Key message: The area of ambrosia suppression is increasing
Assessment: In the last 20 years significant population increase of this plant has been documented on the territory of Serbia and the City of Belgrade. Long-term presence of ragweed (ambrosia) in this area and high reproductive potential created substantial seed reserves in the soil, resulting in its presence on cultivated and non-cultivated land on the territory of Vojvodina province and Belgrade area representing a long-lasting problem. All social entities that can contribute to the issue within their competencies must be included in the resolution of the problem. In the system of measures that need to be implemented (preventive, physical, chemical, biological, agro-technical, administrative) in order to combat ambrosia, it is important to constantly educate and raise awareness of the need to timely apply preventive health measures in order to protect and improve their own health and preservation of the environment.
During 2011, the suppression of ambrosia on the territory of the City of Belgrade was carried out on an area of 693,000 m2 (data for 2011 were taken from the Secretariat for Communal and Housing Affairs of the City of Belgrade). In 2012, the suppression of ambrosia was implemented on an area of 580,955 m2. In 2013, the suppression of the ambrosia on the territory of the city of Belgrade was carried out on an area of 143,320 m2 (data for 2013 were taken from the Secretariat for Environmental Protection of the city of Belgrade). During 2016, the Department of Biocides and Medical Ecology collected data from city municipalities and public municipal companies on the presence of ambrosia on certain areas for the period 2013-2016.In 2017 and 2018, the Institute for Biocides and Medical Ecology carried out the programme “Ambrosia as a health risk, monitoring and suppression of ambrosia from unregulated areas in the territory of Belgrade”. During 2017, monitoring was carried out on 60 hectares, and the suppression with chemicals was applied on 30 hectares. In 2018, monitoring areas were increased to 60 hectares and areas for treatment on 160 hectares.
On the territory of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, in 2012 and 2013, the Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection carried out the suppression of ambrosia in the territory of five local municipalities (Sombor, Kikinda, Vrbas, Zrenjanin and Sremska Mitrovica), which were covered by the IPA project “Support to the environment without allergens” within the framework of the cross-border cooperation program Hungary – Republic of Serbia. In 2012, the ambrosia was treated at 125 ha and in 2013 at 315 ha. In the framework of the project, the poles were also provided for measuring the pollen mounted at the mentioned sites. After the completion of the project, the Secretariat has continued to measure concentration of pollen and regularly publishes the results of the measurements in order to inform the population about the state of air pollution with pollen in a timely and adequate manner. In 2014 and 2015, in the territory of Vojvodina, from the funds of the budget of the Vojvodina – Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection, action was carried out on the territory of ten local self-governments (Bačka Palanka, Bač, Odžaci, Apatin, Sombor, Subotica, Kanjiža, Novi Kneževac, Čoka and Kikinda). In 2014, ambrosia was suppressed on 350 ha, while in 2015 the action covered 250 ha. During 2017, from the budget of the Vojvodina – Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection, funds were alloacted for the suppression of the ambrosia on 375 hectares carried out in the following local self-governments: Bečej, Novi Bečej, Nova Crnja, Žitište, Sečanj, Novi Sad, Temerin, Žabalj, Bački Petrovac, Odžaci, Inđija and Beočin. In 2018, the Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection carried out the action of suppressing the ambrosia weed on 225 ha in 8 local self-governments (Apatin, Sombor, Subotica, Bačka Topola, Kanjiža, Senta, Novi Kneževac and Čoka).
During 2018, the Secretariat started the implementation of the IPA project “Nature protection from invasive plant species” within the framework of the cross-border cooperation program Hungary – Republic of Serbia. The project envisaged and suppressed the ambrosia in four protected natural areas in the border region of the north of Vojvodina: Special Nature Reserve “Selevenjska pustara” and “Ludaško jezero”, the area of exceptional features “Subotička peščara” and Nature Park “Palić”. In the territory of these protected areas in 2018, the ambrosia was suppressed on 85 ha, while in 2019, the plan was to suppress the ambrosia on the same area of 85 ha.
