Author: Kruno Bošnjaković

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European experts attend our guidelines for dry grassland management workshop

At the beginning of May, Dinara back to LIFE project hosted a workshop where around 40 European experts from the field of nature protection gathered to contribute in drafting of the Guidelines for sustainable management of dry grasslands.

The exchange of knowledge and learning together are one of the biggest benefits of LIFE projects, and the contribution of international experts will certainly benefit the quality and results of Dinara back to LIFE project.

Guidelines for dry grassland management

The reason for this gathering of experts was to participate in the development of Guidelines for Dry Grassland Restoration and Management. In the 3-and-a-half years of duration, Dinara back to LIFE will test methods for dry grassland restoration and management. Based on the collected data and testing experience, the project will develop Guidelines for Dry Grassland Restoration and Management, suited for institutions that are managing dry grasslands in Croatia. International experts were invited to a workshop on behalf of their expertise and rich experience. Their input was crucial to incorporate European context and lessons of other similar grassland restauration projects to Dinara back to LIFE, helping the transferability of the results.

Brendan Dunford, Engin Yilmaz, and Elsa Varela are just few examples of the leading experts that have brought a fresh perspective and inspiration to our project. We are thankful for the contribution of all of the experts and their support means that our results are more likely to find application in a broader European context.

Three main topics discussed were:

Grazing for biodiversity

Livestock keeping as a tradition, way of life and an occupation is the key for dry grassland preservation. Compared to the past few decades, the system has been completely changed and remaining livestock keepers need stronger support now than ever before.

In order to preserve livestock farming and conduct grazing in a way it benefits biodiversity, the key challenges have been identified as these:

  • Lack of institutional support for livestock keepers
  • Lack of knowledge on which approach works/doesn’t work
  • Biodiversity is not valued enough when pastures are leased out and leases are extended

Controlled burning as a dry grassland restoration method

Controlled burning is a traditional and, conditionally, a natural way of dry grassland preservation. This workshop explored the necessity of controlled burning for the preservation of biodiversity, primarily for species that prefer burned habitats. The fact that controlled burning does not increase carbon footprint as it is conducted in the colder part of the year, when burning intensity is much less and does not damage the rhizosphere was also discussed. Another important topic discussed was spatial planning that would increase the landscape’s resistance to wildfires. It would create a mosaic that includes areas for pasture and/or controlled burning over which summer wildfires could not spread out. Key challenges identified:

Challenges

  • Poor knowledge of current scientific literature on carbon sequestration in dry grasslands and carbon footprint of dry grasslands managed by grazing and controlled burning
  • Legislation issues, namely inconsistency in forestry, environment conservation, and nature conservation legislations
  • Technical implementation of controlled burning on large areas
  • Public perception and approval of controlled burning
  • Potential conflict with hunters

Financial instruments available for grassland restoration

Dinara back to LIFE is the beginning of the work on the protection of Dinara dry grasslands, and the project pointed out the many challenges that management institutions will face in planning dry grassland conservation activities. The lack of a stable source of funding for conservation activities is only a part of the problem, and in order to bring about positive change, we need to start from the coordination and cooperation of different sectors and different legal regulations.

Challenges

  • Non-existent sustainable economic model relating to extensive livestock farming and other activities which contribute to the preservation of dry grasslands
  • Inconsistent legislation
  • Lack of cooperation between different sectors (forestry, hunting, agriculture, nature protection) in managing dry grasslands

The workshop is one of the initial steps in preparing the content of Guidelines for Dry Grassland Restoration and Management. In the final year of project implementation, the project team will work intensively on developing these guidelines and they will be publicly presented in early 2023.

Participants also used this gathering to showcase some of their own projects which are an inspiration and examples of good practice in nature conservation.

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Vladimir and Tanja – good people whose hearts have led them to Peruća and cattle herding

Born 78 years ago in Marinci village on Cetina river, textile technology and engineering graduate Vladimir Marinko returned to his birthplace, now on reservoir lake Peruća, to breathe the sweet air of his youth. As a man ready for challenges, he spontaneously got involved in livestock breeding. Last autumn, this proud Dalmatian man received an offer to take over a herd of 40 goats which he happily accepted, motivated by our project and a vision of the area he lives in. Led by intuition, love and a combination of other circumstances, his 51-year-old niece Tanja Marinko Mastilović, who has formerly worked in healthy living, decided to join this man of youthful spirit in his adventure.

Tanja with the herd

When proud Dalmatian man Marinko received this offer, he had already been living in the Garjak hamlet for ten years. At the time, his niece Tanja came for a short visit. He introduced her to his plan, and since they concluded what a great opportunity it was, they started this journey together, even without any previous experience with livestock breeding. They courageously took over a herd of goats, a job completely different from anything they had done before. Naturally, they had many questions to be answered and challenges to be conquered from the start, but everything was easier with the help of their fellow cattle-herders and neighbours. These two urban people thus took the responsibility of working on a larger herd of goats housed in a hundred-year-old family home and entered a sustainable lifestyle in harmony with nature.

