The Western Balkans (WB) region is highly prone to water erosion processes, and therefore, the estimation of rainfall erosivity (R-factor) is essential for understanding the complex relationships between hydro-meteorological factors and soil erosion processes. The main objectives of this study are to (1) estimate the spatial-temporal distribution R-factor across the WB region by applying the RUSLE and RUSLE2 methodology with data for the period between 1991 and 2020 and (2) apply cluster analysis to identify places of high erosion risk, and thereby offer a means of targeting suitable mitigation measures. To assess R-factor variability, the ERA5 reanalysis hourly data (0.25° × 0.25° spatial resolution) comprised 390 grid points were used. The calculations were made on a decadal resolution (i.e., for the 1990s, the 2000s, and the 2010s), as well as for the whole study period (1991–2020). In order to reveal spatial patterns of rainfall erosivity, a k-means clustering algorithm was applied. Visualization and mapping were performed in python using the Matplotlib, Seaborn, and Cartopy libraries. Hourly precipitation intensity and monthly precipitation totals exhibited pronounced variability over the study area. High precipitation values were observed in the SW with a >0.3 mm h⁻¹ average, while the least precipitation was seen in the Pannonian Basin and far south (Albanian coast), where the mean intensity was less than an average of 0.1 mm h⁻¹. R-factor variability was very high for both the RUSLE and RUSLE2 methods. The mean R-factor calculated by RUSLE2 was 790 MJ mm ha⁻¹·h⁻¹·yr⁻¹, which is 58% higher than the mean R-factor obtained from RUSLE (330 MJ mm ha⁻1·h⁻¹·yr⁻¹). The analysis of the R-factor at decadal timescales suggested a rise of 14% in the 2010s. The k-means algorithm for both the RUSLE and RUSLE2 methods implies better spatial distribution in the case of five clusters (K = 5) regarding the R-factor values. The rainfall erosivity maps presented in this research can be seen as useful tools for the assessment of soil erosion intensity and erosion control works, especially for agriculture and land use planning. Since the R-factor is an important part of soil erosion models (RUSLE and RUSLE2), the results of this study can be used as a guide for soil control works, landscape modeling, and suitable mitigation measures on a regional scale.

In recent years, Serbia has become increasingly popular as a tourism destination, attracting travelers from the surrounding region, as well as Europe and even distant locations. The environmental impact linked with tourism activities, specifically their carbon footprints, has gained growing attention as sustainability becomes an important factor when discussing the future of tourism. This research, which is based on the DEFRA and ADEME methodologies using the Greentripper tool, examines the significance of carbon footprint estimations for incoming tourism in Serbia from a scientific standpoint. By considering the emissions produced from transportation, accommodation, and on-site activities, the results of 1,431,394,511 kg CO2e offer valuable information about the extent of carbon emissions linked to tourism movements. The primary driver of this carbon footprint is transportation (80.2%), on-site activities (15.2%), and housing (4.6%). The per capita tourism carbon footprint is 670 kg CO2e, which is lower compared to the values derived using general data and carbon emissions on a worldwide basis, which amount to 759 kg CO2e. These findings are essential for comprehending the environmental sustainability of tourism operations. Furthermore, carbon footprint assessments play a crucial role as a tool for making informed decisions and implementing initiatives to reduce carbon emissions in the tourism business. This could involve selecting environmentally friendly modes of travel, advocating for sustainable hotel choices, or integrating carbon offsetting activities into vacation packages. In addition, carbon footprint assessments promote transparency and responsibility in the tourism industry.

Some hunter satisfaction surveys have been based on customer satisfaction research (importance-performance analysis, importance-grid analysis, penalty-reward-contrast analysis). This article applied a similar methodology on European hunting tourists. The goal was to identify determinants of hunting tourists’ satisfaction and specific elements of the hunting experience that influence overall satisfaction. Results suggested that “opportunity to see” and “to shoot game” most affected hunter satisfaction in Serbia. Variety of game species, large population size, and health of game populations were significant determinants of hunter tourists’ satisfaction, along with trophy value of game. Accommodation elements (comfort, ambiance, arrangement, equipment of hunting lodge) and additional tourist offerings (visiting nearest tourist sites) were not important for overall satisfaction.

The decline of brown hare populations has been observed throughout Europe for decades. The situation is similar in Serbia where the brown hare population dropped significantly. Vojvodina region in the northern part of Serbia represents a typical farmland habitat with over 80% of the agricultural...

Deforestation could influence land cover ecological significance in hunting grounds on a big scale. This research examines changes of forest and shrub patches in the Vojvodina region by a set of landscape metrics. The study area includes 154 hunting grounds from which hunting organizations are managing with 134 hunting grounds, PC "Vojvodinasume" with 17, Serbian Armed Forces with two, and National Park "Fruska gora" with one hunting ground. The results show that in the National Park and Serbian Armed Forces hunting grounds the broad-leaved forest areas occurred on the surfaces that were under the transitional woodland-shrub and vice versa. A similar situation is in the hunting grounds managed by PC ''Vojvodinasume'' where there is not only the most intensive logging of broad-leaved and coniferous forests but also the most intensive afforestation of mixed forests and transitional woodland-shrub. On the other hand, in the hunting grounds managed by hunting organizations, there is the highest area growth under the broad-leaved forest.