The trend of the areas where the ambrosia has been treated
Indicator Name: The trend of the areas where the ambrosia has been treated
Institution/Author: Environmental Protection Agency/Slaviša Popović, Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection/Danica Popin, Institute for Biocides and Medical Ecology /dr Ivan Aleksić
Use and interpretation:
Key question(s) which indicator helps to answer: What is surface under the treatment to combat ragweed? What is the trend in ragweed occurrence after the treatments?
Use of indicator: To control population growth of ragweed in different parts of Serbia
Scale of appropriate use: rural, urban, suburban, agriculture areas
Potential for aggregation:
Meaning of upward or downward trends: In the last 20 years significant increase of population of ambrosia in Serbia and the City of Belgrade has been documented. During 2011, the suppression of ambrosia on the territory of the City of Belgrade was carried out on an area of 693 000 m2. The last data from 2018 show that monitoring areas were increased to 60 hectares and areas for treatment on 160 hectares. On the territory of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, in 2012 and 2013, the Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection carried out the suppression of ambrosia in the territory of five local municipalities, in 2014, the ambrosia was suppressed on 350 ha, while in 2015 the action covered 250 ha. During the year 2017, the ambrosia was treated on 375 hectares in 12 local communities. In 2018, the Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection carried out the action of suppressing the ambrosia weed on 225 ha in 8 local self-governments. In the territory of these protected areas in 2018, the ambrosia has been suppressed on 85 ha, while in 2019 the plan is to suppress the ambrosia on the same area of 85 ha.
Possible reasons for upward or downward trends: In 2012 and 2013, the Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection carried out the suppression of ambrosia in the territory of five local municipalities (Sombor, Kikinda, Vrbas, Zrenjanin and Sremska Mitrovica), while in 2017, from the budget of the Vojvodina- Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection, funds were defined for the suppression of the ambrosia on 375 hectares carried out in the following local self-governments: Bečej, Novi Bečej, Nova Crnja, Žitište, Sečanj, Novi Sad, Temerin, Zabalj, Backi Petrovac, Odzaci, Indjija and Beocin. In 2018, the Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection carried out the action of suppressing the ambrosia weed on 225 ha in 8 local self-governments (Apatin, Sombor, Subotica, Bačka Topola, Kanjiža, Senta, Novi Kneževac and Čoka). During 2018, the Secretariat started the implementation of the IPA project “Nature protection from invasive plant species” within the framework of the cross-border cooperation program Hungary – Republic of Serbia. The project envisioned and suppressed the ambrosia in four protected natural assets in the border region of the north of Vojvodina: the Special Nature Reserve “Selevenjska pustara” and “Ludaško jezero”, the area of exceptional features “Subotička peščara” and Nature Park “Palić”.
Implications for biodiversity management of change in the indicator: In the last 20 years significant population increase of this plant has been documented on the territory of Serbia and the city of Belgrade. Long-term presence of ambrosia in this area and high reproductive potential created substantial seed reserves in the soil, resulting in its presence on cultivated and non-cultivated land on the territory of Vojvodina province and Belgrade area representing a long lasting problem. All social entities that can contribute to the issue within their competencies must be included in the resolution of the problem. In the system of measures that need to be implemented (preventive, physical, chemical, biological, agro-technical, administrative) in order to combat ambrosia, it is important to constantly educate and raise awareness of the need for timely preventive health measures in order to protect and improve their own health and preservation of the environment
Units in which it is expressed: ha
Description of source data: City of Belgrade, the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina,
Calculation procedure: Surface per municipality treated by different methods
Most effective forms of presentation: Map and graphs
Limits to userfelness and accuracy:
Updating the indicator: Annually
Closely related indicators: Trend of concentration of allergenic pollen of ambrosia (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) in Serbia