Vladimir and his speciality – “uštipci”

At the first visit of our team’s members to his home, Vladimir, as a friendly, warm man, told us, „you will always find a warm welcome and a cold beverage when you come to visit me“ – and so it is in every occasion. In addition to our teams’ expert advice to help these newcomers, the trail used for goats to reach their drinking area at the Peruća lake has been partially cleaned through the project. In addition, Mr. Marinko hopes that the spring called Turski bunar between Koljane and Garjak could be renewed, as well as the puddle located 10 meters downstream from the source, about 200 meters above Peruća lake.

Goats on their way to Peruća lake

What a typical day with goats looks like depends on the weather. In the wintertime, while frost lasts and the weather is cold, goats stay in the barn, being fed. When the weather becomes suitable, a team member leads their herd to graze throughout the warmer part of the day. Goats prefer hornbeam, cornelian cherry, blackberry, elm and ivy buds, as well as acorns, while they also prefer mistletoe, so the shepherd tries to offer it when he has the chance. The second team member usually spends time in the barn, preparing feed – barley, oats and corn, while simultaneously taking care of the youngest kids. During the warmer periods of the year, the animals spend the day in the shade.

Vladimir

New goat-herders learned very quickly that goats are not taken out in the rain and low temperatures, as well as that they are very tame and that they are very easy to guard because they do not move away from their keeper. What is important, they also learned, is that vitamins and selenium are very important for goats, because without them the goat becomes passive very quickly and within three days it literally falls off its feet.

Marinko remembers that, while he was younger, in times of intensive livestock breeding, the area of Ježević dry grassland and the coast of Cetina lacked in vegetation and juniper “was nowhere near, not a single plant”. Some could only be found far “below the ridge” on the steeper slopes of Mt. Dinara and above the houses, and even those few would be pruned and used for meat smoking. Ježević dry grassland consisted of “rocky terrain and grassland,” without vegetation back then, as a plateau with thousands of cattle. He also recalls seeing a stone-curlew in the nearby area, in the clearing and around the rocks. Marince hamlet had seven households, each having a donkey with a foal – on the stretch from Ježević to the Dragović monastery only, Mr. Marinko estimates, there were as many as 200 donkeys. As well as goats, they were not guarded, but would first go to Cetina river to a drinking place and then to the upper areas to graze, where they would eat that small amount of juniper found there. Clear terrain as such was ideal for this target species of ours, on the return of which we are working intensively.

Apart from being a man who dared to start livestock breeding in his mature age, Mr. Marinko showed courage earlier when he had decided to return to his homeland on foot, having crossed over 600 kilometers from his then home to the place of his birth. As a young man, he went abroad and started his career at a public company for textile import and export and continued to work in his private company in Belgrade. During his life there, he watched the ships sail along the Danube and daydreamed about returning to his native Dalmatia. At his 62nd birthday celebration, a year after becoming a widower, he informed his relatives and friends about his plan to go back to his homeland – on foot. Except for his strong will, he only brought a tent, a bag, a head-lamp and a backpack. During his trip, he would stay in a tent at gas stations along the road, as well in the backyards of good people he met while traveling. At the end of the summer of 2006, after about 20 days of walking, he arrived at Peruća lake’s coast. After arriving, he celebrated the Assumption of Mary at the Dragović Monastery and returned back to his family by bus. The following year he came to sort out his living situation, and has been living in Marinci since 2009, happy and content. Today he is a vital man, embarking on an adventure of a lifetime, no matter how long or short-lived it could be.

Mr. Marinko can be deservedly presented as a versatile man given that he has, in addition to everything mentioned, also written several books about his homeland and family. In his monograph “Kako sam prepešačio život,“ (“How I walked through life”) he described the adventure of returning home by foot while also recalling his youth growing up next to Cetina river. “Povratak u San Marinke“ (“Going back to San Marinci”) could be described as the family tree of his multinational family in written form. His poems are collected in “Miris nevena“ (“The smell of marigold”), while “Pelene i znoj“ (“Diapers and sweat”) recorded 12 true stories about women from the Vrlika region, about the hardships they went through in life, the unfortunate times of war and about their husbands who went away to make money for their families well-being. In the collection “Dalmatinske ojkalice“ (“Dalmatian ojkalice”) he successfully gathered around 800 ojkalica, rera or ganga songs as these are called in the Sinj area and in Herzegovina. This tireless man is currently writing a romance novel, “Katarina Marina“ (“Mara’s Katarina”) between two people of different religions, Katarina and Marko, who fight for their love while dealing with the pressure of those around them.

Mr. Vladimir Marinko’s life philosophy is to be kind to other people. In his youth, when the families were left without their land along Cetina river after the construction on Peruća lake, most family members immigrated, except for his mother Ilinka Marinko, born Ivanica Duvnjak, who remained there. Since he was forced to leave in search of a better life, the help he got along the way affected him greatly – “we nurtured that part of the emotions, that feeling of kindness, generosity and sympathy. The kindness of the people left a strong impact on me.” Marinko believes that, regardless of what someone does, “you don’t need to feel the regret, kindness always pays off,” and that conversation can solve every obstacle.

