Biomonitoring – The National Focal Centre of the Institute of Forestry for monitoring the

condition of forests of the Republic of Serbia has been continuously participating in the

international ICP Forests (International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring

of Air Pollution Effects on Forests http: // ICP -forests.net/) programmme, with a tendency to

improve the quality of work and to harmonize it with other approaches to monitoring the vitality

of forests and forest ecosystems of the Republic of Serbia. The assessment of the crown

condition, with discoloration and defoliation as the main indicators, and the identification of

damage done to trees by pests and diseases, through sample analysis and detailed surveys within

the intensive monitoring of sample plots have contributed to drawing definitive conclusions

about the disturbed forest vitality. In the Republic of Serbia, LEVEL-1 monitoring has been

carried out on 130 sample plots and LEVEL 2 on 5 intensive monitoring plots.

Forest policy – Management of Protected Areas of the Republic of Serbia

Different socio-economic aspects of the utilization and legislation of forest resources, forests as

protected natural areas and urban forests are studied within different stages of both domestic and

international projects. Various mechanisms and models of protected area management in Serbia,

which are aimed at achieving their sustainable use, enhancement, and development, are studied

within different scientific studies and projects. The main objective of these research studies has

been the study of the process of establishing protected areas in the Republic of Serbia in the

period from 1948 to the present. Therefore, different methods and techniques of data collection

and processing have been used. The purpose of the research studies has been to identify trends in

the establishment of protected areas and to relate these trends to the laws that were in force at the

time.

Soil and Water Resources Protection – The research scope of the Department includes research

studies in the domain of soil and water resources protection, which apply scientific and

engineering principles for the improvement of human and natural systems. The researchers apply

both theoretical and practical scientific knowledge needed to solve the most significant issues in

the area of torrent control. Erosion control, along with continual monitoring and assessment of

the risk of damage caused by floods and torrent, provides timely, practical and applicable results

related to these current problems in the Republic of Serbia and the region.