A New Approach Within ANP-SWOT Framework for Prioritization of Ecosystem Management and Case Study of National Park Djerdap, Serbia

Abstract

Complex National Park (NP) Management Problems often requires a multidisciplinary approach in the process of business decision-making involving various stakeholders from the region. In the decision-making process, the methodology, based on combining SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) and the Analytical Network Process (ANP) methods, has been proved as a very useful tool in numerous surveys as it is being presented in this paper on the example of the National Park Djerdap (NPDJ). In the conducted research, aimed to achieve business vision of this company, a four-phase decision making approach was defined. In the defined model, the situation SWOT analysis was used as the baseline in the analysis of the situation on the ground. Hence, four scenarios were generated by experts using the ANP method of multi-criteria decisionmaking. The results obtained within the research identified the scenarios of the highest priority - sustainable development and environmental protection - which would enable the National Park Djerdap to achieve its vision. The proposed model is flexible in the sense that its network structure and rules allow minor adjustments for its application to similar problems in the environmental management in other protected natural areas.