The challenge of caring for a goat herd was new to Mrs. Tanja, but also familiar because it reminded her of caring for children. She explains that she had got as many answers as there were questions she had asked people regarding raising offspring, and the same situation happened again with goat farming. Even though she points out that the job is physically hard and demanding, she emphasizes how it makes her feel alive and happy with where she is. Since Tanja’s plan from last autumn to come to Peruća for a quick visit went in an unexpected direction, she doesn’t make plans anymore, “The best is yet to come. It may be wisest not to plan.”

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Knin students attend workshops on project implementation and remote sensing for map-making

Recently, we had an opportunity to present Dinara back to LIFE project to students of Marko Marulić Polytechnic in Knin. We held two workshops, one aimed at the economy students to whom we presented our experiences in writing and implementing projects. The other workshop, for agriculture students, covered remote sensing for map-making purposes.

Projects are our reality, a very common part of the hiring process, and a tool for completing an organization’s goals. Also, they are a way to find answers for community issues. We hope the experience from Dinara back to LIFE project gave students a good insight into what projects are like in real life, what makes nature conservation projects special, how to begin thinking about a project, and how to deal with the most common challenges. Special thanks go to members of Ecological Association “Krka” Knin who took part in the presentation, introduced themselves to the students and shared the challenges they face.

During the remote sensing workshop for agriculture students, we presented the scheme and the protocol we used to make the Dinara grasslands map, one of the activities we had during the project. We also showed them the basics of working in GIS software. Students were also introduced to the basics of remote sensing in biology, and through the practical part of the workshop, they had the opportunity to see and analyze satellite imagery, as well as to try different ways of classifying in order to create a grassland map. After the workshop, students were given the scheme and the protocol so they can repeat the process we covered in the workshop themselves later.

Once again, we want to make students aware of possible opportunities where they could start developing and working on their own initial projects. In addition to connecting to local groups, the European Solidarity Corps project is an excellent opportunity where young people, even those that are not members of an existing organisation, can apply in self-organised groups of five. With European Solidarity Corps they have an opportunity to help answer community issues while undertaking their first steps in project writing and implementation. More information on this programme can be found here – https://www.europskesnagesolidarnosti.hr/hr/sadrzaj/o- programu/projekti-solidarnosti/ [CRO]

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A visit to a good practice example in Drniš – how to deal with juniper?

Dinara back to LIFE project team in April visited an example of good practice, Drniš branch of Croatian Forestry, which boasts with large pastures they lease out where stone-curlew and short-toed lark can still be found. The team also visited a master of beautiful susak cups, made from juniper.

Recently we visited a good practice example, the Drniš branch of Croatian Forestry, which is very successful in leasing land, and a craftsman who makes juniper cups.
A finished “susak”

This visit was attended by representatives of our project partners – University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Croatian Forestry, Local Action Group (LAG) Cetinska Krajina, and Biom Association, as well as representatives from the Croatian Forestry Drniš branch, Public Institution (JU) “Priroda” from Šibenik-Knin County, and National Park Krka.

First part of the visit took place in Pokrovnik area near Drniš, one of the last remaining habitats of stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) and short-toed lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) in Croatia. However, this area is under risk of becoming overgrown like the pastures on Dinara have been, mostly with juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus), and should therefore be restored to prevent the loss of this habitat. This idea was well accepted by representatives of Croatian Forestry.

Project team, representatives of Drniš branch of Croatian Forestry, JU Priroda and NP Krka near Pokrovnik.

Drniš area is traditionally a cattle herding area, an activity that is supported by the Croatian Forestry Drniš branch – they currently have 350 lease contracts which cover 9000 Ha, as Ante Slamić, manager from the Forestry tells us. The Pokrovnik area is also under lease and is expected to have nesting stone-curlew and short-toed lark. Slamić points out that when leasing out land it’s important that the governing bodies – Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development – better coordinate their work. Representatives of NP Krka also added that when leasing land it’s important to let the local governing bodies know in a timely manner whether the land in question is protected under Natura 2000. The boundaries of NP Krka touch stone-curlew and short-toed lark habitat areas.

Grassland near Pokrovnik which is being overgrown by juniper.

The grassland near Pokrovnik is one of the last habitat for short-toed lark and stone-curlew in Croatia, and is currently being overgrown by juniper, or “šmrika” as it is locally called. The very same process endangered their habitat in Ježević dry-grassland, so the question arose of the possibility of removing unwanted woody vegetation. Drniš Forestry branch expressed understanding of the need to preserve the grassland as a habitat, and they took into account the possibility of starting the process of manual removal of juniper on the grassland near Pokrovnik, which would be carried out exclusively by Croatian Forestry. The possibility has been presented to make this terrain a pilot area in the near future, since with each season this grassland is being overgrown more and more. Given that the Forest Management Program for this area is under revision, it is an ideal time for new measures. A proposal came from Biom to combine both quick and long-term solutions in the area of Pokrovnik, before stone-curler and short-toed lark completely disappear from the area.

