Can Depopulation Stop Deforestation? The Impact of Demographic Movement on Forest Cover Changes in the Settlements of the South Banat District (Serbia)

The key problem of rural settlements in the South Banat district lasted into 21st century through spread depopulated areas. Considering that give a cultural landscape its basic features, they are main bearers functional organization, and hotspots geo-spatial transformation, based on quantitative-qualitative indicators this paper analyzes spatial-demographic determinants development 94 settlements, impact depopulation changes surrounding forest cover. time span included analytical-statistical research demographic components dislocation from 1990 to 2018. Geo-spatial data for areas were taken Corine Land Cover database. obtained then turned visual representations, or maps, using GIS ArcMap 10.8. software. results indicated total has been an ongoing, 30-years process area one hand, while cover located outskirts Deliblato sands (a special nature reserve) decreased, zone Vršac mountains increased, other. These analyses useful obtaining more detailed insight state forested part Serbia, which is least afforested one.