Protected areas as recreational zones for nearby cities: The case study of the City of Pančevo

Abstract

This research seeks to determine whether the residents of the City of Pančevo use the surrounding protected areas (PAs) for excursions and to what extent. A survey was conducted on a sample of 715 respondents above the age of 15. One main and six assisting hypotheses were set, testing the significance of differences between specific groups of respondents. Following the analysis of the results obtained by the descriptive statistics method and a Chi-Square Test, statistic conclusions were derived. The results show that 88.7% of the respondents like excursions into nature, but due to the lack of free time, money, and similar factors, only 55.1% of them practice such trips. Findings about preferred activities (dominated by walking 33.8%), the frequency (58.6% of respondents having visited the Special Nature Reserve "Deliblatska peščara" several times; 51.9% of respondents never having visited the Nature Park "Ponjavica"; 65.9% of respondents never having visited the Nature Monument "Ivanovačka ada") and the style of visits to these PAs (mostly on their own), can help define guidelines for their further development.