Ante Slamić sees great potential in juniper utilization

Slamić believes that in time, everything that can burn, including juniper, will be highly valued, and he sees confirmation of this in the rise in energy prices in the shadow of unrests in Eastern Europe. Demand already exists – bio-power plant will soon open in this area. The managers of the power-plant expressed the need for 50 tons of juniper to test the potential of juniper for energy production. This plant species is of very high quality, above the level of oak and beech, Slamić emphasizes, so it can be used to make various useful items. Juniper is adundant in this area, and beyond, so it can be managed over a longer period of time. Juniper is also specific in the sense that other plant species can be directly and strongly affected by livestock, while the impact of animals on juniper is much smaller and must be removed manually. An economically sustainable model that everyone would be satisfied with – the managers, the cattle-herders and the organizations that work on nature conservation – is the best solution, Slamić emphasized, and one such thing is in sight for Pokrovnik. The plots will be more interesting to lessees when they are not overgrown, Croatian Forestry has their own interest in their lease, while the bird species need such an open habitat. The problem of overgrowing by juniper in large areas of Croatia, all present agreed, should be brought forward to the ministries’ levels, and solutions that all the interested stakeholders agree on should be presented.

One of the problems in the leased areas is the electric shepherds that cattle breeders set up to make it easier to keep their flocks, while hunters see this infrastructure as restricting the movement of wildlife. Electric shepherds are common on the pastures of Drniš, where cows come to graze, which are popular among cattle breeders since they are simple to take care of, and have greater incentives. Hunters, however, are concerned about wildlife migration. The needs of cattle breeders and the concerns of hunters can be reconciled by the method of segmented grazing – the system of placing electric shepherds on a maximum of 20% of the leased area, and after that fenced part of the pasture is grazed, the electric shepherd would move to the next area of similar size.

The biggest problem in this area, Slamić pointed out, are wildires, 95% of which, as he believes, happen due to human negligence, and only about 5% are caused by other factors such as lightning, train sparks, etc. Education is important in this case, which would therefore save many areas from fire. An additional tool in limiting the spread of wildfires are open grasslands that, when caught by the fire, burn with weaker flames than forest or bush wildfires. The fire also spreads slowly in grassland areas – so the grassland helps put out the fire. In addition, juniper affected by wildfire often does not burn completely, as thicker branches remain in the habitat, which does not suit stone-curlew and short-toed lark, so this unburned wood material must be removed manually.

Working on a piece of juniper

The visit to the example of good practice continued in Siverić with Ivan Mlađa Tomić, a master who makes susak cups from šmrika, a characteristic Drniš cup similar to bukara His susak cups are beautiful vessels, handmade from this hard material and an expression of local tradition, as well as a way of sustainable use of naturally available resource.

Pieces of juniper being dried for two years in master Mlađo warehouse

The process of producing just one susak is very time consuming. It begins by collecting bits of wood from a plant that can be cut only through November, December, January and February. The handle for the future susak is prepared by cooking or heating thin branches which are then bent and dried. The drying process takes as long as a year and a half to two on the shelves of the master’s workshop. The pieces of juniper that the master collected, prepared and marked this winter will, therefore, be ready for processing – in 2024!

Bent branches will serve as susak handles

Of the collected wooden material, 70% will remain, while the remaining 30% will be unusable because it will rot or be eaten by worms or perish in some other way. After drying in the warehouse, the wood pieces go for additional drying for another month or two. After cutting the pieces of juniper into the tiles that will make up the susak, 70 to 80 percent of the unusable wooden pieces are discarded again.

Each susak is made by 14+1 wooden pieces

One susak requires 14+1 wooden tiles, regardless of the size of the susak. Smaller wooden tiles are used to make smaller volumes, while larger pieces are used to make higher volumes, but always fifteen (one with a handle). Each susak is special and unique, but they are all made to measure. Wooden pieces for susak are joined exclusively without gluing, with a tin ring. In the final phase of work, one work day is needed for the final production of one susak. What is interesting about susak, from which the drink is traditionally drunk “in a circle”, one man after another, is that this vessel does not transmit herpes. No such regularity has been established for other disease.

Susak models from which everything has begun

Master Mlađo started making susak cups 25 years ago, as he used this activity as a kind of occupational therapy. The first susak cups he had found and observed trying to understand how they were created, he keeps on the shelf in his workshop to this day. The machines that this electrician works on were made by himself. The one for removing grooves on wooden pieces he worked on for two years, and this machine has been listed in the book of innovations.

The innovative machine

The master of juniper processing passes on his knowledge to younger generations – at fairs he holds creative workshops for children, leaving it them to make wooden objects on their own. He passes his work and expertise to them, thus opening the door to preserving this skill.

