Serbian Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security Directorate (SRBATOM), in cooperation with Color Media Communications, and the support of the municipality of Senta has completed yet another activity of tree planting within the campaign of “Zelena Srbija”.

Thanks to “Zelena Srbija” project, the aim of which is to protect the environment and raise the awareness of citizens of the importance of afforestation and re-greening, the seedlings of sycamore trees were planted on the outskirts of Senta.

The participants in this activity were Sebastian Stanic, a member of the Municipal Council of Senta for economy and tourism; Predrag Ivanovic, Chief of Staff at Serbian Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security Directorate; and Predrag Stankovic, Head of the Forestry Administration “Apatin”, at PC “Vojvodinasume”.

“We attach equal importance to green infrastructure as to any other infrastructure in our municipality. The canals, forests and tree-lined avenues are just as important as the roads, gas and power grids, waterworks and sewage infrastructure, and every year we give our best to increase the percentage of wooded land in the municipality of Senta, which is why we decided to support the activities such as this one as well”, said Sebastian Stanic, a member of Municipal Council of Senta.

Predrag Ivanovic from the Directorate pointed out that “Zelena Srbija” is the project initiated in 2020 by Serbian Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security Directorate with the aim of educating the public on the importance of reforestation of our country.

“We have been organizing these activities for past three years in order to support the local communities in environmental issues, and to maintain the preservation of biodiversity and improve the air quality in our country. Each new tree is a valuable natural resource and tree planting is the easiest way to eliminate carbon-dioxide from the atmosphere. The Directorate, as a socially responsible institution, will continue to conduct similar actions that cumulatively contribute to the preservation of our planet”, added Ivanovic.

Predrag Stankovic, Head of the Forestry Administration “Apatin”, at Public Company of “Vojvodinasume” explained that sycamore is a deciduous tree that has a faster growth rate than most of the others, can reach the height of up to 40 m and has a lifespan of up to 500 years. Sycamore trees are resistant to low temperatures, air pollution, smoke and dust, and they are a common feature of the tree-lined avenues in our country.

“Only 6.37% of Vojvodina is under forests. The wooded areas in Senta are minimal and account for less than 1% of its total area. The goal of Public Company of “Vojvdoinasume” is to achieve the optimal forestation of Vojvodina of 14.32% of its total area”, added Stankovic.

Another message from “Vojvodinasume” was about the multiple benefits of forestation of our country. Trees contribute to reduced soil erosion, the benefit to the agricultural land is a special microclimate that  results in a better yield, trees reduce wind penetration and roads with such wind protection have less snow drifts, and in the end, there is also the aesthetic component of trees in general, which is irreplaceable.

Senta was the twenty-seventh municipality in a row that has participated in “Zelena Srbija” project and planted trees in its territory.