Key message: In 2018, there was an increase in revenues collected from compensation for the use of protected areas in comparison to the previous period

Assessment: Funds from fees for the use of the protected areas are used by the area manager for the protection, development and implementation of the  plan,  and  they  relate  to  the  implementation  of  the  management  plan  and  programme.  The taxpayer is a user of a protected area, an individual,  an  entrepreneur,  a  business  company  and  another  legal  entity  that  carries  out  business,  or  is  in  possession  of  immovable  property and other things in the protected area, visits the protected area for rest, sport, recreation and similar needs, or anyone else using the protected area and its benefits otherwise. The manager defines the amount of compensation, the tax base, and determines the amount of compensation for the use of protected area, depending on the type of use of the area and its benefits.

Depending on the activity of the manager and the ability to identify users of the protected area, as well as to collect the payment, the amount of funds from the revenues can increase or decrease. Specifically, Public Enterprise “Srbijašume”, the largest manager of protected areas in Serbia, clearly shows the trend of increasing the revenues collected from fees for use of protected areas in relation to total managed surface of protected areas.

Indicator Name: Change in the amount of funds from the revenues for protected areas use

Institution/Author: Public Enterprise Srbijasume/Dejan Miletić

Use and interpretation:

Key question(s) which indicator helps to answer: The indicator shows the amount of funds collecting from fees for the use of protected areas where are managers PE “Srbijašume”.

Use of indicator: The funds from the fees for the use of the protected area are using for the protection, development and improvement of the protected area, respectively for implementation of the management plan and program, in accordance with the Nature Protection Act. Larger amount of funds means greater investment by the managers in preserving and improving the status of protected areas. The feepayer is a user of a protected area, persons, an entrepreneur, a business company and another legal entity that carries out business or disposes of immovables and other activities in the protected area, visits the protected area for rest, sport, recreation and similar needs, and otherwise uses protected area and its benefits.

Potential for aggregation:

Meaning of upward or downward trends (“good or bad”): The managers of protected area determines the subject of fees, the base and the corresponding charges for the use of the protected area, depending on the type of use and its benefits. Depending on the activity of the manager and the ability to determine users of the protected area as well as to make the payment, the amount of compensation funds can be increased. In the period since 2009, there is a clear trend of increasing the amount of funds generated from the collection of the fee for the use of protected areas by the manager of the PE “Srbijašume”.

Possible reasons for upward or downward trends: Changes in the amount of fees on an annual basis can be the result of a change in the number of users of protected area, i.e. due to a change in the amount of the fee, which can be changed and adjusted with the annual consumer price index published by the republic authority responsible for statistics, based on the act of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. Specifically, PE “Srbijašume” clearly shows the trend of increasing income from the fee for using the protected area.

Implications for biodiversity management of change in the indicator: The amount of fees charged directly affects the implementation plan and Management programme for protected areas.

Units in which it is expressed: RSD/ha

Description of source data: On the basis of a monthly report submitted by PE “Srbijašume” to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, i.e. the Semi-annual Report on collected fees for the use of the protected area, which the Manager submits to the Ministry of Finance of the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

Calculation procedure: The total collected funds on behalf of fees for the use of protected area in relation to the surface of protected areas in which are managers PE “Srbijašume”.

Most effective forms of presentation: Graph

Limits to usefulness and accuracy: Some protected area, management by PE “Srbijašume” do not have users of protected area.

Updating the indicator: monthly

Closely related indicators:

Change in the amount of funds allocated from the Budget to Protected Areas
Monitoring and improving the status of protected areas

Additional information and comments: The funds from the fees for the use of the protected area are using for the protection, development and improvement of the protected area, respectively for implementation of the management plan and program, in accordance with the Law on Nature Protection. The feepayer is a user of a protected area, persons, an entrepreneur, a business company and another legal entity that carries out business or disposes of immovables and other activities in the protected area, visits the protected area for rest, sport, recreation and similar needs, and otherwise uses protected area and its benefits. The managers of protected area determines the subject of fees, the base and the corresponding charges for the use of protected areas, depending on the type of use and its benefits. Depending on the activity of the manager and the ability to determine users of the protected area, as well as to make the payment, the amount of compensation funds can be increased. In the period since 2009, there is a clear trend of increasing the amount of funds generated from the collection of the fee for the use of protected areas by the manager of the PE “Srbijašume”.

Table: Change in the amount of funds from the revenues for protected areas use