Protection of hydrological heritage sites of Serbia: Problems and perspectives

Introduction Protection of water and water phenomena is an inseparable part of nature conservation. If one bears in mind the importance of water as life–giving element, it is logical to assume that the water was one of the first segments of the environment, which a man, seeing the overall value, was trying to protect and preserve. Therefore, the hydrological phenomena in the territory of Serbia were among the first sites that man, realizing their importance, was preserving and protecting. In the formal sense this is attested by the first natural monument, protected in 1949, VelikaRipaljka and Mala Ripaljka waterfalls on the Gradašnica River at the foot of Ozren Mountain near Sokobanja, hydrological heritage site today.1