Evaluating the importance of cultural heritage in a biosphere reserve: the case of Croats (Šokci) local community in the Mura-Drava-Danube biosphere reserve (Vojvodina, Serbia)

Biosphere reserves are protected areas recognized internationally as part of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. Their purpose is to test interdisciplinary approaches to managing interactions between ecological and social systems. Populated areas and communities of local inhabitants, with their customs, culture, and heritage, are integral parts of numerous biosphere reserves worldwide. Several initiatives and documents encourage the promotion of cultural diversity in biosphere reserves. Th e main objective of this study is to offer a fresh perspective on the significance of the cultural heritage of the Croats (Šokci) minority community located in the Serbian part of the cross-border Mura-Drava-Danube (MDD) Biosphere Reserve. Th e study makes use of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique to achieve this goal. Seven experts, who are considered as being connoisseurs of the cultural heritage of the Croats (Šokci) and the Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere Reserve, were interviewed as part of this study. Th e results indicate that factors such as sense of belonging and pride of the local community are crucial for the preservation and management of cultural values in the Biosphere Reserve. Th ese aspects can also play a practical role in tourism development, which is recognized as one of the most significant activities in biosphere reserves across the globe.