Implemented in the Kopački rit nature park and Mura Drava regional park – in eastern Croatia, in the basin of the Danube and Drava rivers – the Naturavita project is clearing more than 25 km² of protected forest and Natura 2000 sites of landmines and unexploded ordinance left over from the 1991-95 Croatian Homeland War. Of this area, some 6 km² is in Kopački rit and 19 km² is in Mura Drava. The mine clearance should ensure safe access to the parks for visitors and conservationists, making it possible to implement environmental management plans.
Landmines cleared from protected areas in Croatia
- 16 August 2019
Through the project more than 25 km² of protected and Natura 2000 forest will be cleared of landmines and other explosive remnants of the Croatian Homeland War. This will grant safe access to visitors and nature protection stakeholders, allowing implementation of forest and Natura 2000 management plans, biological restoration of more than 1 000 hectares of forest, construction of forest fire-fighting infrastructure and establishment of a water and groundwater monitoring system that are extremely important for the conservation of the biodiversity-rich Danube-Drava wetland areas.
Naturavita is also restoring 1 021 hectares of forest and wetland, including by replacing 441 hectares of alien species with five indigenous types of forest species and by revitalising 100 hectares of rare wetland grass. In addition, the project is limiting the negative effects of biotic and abiotic factors on local ecosystems.
Another aspect of the work is strengthening protection against forest fires. To this end, firebreaks – gaps in vegetation to slow or stop fires – covering 107 hectares, with a total length of 33 km and including four bridges, are being created.
To support conservation of water-dependant ecosystems in the Danube-Drava wetlands and floodplains, a system for monitoring surface water and groundwater quality and quantity is being set up. It will be backed up by the definition of retention capacities and management objectives, and the performance of a study on revitalisation of wetlands in Kopački rit.
Awareness raising
Given their rich biodiversity, Kopački rit and Mura Drava are protected under Croatian law, Natura 2000 and the Ramsar Convention – an intergovernmental treaty on wetland conservation. However, due to the landmines, they have not been managed in line with sustainable principles and have fallen into neglect.
Naturavita is raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity, sustainable forest management, ecosystem services and water-dependent ecosystems, and of the dangers of landmine contamination. This is being achieved by developing and implementing educational programmes for school children, students, forestry workers and local people, and by training trainers. Four educational trails around the project areas are being set up and the existing Podravlje educational centre being adapted.
Risk analysis and good practice
In the preparation phase, risk analysis was a key part of the activity. One budget-related risk concerned the size of the area over which the forest restoration was to be carried out. Forest restoration entails various tasks, each of which requires a range of items. For example, replanting white willow trees involved using a chipper and other equipment, purchasing 625 seedlings per hectare, transport, building a protective fence and the labour of a large number of workers.
On the other hand, the beneficiary had reliable data on previous forest restoration work and sound cost-accounting practices. This led to a decision to develop simplified cost options in the form of standard-scale unit costs per hectare of forest restored. In the implementation phase, the partners thus only have to demonstrate the number of hectares of forest restored through photos, reports from the supervising forestry engineer and GPS coordinates, rather than through extensive financial documentation. This reduces the administrative burden and the risk of irregularities, and leaves more time and resources for practical aspects of the work.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “NATURAVITA – mine clearance, regeneration and protection of forest and forest land in protected areas and Natura 2000 sites in the Danube-Drava region” is EUR 49 577 107, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 41 334 125 through the “Competitiveness and Cohesion” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “TO6 Environment and resource efficiency”.