The restoration of the Deliblat Sandstone must not simply represent a return to its previous state, but rather an ecologically based revitalization in which the preservation of biodiversity is the primary priority.
The Deliblat Sandstone is not a forest area, but an area with a unique mosaic of sandstone, steppe and forest ecosystems, so the goal of restoration measures must not be to restore forest areas per se, but to establish and maintain a natural relationship between forest, steppe and sandstone ecosystems, while preserving their overall biological and landscape diversity.
The fire has already caused enormous damage; improper remediation could cause additional damage. Therefore, the recovery of this area should be used as an opportunity to return its protection to the primary goal for which this Special Nature Reserve was established – the preservation of the unique natural mosaic of habitats and the unique biodiversity of the Deliblat Sands.
The revitalization program should be developed by an independent multidisciplinary team of scientists and experts in the fields of biology and nature protection, forestry, pedology, hydrology, agronomy, climatology, energy and other relevant disciplines.
The revitalization program must be the subject of an open and transparent public debate, with the active participation of the scientific and professional community, interested citizens, state institutions and civil society organizations.
The Deliblat Sandstone is one of the most important areas for biodiversity conservation in Serbia, whose value far exceeds national boundaries. The ecological consequences of the current fire may have long-term impacts on species, habitats and ecosystems, as well as on the preservation and functioning of one of the most valuable natural areas of our country..
According to available data, in the Deliblatska Pescara area, over 180 protected species, not counting birds, according to international and national criteria. Among them are over 70 species of plants and animals covered The European Union Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention, and through 130 strictly protected and protected species in SerbiaIn addition to them, there are more than 30 endemic, relict and rare taxa which are not included in the lists of protected species.
In this area, it has also been registered 18 Natura 2000 habitat types, a certain number of which will be, or are already, exposed to the negative consequences of fires and other anthropogenic pressures. It is particularly important that for even 39 species of plants or animals The Deliblat Sandstone represents one of the most suitable areas for the long-term survival of populations in SerbiaThis fact requires an extremely careful assessment of the consequences, as well as active protection measures.
The fire has already caused serious damage to wildlife and their natural habitats. The true extent of the consequences will only be determined after the fire is completely extinguished and a detailed field assessment is conducted.
In addition to the extremely adverse weather conditions, it is necessary to examine other factors that could have contributed to the occurrence and uncontrolled spread of the fire, including the composition and structure of the anthropogenically formed forest cover, the condition and maintenance of the fire protection system, as well as the timeliness and efficiency of the response in the first stages of the fire. This analysis should be professional, transparent and based on verifiable facts, in order to identify weaknesses in the system and reduce the risk of recurrence of similar events. It is known that fires in the Deliblatska Pescara have been relatively frequent in the past, occasionally large-scale (especially in 1996 and 2007), but they have never had the spatial scope, duration and consequences of this year. Therefore, a thorough assessment and revision of the current concepts and practices of management and administration of this area is necessary, especially from the perspective of the necessary integration of safety (reducing the frequency of fire occurrence while preventing the sand from returning to an uncontrolled mobile state) and ecosystem principles (optimizing the composition and structure of natural and anthropogenically formed or conditioned habitat types, in the function of protecting biodiversity), while taking into account economic sustainability within the framework of forest management practices.
After extinguishing the fire, priority should be comprehensive assessment of the damage and development of the Deliblat Sandstone Revitalization ProgramWe believe that this program must not repeat approaches in which economic interests took precedence over the preservation of natural ecosystems.
It is particularly important that, prior to sanitation works and removal of fire-damaged vegetation, surviving refugia, shelters and other structures important for the survival of protected species are identified and protected, so that immediate remediation interventions do not cause additional biodiversity loss.
Restoration needs to be based on modern ecological principles and directed towards returning the Deliblat Sandstone to its original ecosystem framework.
The Deliblat Sandstone Special Nature Reserve is protected as the largest European area built of aeolian sand deposits, with pronounced dune relief forms and a characteristic mosaic of sandstone, steppe and forest ecosystems, as well as ecologically specific representatives of flora and fauna. Therefore, the management of this area must be based on a scientific, professional and responsible approach to the preservation of natural processes and the characteristic mosaic of habitats.
