Spectacular action to restore the Golden Pine to Zlatibor: Preserving natural heritage with European Union support

On Zlatibor, one of Serbia’s most beautiful mountains, a significant action was carried out to restore the Golden Pine – a natural phenomenon that has almost disappeared from these areas over the years. This ambitious project was implemented in collaboration with the European Union Office in Serbia, whose volunteers actively participated in the action, as well as the Discover Serbia association.

It all began with an idea and the observation that the Golden Pine – a rare and specific form of white pine – is rapidly disappearing from Zlatibor. At one of the joint meetings between representatives of the European Union Delegation and members of Discover Serbia, it was concluded that urgent action was necessary to prevent the complete disappearance of this natural treasure.

“When we realized that only four Golden Pine trees remained on Zlatibor, we decided to launch an action that would bring it back to these areas,” said Vladimir Pavlović, forestry engineer and project initiator.

The project is being implemented in several stages. The first phase included detecting the remaining Golden Pine trees and planting white pine rootstock, which will later be used for grafting the Golden Pine.

The action involved:

• 20 volunteers from the European Union Delegation in Serbia
• 10 members of the Discover Serbia team, including Faculty of Forestry professor Dr. Vladan Ivetić and forestry engineer Vladimir Pavlović, as well as Božidar Milovanović and Uroš Nešović

The action was not only practical but also educational in nature. Two workshops were organized for children from Zlatibor:

1. Ecological workshop in nature, where they learned about the importance of nature conservation and the Golden Pine.
2. LEGO recycling workshop, where children learned how to properly sort waste and use materials creatively.

One of the most important moments of the action was the demonstration grafting of the Golden Pine, performed by forestry engineer Uroš Nešović. This process represents a key step in preserving the Golden Pine, as its specific golden color can only be preserved through vegetative propagation.

Cold weather and specific conditions on Zlatibor were an additional challenge for the volunteers. However, their persistence and team spirit enabled the planned tasks to be completed within the scheduled timeframe.

This initiative is not just an action, but a symbol of dedication to preserving Zlatibor’s natural heritage. In the upcoming phases, the white pine rootstock planted during the action will be used for grafting the Golden Pine, while the grafted seedlings will be distributed on Zlatibor, donated to institutions, or sold for humanitarian purposes.

“The return of the Golden Pine is a symbol of biodiversity conservation and our responsibility toward nature. This project is just the beginning of larger initiatives we are planning,” added Professor Ivetić.