A stylized susak made from hedge in front of master Mlađo’s house in Siverić
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A new research has begun – exclusion cages set on Dinara

Professors Hrvoje Kutnjak and Josip Leto and assistant Lucija Rajčić from the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb have recently set up so-called “exclusion cages”, as part of research for our project.

Prof Kutnjak on the field

These roller cages are about a meter and a half in diameter and one meter high, constructed of wire mesh, and attached to the ground. Their purpose is to prevent livestock from accessing this excluded piece of lawn. In this way, the set of grassland is preserved locally as well as the growth of plants. This method ultimately provides experts with the possibility of better insight into the botanical composition and productivity of grasslands in the project area.

Cages prevent grazing on the excluded section of the grassland

A total of six cages have been set up, four of which are in Ježević dry grassland, while two are in the Podinarje area near Kijevo. The cages are marked with leaflets with a message asking random passers-by not to touch the cages and thus help the research conducted in the Dinara area.

This year we plan to set-up additional cages. The results obtained will give a better insight into the utilization of grassland’s natural resource as well as new knowledge useful for grassland management in protected areas.

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Additional three donkeys join our project flock

Our project flock has been increased by three new donkeys – Ivan Kaselj from Ježević acquired one female and two male donkeys, increasing his flock size to five. A sixth addition is expected in a few months!

The new males are two and nine years old, and the female is six and is currently pregnant with a foal – which will increase this flocks’ size to six this summer. Cattle-herder Kaselj’s plan is to eventually increase his flock size to 10 donkeys.

Kaselj takes his donkeys to Ježević dry field out to pasture, and new animals are taught the way by following a trail of corn from their stable to the pasture, with this training lasting several months. Afterwards, the donkeys can find their own way to the pasture and in the evening back to their stable.

Kaselj’s donkeys eat young juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus), as well as soft shoots of more mature juniper plants. In addition to his donkeys, this herder also has 40-ish goats which he keeps for dairy production, as well as two cows. His goats also graze on older parts of juniper plants, says Kaselj.

Thanks to this rich mixed flock the grassland at Ježević dry field will be improved as these animals graze on juniper bushes – the main cause of recession of fields on Dinara – but as the local flocks grow in both number and types of grazing animals, especially donkeys, the process of overgrowing by woody vegetation will be significantly slowed down. However, complete restoration and increase of grassland areas which are overgrown by bushes can only be achieved by controlled burning and manual removal of woody vegetation, which would then be followed by grazing. There, the donkeys would eat any new shoots thus preventing the woody plants from taking hold again.

Our project flock was formed in order to slow down and stop further overgrowing using targeted grazing and so far. So far, we have had 6 contracts with local cattle-herders signed. These herders have a lease on land within the project areas that also overlap with the habitats of stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) and short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) – the bird species whose protection is the main goal behind this project. In order to reduce selective grazing, we encourage acquisition of animals with different grazing preferences as this allows us to target more intense grazing on woody plants, primarily juniper which is the main plant found in overgrown areas. As local herders mainly keep sheep, goats, or cows, we encouraged them to consider getting more hoofed animals such as donkeys to complete the flock and maximise grazing efficiency. With the support from the project the herders were able to add additional 22 horses and donkeys to their already existing flocks, thus raising the total project flock number to around 880 animals – 760 sheep, 90 goats, nine cows, and the aforementioned horses and donkeys. We’re hoping the herders will continue to keep mixed flocks even after the project finishes in summer 2023 and that the number of horses and donkeys will keep increasing due to natural growth. This will ensure grassland overgrowing will be slowed on a long-term scale. If we also manage to affect the practices and legal framework concerning manual woody vegetation removal combined with grazing, it could make a significant difference and shift on a local scale of the overgrowth trend we’re currently seeing, at least on the project area.

Ivan Kaselj and his donkey

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We’re developing our project flock in cooperation with local herders who own or lease the land in areas important as habitats for the project birds, these areas being Ježević dry field i Kijevo dry field.

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Restoration season has finished – 47,6 ha of grassland on Ježević suhopolje has been cleared

At the end of March our first restoration season finished, which started in September last year, in which 47,6 ha of Ježević suhopolje grassland has been cleared of woody vegetation. By doing this a large grassland area has been made available for the return of Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) and Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) to an area which had no record of Stone-curlew last year.

Stone-curlew and short-toed lark

The manual removal of woody vegetation on Ježević suhopolje began in September alongside the educational-volunteer camp Dinara back to LIFE which lasted for two work-intense weeks where 18 students and 20 other volunteers and participants started manually removing woody vegetation and so improved 28,8 ha of grassland. During this first phase methodology was developed considering the tools used as well as a timeline for necessary work. In addition, the 18 students also attended a series of lectures and gained a theoretical understanding of habitat restoration, knowledge they will be able to use in their future activities.

