YOUNG RESEARCHERS OF SERBIA

1. YOUNG RESEARCHERS OF SERBIA

2. About us • Young Researches of Serbia (YRS) is a non-profit, non-political NGO that gathers young people around common interests, ideas and goals. • In 1976 YRS was officially established as a network of organizations, societies, clubs and sections with research programmes, gathered around the coordinative office on the republic level in Belgrade.

3. About us • Today YRS represents the organization on the national level and is unites three thematically different but interconnected sectors – Youth Sector, Voluntary Service of Serbia and Environmental Protection and Conservation Sector. • THINK BIG - do little: start an avalanche! is our motto.

4. About us • Our vision is to be the driving force for all those whose aim is to make our planet a more peaceful, just and healthy place. Driven by science and education, our mission is to contribute: • to environmental protection and nature conservation, • to development of voluntarism and its values, • to scientific creativity and active participation of the youth

5. About us • Our main aims are environmental protection, environmental education, youth exchange and work with young people, as well as the promotion of sustainable development, scientific creativity and voluntarism.

7. Environmental protection programme • we work on biodiversity protection in nature protected areas. One of the long lasting projects is “The Return of the Ibis” in the Special Nature Reserve Obedska bara. We cooperate in organization of activities in: the Special Nature Reserves Zasavica, Lake Ludas and Deliblato sands, as well as in the National Park Djerdap; • - with the scope of promotion of sustainable production and consumption, we organize campaigns (Say NO to plastic bags (Reci NE plasticnim kesama), I’m no trash (Nisam BRE djubre), Belgrade would be white on bicycles (Beo bi bio biciklisticki Beograd), Only living tree is a good tree (Samo živo drvo je dobro drvo); we organize promotional activities of clearing trash dumps; we cooperate with numerous institutions and organizations; • - we take part in implementation of international conventions in relations to the environment (Ramsar convention, Carpathian convention, CITES, CBD, etc.); • - we work on NGO sector capacity building related to NATURA 2000; • - we are included in decision making process related to sustainable development (as representatives of NGO-s in National Council for sustainable development of Republic of Serbia) Inclusion of great number of your people in activities regarding nature protection is one of our priorities.

8. Workcamps? • Workcamp is a unique form of voluntary work open for all people of good will! • Most of them are during summer and there are more then 2500 of them in the world. • Every workcamp is different depending of participants background.

9. Obedska bara – Special Nature Reserve In Special nature reserve (SNR) Obedska bara work on ‘’Return of the Ibis’’ project was continued during 2009. One of the project aims is to improve the state of wet meadows as important bird feeding areas in Obedska bara. Young Researchers of Serbia work in Obedska bara almost twenty years. So far 12 international workcamps were organized. During the camp in 2009 volunteers were working on revitalization of wet meadows in the eastern part of Obedska bara. Promotion of Obedska bara protection, cooperation with local people, participation in decision making processes connected with Obedka bara are long term activities of Young Researchers of Serbia connected with Obedska bara. More about ‘’Return of Ibis’’ project on http://mis.org.rs/index.php/sr/rad-u-zatienim-prirodnim-dobrima/obedskabara International workcamps were organized in SNR Zasavica and SNR Ludasko jezero as well.

10. OBEDSKA BARA Just 50km from Belgrade The oldest protected nature area in Europe!

12. ОБЕДСКА БАРА

33. NATURA 2000 Strengthening the capacity of governments and civil sector in Serbia and Montenegro to adapt to EU Nature Protection aquis • The project aims to strengthen capacities of all actors in nature protection for more efficient implementation of NATURA 2000 process in Serbia and in Montenegro. • Project is supported from Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will last three years. Project is implemented by: WWF Mediterranean Programme, Young Researchers of Serbia and Green Home from Podgorica. One of the project activities in 2009 was establishment and structuring the network of environmental NGOs in Serbia and in Montenegro. Young Researchers of Serbia initiated, established and manage network of 42 environmental NGOs in Serbia called ‘’NATURA 2000 resource Center’’. In cooperation with WWF Memorandum of understanding for joint work on NATURA 2000 was signed in June 2009. • As a part of project, Young Researchers of Serbia and WWF organized training ‘’ABC on EU and NATURA 2000’’ which gathered 25 participants from NGOs, experts and representatives of Governmental institutions. • More about project and activities on http://mis.org.rs/index.php/sr/natura-2000 • Natura

34. Learn why biodiversity important Biodiversity represents the diversity in living organisms on our planet and the diversity of their functions. The term “biodiversity” is still not very well known to many people. The ecosystem, meaning food, medicins, clean water, clean air, places for recreation and similar are usually not connected to the work “biodiversity”. ADVICE TO YOU: Read the publication “Why biodiversity is important? Answers for children and ministers”. When you read it, recommend it to a friend.

35. Spend your holiday in nature! Tourism is one of the most powerful industries. Tourism development usually has great impact on a touristic area – cutting woods, drying wetlands, destroying natural habitats of many species. ADVICE TO YOU: spend your holiday in a village, contribute to the local economy by buying products from the locals and sleeping in private houses, learn something about locally important places. You will save energy, polute less, spent less water and your carbot footprint would be better! And you will for sure have a great time!

36. Take part in global actions! Earth Hour is a global campaign of WWF. By spending lights for 60 minutes in the same time, people from around the world send a message to save nature resources, to use energy rationally, to thing globally and act locally! ADVICE FOR YOU: join the local activities with a goal to protect nature resources, to fight climate change! The next Earth Hour is the 31st of March 2012!

37. Get informed about the invasive foreign species and stop their spreading! The invasion of one dangerous type of algae Caulerpe racemose, known as the “cancer of the Mediterranean” has spread to over 90 habitats along the cost of the Jadran. Beneth the algae more oxygen is produced, which is deadly to most of the organisms, so the biodiversity of the sea is drastically changed. Invasive flora and fauna are those species that are brought from far away countries and are damaging the local species. ADVICE FOR YOU: Think before bringing a plant or an animal from abroad. Don’t buy endangered species or products made of them.

38. Act for the preservation of water resources Water is the most precious resource on our planet. Every living creature has the need for water in order to survive. If it is polluted, it loses its quality, changes its content, becomes unhealthy. ADVICE TO YOU: Use water rationally! Join global and local initiatives for preserving water!

39. Булевар уметности 27 11070 Нови Београд Тел: (011) 311 6663, 311 1314 Факс: (011) 311 6653 контакт: vss@mis.org.rs www.mis.org.rs