Bright Or Dark Future Of E-Participation In Urban & Spatial Planning For Mountain Communities

Abstract

The occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed conditions and spurred new public participation tools in decision-making in general, as well as in urban and spatial planning. The new conditions of public participation and the alternative virtual methods have become an interest of academia internationally, which resulted in the publication of articles in this field. This presentation takes into account geographic, demographic, and socio-economic parameters listed in the aforementioned articles and their interpretation as aggravated/extenuating circumstances in digitalisation on participatory planning. Only then, these circumstances are analysed in the context of a protected mountain area when compared to a national average. Some of the analysed parameters of virtual participation concerning digital participation are age and gender demographics, ICT accessibility, cultural context, educational attainment, etc. The Golija-Studenica Biosphere Reserve is taken as an example of a protected mountain area to compare to the national average of Serbia. Finally, the presentation estimates what are the most vulnerable aspects and groups of stakeholders when it comes to e-participation and interprets what are the actions to maximize the value of digitalized participation in urban and spatial planning in the given context.