Demo site 1 (ex-river island Ada Ciganlija – Ada) and the neighboring riverfront promenades on both sides of the Sava river, have been developed and are continuously being upgraded as the prime location for recreation, healing and soothing, and leisure activities of Belgrade citizens and visitors. With numerous BGS assets, they often attract several tens of thousands of visitors daily.

Demo site 2 (Kalemegdan fortress and surrounding parka) located in the heart of the old city is now fully integrated with this central pedestrian zone. It consists of the historic fortress and is appreciated for both its invaluable historic and cultural heritage routes, mediation spots, and a stunning view overlooking the confluence of the Sava river and the European second biggest river Danube). It is close eye-sight of the nature reserve wonder, river island “Veliko Ratno Ostrvo” (with over 180 bird species), an unbelievable “jungle” within 1 km from the city center. These sites attract thousands of tourists to its “Upper city” (Gornji Grad). Numerous shaded pedestrians and jogging pathways and cycling routes in the “Lower city” (Donji grad) along Sava and Danube riverbanks are very attractive to “busy” Belgrade’s citizens, who, take a short healthy battery charging escape.

Site 3 (Košutnjak „city forest/wilderness“) close to the city center is famous for its numerous shaded pedestrian, jogging, exercising, forest trails“, especially during hot days, when it is considerably cooler than in the city center.

Belgrade faces many health and social problems due to the ageing or/and the incomplete infrastructure (sanitation, lack of Waste Water Treatment, narrow street etc.) resulting in air/water and soil pollution, noise, etc. Direct consequences are lowering PH and WB for all citizens and visitors. The estimate is that 1,700 premature deaths/year linked to poor AQ (high PM2.5 concentrations) and UHI effects. Social issues are the high unemployment rate, brain drain (young professionals leaving the country) and stress-related aggressive behaviour. Moreover, there are approx. 7,000 registered asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants, but even more are unregistered. Our partner Mikser has organized assistance and social integration for approx. 1,000 refugees in the Refugee Aid Centre (Miksalište). Several other vulnerable groups (homeless, jobless, disabled, etc.) embraced these activities, showing the way how some of the local social issues, such as inequality or exclusion of social groups can be addressed by engaging the citizens in the right way.

Ada Ciganlija is attractive as the recreation and sport activity for a broad spectrum of Belgrade citizens and visitors:

1. People who have established their living and high standard of exercise find Ada Ciganlija as an attractive place for various sporting activities
2. Water sports (swimming, rowing, water skiing, diving
3. Cycling, walking, small sports, and forest footing

People with a lower income who cannot afford to spend their annual vacation at distant locations often spend a great deal of their annual vacation at Ada which is popularly called the sea of Belgrade.

Ada Ciganlija is attractive as the recreation and sport activity for a broad spectrum of Belgrade citizens and visitors:

1. People who have established their living and high standard of exercise find Ada Ciganlija as an attractive place for various sporting activities
2. Water sports (swimming, rowing, water skiing, diving
3. Cycling, walking, small sports, and forest footing

Ada Ciganlija was proposed as a demo site because of the broad variety of BGS facilities on both left and right banks of the Sava river and Ada itself.

1. Big artificial lake with clean water, more stable water level
2. Walking and cycling pathway about seven kilometers long on the lake’s perimeter
3. Variety of sports fields, cycling routes, jogging paths on the (river) island
4. Robinson Crusoe-like small island Ada Međica and significant sanctuary from the busy, urban, noisy environment
5. Excellent links with public transportation
6. The huge area of natural forest

However, there are parts of Ada which are “in the need of improvement” which will be used by HEART planners for the future extrapolation of its innovative HCPM based methodology.

Košutnjak is a well-established location for the recreation of citizens, it is very rich in conventional walking pathways, trim paths. HEART project will use it for its positive impacts on people’s health and drawing conclusions on possible added value in dense urban recreational forest.

Kalemegdan is located in the city’s heart, very popular for both residents and tourists. It is famous as a destination for the elderly’s short health route, convenient for its location, which can be reached by foot.

HEART project will look for the options for carefully added value with traditional content which is protected as a cultural heritage.

The experience gained from these three locations will be used for proposing (extrapolating) future plans to other three locations: Veliko Ratno Ostrvo (an urban jungle-like island close to the city center); comprehensive park Ušće and Linear Park.

The experience gained in HEART will be combined with the results in monitoring in euPOLIS and developing advanced NBS/BGS planning guidelines.

People with a lower income who cannot afford to spend their annual vacation at distant locations often spend a great deal of their annual vacation at Ada which is popularly called the sea of Belgrade.