13. Preview of the Activities Related to In Situ Conservation of Forest Genetic Resources in Serbia

The in situ (on-site) conservation implies the continuous maintenance of populations in the environment where they have naturally developed. The positive effect of the in situ conservation implies the preservation of the ecosystem as a whole and not only the individual species or genes that are the subject of the protection. The preservation of other plant and animal species inhabiting the preserved area can also be achieved by establishing the in situ conservation. Establishing in situ conservation in an area does not imply strict nature protection systems. The law permits the implementation of activities that will ensure durability and sustainability of genetic resources. The in situ is a desirable form of the conservation of the forest genetic resources because it allows the evolutionary processes to take place in the involved populations. The selection and registration of seed stands is the most commonly used form of the in situ conservation of the forest genetic resources in Serbia. This form of the conservation of the forest genetic resources is the most common and the only sustainable, because the funds allocated for conservation are modest. According to the data from the current Register of Seed Facilities of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia – Forest Administration, 126 seed stands have been selected in Serbia on the total area of 1.842,89 ha, with 44 seed stands of coniferous, 81 stands of herbaceous species and 1 mixed seed stand. A total of 198 seed facilities for the production of the selected reproductive material and 312 seed facilities for the production of the reproductive material of known origin have been registered. The existing number of the seed facilities and the areas they cover are insufficient and do not reflect the richness of the gene pool of our country’s forest tree species to which a special attention should be given in the following period. Protected natural resources represent a significant form of the in situ conservation of forest genetic resources, because they contain large areas of forest complexes. The protected natural areas currently cover 575.310 ha, or 6.51% of the territory of Serbia. There are 461 protected natural areas (November 2015) which include: 5 national parks, 17 nature parks, 20 landscapes of extraordinary characteristics, 68 nature reserves, 3 protected habitats, 310 nature monuments, 38 areas of cultural and historical importance.