Special attention should be paid to the preservation and restoration of steppe and sand habitats, which represent the original and ecologically most significant elements of the natural landscape of the Deliblat Sands. In this regard, active management measures should be applied on appropriate areas, which may include controlling the succession of forest and shrub vegetation, removing invasive and unwanted species, as well as other measures to prevent the overgrowth of open habitats. The aim of such measures is not to reduce forest areas per se, but to establish and maintain a natural relationship between forest, steppe and sand ecosystems, while preserving their overall biological and landscape diversity.
With the previous approach to managing this natural resource, which involved planting inadequate woody species, the primary goal of protection has been lost, and a significant number of special natural values and rarities, which were originally the basis for protection, no longer inhabit these areas, or their populations have been dramatically reduced. The reason for this is precisely the disappearance of steppe areas due to the spread of inadequate woody species. Therefore, it is necessary to reconsider the further maintenance and restoration of the unreasonably large volume of anthropogenically formed forest stands, primarily black and white pine and acacia, because they are not part of the natural habitats of the Deliblat Sands, and their presence contributes to the change in its original ecological character.
For a long-term and sustainable solution to this issue, a detailed analysis of all natural and anthropogenic factors that have led to the current state is necessary. Based on the results of the analysis, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and institutionally based expertise that will provide the basis for planning and implementing future measures for revitalization, restoration and long-term preservation of the entire area. Therefore, the revitalization program should work independent multidisciplinary team scientists and experts in the fields of biology, ecology and nature protection, forestry, pedology, hydrology, agronomy, climatology, energy and other relevant disciplines. Its task would not only be to remediate the immediate consequences of the fire, but also considering all cumulative pressures on the Deliblat Sandstone, eliminating or significantly reducing the risk of similar environmental disasters in the future, as well as adopting long-term planning documents for the permanent protection and survival of indigenous sandstone and steppe elements in this area.
Therefore, in addition to analyzing the effects of the fire itself and the inadequate management of this natural resource, the analysis should also include an assessment of the impact of existing and planned wind farms, as well as other economic and infrastructure projects implemented or planned in the immediate vicinity of the Deliblat Sands. Their impacts cannot be viewed in isolation from the fire and other factors that simultaneously affect this sensitive ecosystem.
It is also important that the revitalization program be subject to open and transparent public debates, with the active participation of the scientific and professional community, interested citizens, state institutions and civil society organizations.
The fire represents enormous damage, but at the same time it raises the question of what kind of Deliblat Sandstone do we want in the future? The goal of restoration should not be to simply restore the state that existed before the fire. What is needed is the restoration of a natural, resilient and functional ecosystem complex, in which the preservation of biodiversity will be a primary priority.
The fire has already caused enormous damage; improper remediation could cause additional damage.Therefore, the recovery of this area should be used as an opportunity to return its protection to the primary goal for which this Special Nature Reserve was established - the preservation of the unique natural mosaic of habitats and the unique biodiversity of the Deliblat Sands.
Belgrade, August 27, 2026
Dean of the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade
Dr. Ljubisa Stanisavljevic, full professor
Dean of the Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Novi Sad
Dr. Srdjan Roncevic, full professor
Director of the Department of Biology and Ecology
Dr. Goran Anachkov, full professor
The following participated in the preparation of the announcement:
Dr. Dmitar Lakušić, full professor
University of Belgrade – Faculty of Biology
Dr. Imre Krizmanic, associate professor
University of Belgrade – Faculty of Biology
Dr. Ljiljana Tomović, full professor
University of Belgrade – Faculty of Biology
Dr. Gordana Tomović, full professor
University of Belgrade – Faculty of Biology
Dr. Aleksandar Cetkovic, associate professor
University of Belgrade – Faculty of Biology
Dr. Tomica Misljenovic, docent
University of Belgrade – Faculty of Biology
Dr. Jelena Burazerovic, research associate
and coordinator of the Bat Research Group
University of Belgrade – Faculty of Biology