Kamp attendees at the cleared part of Ježević suhopolje

Immediately after the camp finished, the restoration was continued by restoration workers Mario Grčić i Ivan Kekez who started a 6-month season of clearing the Ježević suhopolje from woody vegetation. The removal was carried out on the area next to the area previously cleared during the camp. Despite the work being very physical and monotonous the two workers are satisfied – ‘’I work in nature and heal myself’’, says Grčić. A mechanical technician by profession he was previously working in construction and baking, and now he says ‘’for the first time I go to work singing!’’. Kekez, a driver and firefighter started this work because he loves animals and nature, and he enjoys this type of work – ‘’This is both work and relaxation to me. I enjoy the work and it’s made me feel more youthful!’’. Fieldwork is calm and peaceful and wildlife encounters are rare, a shepherd will come through with his herd now and again. These workers were also a part of other activities during the season, including pond and stone dry wall restoration.

Manual removal of woody vegetation is a crucial part of grassland restoration efforts on Dinara. Large areas have become overgrown over the decades due to mass emigration and a gradual abandonment of cattle breeding in the area. As a grassland gets more overgrown it is less and less grazed accelerating the habitat degradation process. In order to stop and reverse this process woody vegetation has to be manually removed as grazing alone is not enough due to large bushes and small trees which cannot be eaten by grazing animals and therefore they continue to grow and spread unless manually removed.  This removal method guarantees a complete and thorough clearing of all types of woody vegetation, especially juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) which unlike other vegetation, cannot be significantly managed with livestock and therefore must be manually removed. During the 7 month restoration season we did just that – we cleared a relatively large portion of the grassland, mostly from juniper, for the benefit of wildlife as well as domesticated animals, with a goal of perserving this grassland with the help of local shepherds and their herds, and eventually expanding the cleared area in continuing these restoration practices. The presence of grazing cattle will help keep the grassland in a good condition and prevent any future overgrowth by woody vegetation.

Parallel to the woody vegetation removal a ‘project flock was formed, made up from cattle from 6 local herds which already graze on target areas in Kijevo suhopolje and Ježević suhopolje. Grazing on the cleared area will prevent future overgrowth by juniper and other such vegetation, which will in the long run preserve and improve the grassland habitat for the above-mentioned bird species, which are themselves the aim of this project. Both the Stone-curlew and the Short-toed Lark are dependent on open areas with scattered low vegetation without any obstacles in the area. Usually residing in semi-desert areas which are sparse in Croatia, but are found in Kijevo suhopolje and Ježević suhopolje, and a few other locations. By improving the habitat conditions for these species, we are directly improving the habitat for numerous other species dependant on open areas and therefore also contributing to their conservation as well.

There will be no restoration work at the foothills of Dinara until the end of August as nesting season is underway and the birds require peace, this year we are especially hopeful we will see nesting Stone-curlews as they have not been seen in the area since 2020.

In order to increase overall grassland area, we are staring a new restoration season in September, increasing our ‘project herd’ and intensifying the grazing regime, we’re also hoping we will be permitted to use a third restoration method – controlled burning.

A map of cleared part of Ježević suhopolje
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International experts in Sinj at the ‘European Green Deal – How Croatia Can Strike It?’ panel discussion

International and domestic experts Ariel Brunner from BirdLife International, the world’s biggest organization for protection of birds, Brendan Dunford from the Burren Programme, Engin Yilman from Yolda Initiative, and Aljoša Duplić from the Croatian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development will be the speakers at the ‘European Green Deal – How Croatia Can Strike It?’ panel discussion, organized by the Association Biom in Sinj on May 9 within the Dinara back to LIFE project.

European Green Deal is the start of a new era in European history and marks the strategy of growth that the EU countries will use to face climate and environmental challenges and to transform their economies and societies to make them sustainable. We can freely say that biodiversity has never been more important, however, the key lies in finding the balance between the need to protect nature and biodiversity on one side, and human activity and economy on the other. There’s an influx of nature protection challenges, and the current energy crisis puts additional pressure on balancing nature protection with the needs for economic development, as well as renewable energy sources.

„With this panel discussion, we aim to hear examples and experiences in nature conservation from the entire world and to comment on challenges and possibilities that are opening for Croatia in this period. It is an honor to host experts with such knowledge and experience on our panel. We invite all to take part live or via live stream“ – Željka Rajković, director of Association Biom noted.

European Green Deal responds to challenges set forth by climate change and habitat degradation, aiming to improve the quality of life for current and future generations. Thusly, it is important for citizens to take part and follow national policies. Only cooperation can guarantee the Green Deal to succeed and bring permanent change.

The themes of the panel will include the purpose of the Green Deal and its significance for specific sector policies such as energy and agriculture; experience of EU countries in Green Deal implementation; challenges and opportunities for Croatia; positive experience from the Mediterranean basin in harmonizing nature and human activity, and other current issues.

Speakers at the panel are international and domestic experts in nature conservation.

Ariel Brunner coordinates the work of BirdLife Europe on a wide range of EU policies ranging from nature and biodiversity conservation, to climate and energy, fisheries and agriculture. Over the last decade, he has been deeply involved in debates on reform of the Common Agriculture Policy and is widely recognized as a prominent expert on the environmental impacts of EU farm policies.

