Erosion is a significant environmental challenge in Serbia, shaped by natural and human factors. Pronounced relief, fragile geological substrate, a developed hydrographic network, and a climate characterized by an uneven distribution of precipitation throughout the year make this area prone to activating erosion processes and flash floods whenever there is a significant disruption in ecological balance, whether due to the removal of vegetation cover or inadequate land use. Researchers have recorded approximately 11,500 torrents in Serbia, most of which were activated during the 19th century, a period of significant social and political change, as well as intensive deforestation and the irrational exploitation of natural resources. By the mid-19th century, the effects of land degradation were impossible to ignore. As the adequate assessment of soil erosion intensity is the initial step in developing a prevention and protection strategy and the type and scope of anti-erosion works and measures, this article presents the path that the anti-erosion field in Serbia has taken from the initial observations of erosion processes through the first attempts to create the Barren Land Cadastre and Torrent Cadastre to the creation of the Erosion Potential Method (EPM) and its modification by Dr. Lazarević that resulted in the creation of the first Erosion Map of SR Serbia in 1971 (published in 1983). In 2020, a new Erosion Map of Serbia was created with the application of Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies and based on the original method by Professor Slobodan Gavrilović—the EPM—without the modifications introduced by Lazarević. We compared the 1983 and 2020 erosion maps in a GIS environment, where the change in soil erosion categories was analyzed using a confusion matrix. The updated erosion maps mirror the shift in methodology from a traditional approach (Lazarević’s modification) to the modern GIS-based method (Gavrilović’s original EPM) and reflect technological improvements and changes in land use, conservation practices, and environmental awareness.

Soil erosion assessment in Southeast Europe’s mountainous regions often lacks systematic field validation, limiting confidence in model-based predictions. This study integrates the Erosion Potential Model (EPM) with remote sensing and field verification across 26,570 km² in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and Brčko District (BD). We developed a two-stage framework: initial GIS-based assessment using digital elevation models, soil maps, climate data, CORINE Land Cover, and Landsat imagery, followed by field calibration at 190 representative sites. Spectral indices (NDVI, BSI) provided dynamic corrections for vegetation cover and visible erosion features. Field validation significantly improved model performance; the erosion coefficient increased from Z = 0.21 to Z = 0.24, while discriminatory power improved AUC from 0.82 to 0.85, with corresponding gains in overall accuracy from 0.78 to 0.84 and F1-score from 0.78 to 0.85. The field-validated model estimated mean annual sediment production of 546.60 m³·km⁻²·year⁻¹, with total erosion material production of 14,074,940.2 m³·year⁻¹. Field calibration revealed substantial spatial redistribution, with medium-to-excessive erosion categories expanding by 30.37%, affecting 1319.12 km² requiring priority intervention. The Kappa coefficient (0.81) confirms high classification reliability. This field-validated framework enables evidence-based identification of degradation hotspots and provides actionable guidance for soil conservation planning in geomorphologically heterogeneous, data-limited regions.

Torrential floods represent one of the most frequent and destructive natural hazards in Serbia, exerting significant impacts on the environment, infrastructure, and public safety. They are most prominent in the catchments of the South, West, and Great Morava Rivers, as well as in the Kolubara and Drina regions, where they result from short-duration intense rainfall, steep slopes, and pronounced erosion processes affecting more than 70% of the national territory. Insufficient preventive measures, limited financial resources, and weak institutional coordination further increase the risk. The study emphasizes the need for integrated watershed management, afforestation, the application of modern monitoring techniques, and consistent enforcement of legal regulations to improve prevention, mitigate consequences, and strengthen resilience to future extreme events.

Erosion is a significant environmental challenge in Serbia, shaped by natural and human factors. Pronounced relief, fragile geological substrate, a developed hydrographic network, and a cli-mate characterized by uneven distribution of precipitation throughout the year, make this area prone to activating erosion processes and flash floods whenever there is a significant disruption in ecological balance, whether due to the removal of vegetation cover or inadequate land use. Researchers have recorded approximately 11,500 torrents in Serbia, most of which were activat-ed during the 19th century, a period of significant social and political change, as well as inten-sive deforestation and irrational exploitation of natural resources. By the mid-19th century, the effects of land degradation were impossible to ignore. As the adequate assessment of soil ero-sion intensity is the initial step in developing a prevention and protection strategy and the type and scope of anti-erosion works and measures, this article presents the path that the anti-erosion field in Serbia has taken, from the initial observations of erosion processes through the first at-tempts to create the Barren Land Cadastre and Torrent Cadaster to the creation of Erosion Poten-tial Method (EPM), the first Erosion Map of SR Serbia in 1971 and the application of Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies in the XXI century.

The Ministry of Mining and Energy of the Republic of Serbia has issued around 200 exploration rights for various mineral resources, covering approximately 6% of the national territory, encompassing 536,000 hectares. These exploration rights predominantly pertain to gold, lithium, boron, silver, copper, nickel, and antimony reserves. The seekers of exploration rights are mainly private mining companies registered in Serbia, either as subsidiaries of global mining corporations or domestic companies. Exploration areas in certain regions of Serbia range from 50 to 150 km² and are located in stable agricultural and forest areas (the Jadar and Rađevina valleys; Levač; Šumadija; Homolje). The potential issuance of exploitation rights for the excavation and processing of ores implies the application of complex chemical-technological processes involving the use of large quantities of aggressive and highly toxic substances (sulfuric, phosphoric, and hydrochloric acid, sodium cyanide), which carry a significant risk of soil, water, and air pollution, endangerment of living organisms, and deterioration of public health indicators for the local population. Besides the physical destruction of tens of thousands of hectares of arable land and forest areas, the possibility of intensive agricultural production and the survival of local communities would be significantly compromised, thus affecting the identity and cultural values of certain parts of Serbia. Simultaneously, the untapped potential of Serbian agriculture, besides material benefits, could provide complete security in producing quality food, prosperity in rural areas, and overall growth in all economic development indicators, is being neglected. A strategic, structural reassessment of Serbia’s financial model is necessary to objectively evaluate achieved results and define the goals of economic sovereignty based on sustainability and full respect for public interest.