
- Restoring wetland connectivity and revitalizing degraded peatlands,
- Implementing nature-based solutions to prevent habitat fragmentation,
- Promoting sustainable land and water management practices.
Obedska bara is a seasonally inundated area of the Sava River floodplain, with marshes, ponds, wet meadows, and an oxbow lake. © Convention on Wetlands
A platform for innovation and collaboration
On 18 December 2024, in Belgrade, 11 of 12 shortlisted project proposals were presented after going through an acceleration phase. Based on feasibility and impact, seven projects were selected for co-financing. The others will receive support to refine their proposals and seek additional funding, including from the private sector.
The seven projects include:
- Revitalization of Wetlands in Three Protected Areas along the Danube and Sava Rivers: Restoring lateral connections and purifying canal beds in Obedska Bara, Koviljsko-Petrovaradinski Rit, and Gornje Podunavlje to improve hydrological regimes.
- Conservation of Wetlands in Tara National Park Using Innovative Technologies: Introducing fog catchers to support peat bog restoration and enhance water retention in sensitive ecosystems.
- Revitalization of European Mudminnow Habitats in Lake Kraljevac: Conserving the European mudminnow habitat through dredging and water flow improvements.
- Conservation of Zasavica: Integrated Approach to Invasive Species Management: Enhancing water flow and mitigating habitat fragmentation through removal of invasive species and hydrological restoration.
- Natural Measures for the Gradac River Gorge: Implementing erosion control and nature-based solutions to preserve cultural and ecological values.
- Revitalization of Perleska Bara in Carska Bara: Dredging, afforestation, invasive and aggressive vegetation removal by water-buffalo and native species replanting to improve wetland conditions.
- Green Steps: Revitalization of Poloj – Beočinski Rit: Removing invasive species and reforesting with native trees to restore a storm-damaged wetland.
Thanks to strategic funding from Sweden, these projects will not only protect Serbia’s wetlands but contribute to broader climate resilience efforts. Innovation, collaboration, and community involvement all show progress toward the goal of protecting wetlands for our common future. Together with the Novi Sad Wetland City accreditation, this initiative was a successful learning process and an important example of the use of EU Green Agenda funds in favour of wetlands—laying the groundwork for a more sustainable and water-secure future in the EU and beyond.
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