In recent years, he has played a leading role in advocacy around the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and the NatureAlert campaign to defend and improve the implementation of the EU nature protection legislation. He has been very active in debates over the sustainability of renewable energy and bioenergy in particular as a leading critic of EU support for biofuels. Currently, he is a board member of the Renewable Grid Initiative and a member of the EC Platform on Sustainable Finance.

Brendan Dunford has spent the past 20 years living and working in the Burren region in the west of Ireland, where he led the award-winning BurrenLIFE Project (2005-2010) and currently manages its successor, the ‘Burren Programme’ www.burrenprogramme.com. This innovative ‘results-based payment’ programme incentivizes farmers on over 23,000ha of priority limestone habitats to improve local biodiversity, water quality, and cultural heritage, delivering consistent social, economic, and environmental gains annually since its inception in 2010.

Dunford is the founder of the Burrenbeo Trust www.burrenbeo.com –a leading advocate for place-based learning and community stewardship in Ireland – and a founder of www.farmingfornature.ie which aims to acknowledge, celebrate and support farmers across Europe who work on nature protection. In 2011 he became an Ashoka Fellow and in 2018 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Galway for his work in championing farmland biodiversity.

Engin Yılmaz is the director of the Yolda Initiative which is a nature conservation organization based in Turkey and working at an international level. He is also the coordinator of the Alliance for Mediterranean Nature and Culture (AMNC) and the co-chair of Europe IYRP Support Group. He has a long career at civil society organizations, a major part of which he devoted himself to nature conservation. Founding Yolda Initiative in 2015, his research and conservation interest since then has been mainly focused on cultural practices, particularly mobile pastoralism, that benefit biodiversity. Engin gained valuable experience also as the director of the BirdLife partner in Turkey where he worked from 2010 to 2015.

Aljoša Duplić is a director of the Institute for Environment and Nature at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. He has PhD in Biological Sciences from the Faculty of Science at the University of Zagreb. Prior to being a director, he was head of the Sector for nature protection at the Institute for Environment and Nature. During 16 years of experience in the field of nature conservation, he worked on different topics from nature conservation, mostly connected with species conservation and sites. He actively participated in the preparation of the Proposal of the national ecological network and also the Croatian proposal of the Natura 2000 ecological network. He worked on development of framework for implementation of the management of Natura 2000 ecological network (sites) in Croatia through the Operational program for cohesion and competitiveness. Additionally, he worked on the development and implementation of the system for monitoring, rapid response, contro,l and eradication of the invasive alien species.

The panel discussion European Green Deal – How Croatia Can Strike It? is taking part on May 9, from 4 PM to 6 PM at the Multimedia Hall of the Alka Museum, at Put Petrovca 12 in Sinj. The language of the discussion is English. It will be moderated by journalist Domagoj Novokmet.

Panel discussion can be watched online, at the Biom YouTube channel –

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Absence of rain and severe frosts – main challenges for Dinara beekeepers

Climate change is the biggest obstacle to sustainable beekeeping – it is the conclusion reached at the round-table discussion “Challenges in beekeeping” held in Vrlika at the start of February. Specifically, disturbance in precipitation regime and more frequent droughts have a negative impact on vegetation, especially on wild honey plants; the absence of heavy rains in spring causes a delay in vegetation, making it difficult for honeybees to survive during increasingly dry summers; sporadic late-spring frosts have adverse effects on plants and yield. Beekeepers have also detected a new climate pattern – frequent occurrence of strong bura wind after rainfall which then very quickly dries out the soil.

The main activity of “Dinara back to LIFE” project is the restoration of Dinara grasslands due to their importance for nature and the biodiversity itself, which will benefit all the Dinara residents. Beekeepers, users of Dinara grasslands, are stakeholders in the project, which supports them with interconnecting and advocating solutions to their benefit. Round table discussions are also held to create space for dialogue and discussion, which can help bring out the issues, and ultimately enable beekeepers and decision-makers to create better conditions for beekeeping through stronger cooperation, and thus provide indirect environmental and economic benefits for this area.

Attendees of the second beekepers round table discussion in the project, held in Vrlika were beekeepers associations from the northern part of Dinara, BA „Dinara“ from Vrlika, BA „Vrisak“ from Kijevo and BA „Drača“ from Knin. The first round table discussion, held in Sinj in October, gathered representatives of beekeepers associations from the southern part of the project area, which includes the towns of Sinj and Trilj, and the municipalities of Otok and Hrvace.

Mirko Ljubičić, the president of the Split-Dalmatia county Beekeepers Association, mr. sc. Zora Kažimir on the behalf of the Public institution MORE I KRŠ, Ivica Mastelić on the behalf of the town of Sinj and Martin Ercegovac, Mayor of Kijevo, expressed support for beekeepers in Vrlika and Sinj with their participation in said events.

