Source: Index
Minister of Environmental Protection and Green Transition Marija Vučković presented five contracts with a total value of €10.7 million today at the Medvedgrad Visitor Centre. Of this amount, €8.9 million in grants was approved to co-finance nature conservation and restoration projects.
“Under these contracts, nature conservation and restoration measures will be implemented across more than 33 hectares of our national parks and nature parks. The projects resulting from this call are part of the comprehensive environmental conservation and sustainable development goals of the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, with as much as 36.67 percent of the land territory protected under the Natura 2000 network,” the Minister stated.
Through projects with a total value of €10.7 million—of which €8.9 million in grants has been approved—public institutions managing national parks and nature parks will receive co-financing for the installation of eco-friendly moorings, as well as for nature and habitat restoration and conservation activities. The project beneficiaries are Northern Velebit National Park, Mljet National Park, Lastovo Islands Nature Park, Biokovo Nature Park, and Telašćica Nature Park.
A sustainable relationship is being established between nature conservation and nautical tourism.
According to the Ministry, nearly 3.9 million euros in grant funding will finance two projects to establish eco-friendly anchorages in the Lastovo Islands and Telašćica Nature Parks, with the aim of protecting marine species and habitats—specifically ecologically important *Posidonia* meadows, reefs, and sea caves.
This establishes, it is added, a sustainable relationship between nature conservation and nautical tourism, alongside additional monitoring measures. Integrated habitat management projects within the Natura 2000 ecological network in Northern Velebit National Park will be funded with more than 3.5 million euros.
Targeted activities will restore nearly 40 hectares of grassland and approximately 10,000 hectares of land within the ecological network. Through the BN2000 project, Biokovo Nature Park has been granted over 1.5 million euros to improve the management of Natura 2000 protected areas.
Sustainable development means fostering the coexistence of the local population with nature.
The project is focused on the preservation of target species and the restoration of approximately 3,500 hectares of forest, grassland, water and underground habitats and species, as well as the removal of invasive species. At the same time, a volunteer program for the preservation of biodiversity will be established and educational activities for the public and employees will be carried out.
Regarding Mljet National Park, a project worth €1.6 million plans for interventions at three sites within two protected areas covering approximately 2,300 hectares. “Sustainable development means fostering the coexistence of the local population with nature, including within our park areas,” the minister concluded.