At the round table discussion in Vrlika, organized by the LAG „Cetinska Krajina“, which gathered around 20 beekeepers, it was emphasized that climate change in recent years has been making beekeeping in this area unprofitable, so more and more beekeepers are giving up, even those who have been doing it for years during which they obtained a lot of beehives. On the other hand, new beekeepers are starting to get involved in beekeeping. Seasonal pressure also occurs in this area – Dinara beekeepers claim that the recommended pressure is about 10 hives per square kilometer, yet during the season beekeepers start to come from other regions, so there can be up to 5000 hives in the region at that time.

Due to the lack of bee forage, beekeepers suggest planting trees and shrubs, such as winter savory, sage, lavender, rosemary, linden and chestnut, since they are the most suitable species for this area. Rosemary is particularly interesting as a plant that blooms twice a year. Given the climatic characteristics of this area, the most suitable trees are the ones resistant to high-temperature differences throughout the year. Beekeepers’ advice is to plant honey plants in public areas, which requires the consent of Croatian Forestry and Croatian Waters. Another proposition would be planting windbreaks consisting of honey trees, which had already been done last year in Sinjsko polje, where black alder, white willow and linden were planted.

Beekeepers are interested in purchasing a larger number of honey plant seedlings to plant next to their lots, an idea which received support from the mayor of Kijevo. Seedlings would be purchased through beekeepers associations for a lower purchase price. They also stated that other farmers disapprove if they try to plant honey plants on their initiative.

Maintaining the bees’ health is a key activity for hives preservation which is why it is required to treat hives twice a year, although a need for three treatments may occur as varroa becomes more resistant. Additional financial pressure regarding treatment comes from the regulation which states that the beekeeper must buy remedies in advance. The state later refunds the remedy purchase. However, it is sometimes difficult for retirees among beekeepers to set aside several thousand kunas at once for this purpose. A bigger problem even is the lack of sustainable incentive system. Incentives in agriculture are currently calculated per unit (e.g. hectare or head), with the exception of beekeeping. The state co-finances only the purchase of equipment for beekeepers, so they want to propose an idea of a system of incentives per hive.

Beekeepers proposed cooperation with Croatian Forestry in regards to cleaning, restoration and expansion of existing forest tracks. Due to their poor condition, some of them pose an obstacle to utilizing Dinara higher areas for bee forage, especially during the summer. It would be important to form road widenings, e.g. building stops for beekeepers to enable them to park or turn their transport vehicles. Forestries now have the opportunity to incorporate these ideas into their management plans.

One of the topics discussed at the round table was the communal treatment against mosquitoes carried out by local self-government units. Harmful effects to bees occur when the insecticide is sprayed using vehicles that pass through inhabited areas. The beekeepers believe that the solution could be in aerial spraying or direct treatment of the wet habitats, the source of mosquito-spread.

The aim of this, as well as the other round table discussions, is to analyze the current situation, combine interests and define steps for the implementation of the agreed agenda. As a result of the round table discussion held in Vrlika, guidelines will be determined for planting honey plants, both in public and private areas.

News published in February could encourage Dinara beekeepers to continue and perhaps even expand their businesses. Namely, Oilseed company from Osijek is offering honey plants’ seeds, as well as several indigenous plants that are hard to obtain. Given the difficulties in obtaining seeds of honey plants, with the exception of phacelia and buckwheat, beekeepers have the opportunity to easily obtain various types of plants such as white melilot, sainfoin, red clover, white mustard, camelina and others.

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture will be implementing „School Honey Day from Croatian apiaries“ again this year with the goal to educate children and their parents about the importance of consuming honey, while promoting honey from Croatian apiaries. This improves market positioning for Croatian beekeepers, which also makes an additional opportunity for Dinara beekeepers.

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Dragodid – keepers of dry stone walls

Studying and conservation of dry stone walls, organizing workshops, presentations, and educational activities, as well as popularising the method itself – these are the missions of 4 Grada Dragodid association which has been involved in this tradition for two decades, mostly in the coastal regions of Croatia. The collaboration between Dinara Back to LIFE and Dragodid began with our Collaborative Council meetings. It was followed by a lecture on stone wall building at the volunteer camp held for students. Restoration of Marunska bunarina, the first pond restored as a part of this project, followed last autumn, only to by continued this year with renovation of dry stone wall near the St. Jacob mountain hut on Vrdovo plateau. We have plans for future projects as well.

Members of Dragodid on field-work

The association was named after a small stone wall village Dragodid on island Vis where the first workshops were held and where the old master builder of dry stone walls Andrija Suić lived. He passed on his knowledge to Dragodid, and was one of the people who gets the most credit regarding the revitalisation of this tradition because he gave guidance and suggestions on this method, as Zvonimir Malbaša, Dragodid member from Sinj, puts it. In the village of Dragodid they used to say, ‘‘even water has 4 grad’’ (“grad” is an old unit used to measure the alcohol percentage in a drin, which equates to approximately 10%), hence the name of the association.

Zvonimir Malbaša

The first informal workshop was held in 2002 while 4 grada Dragodid Association was officially founded in 2007 when they started to expand and take their work more seriously. Today Dragodid has 50 members from all over Croatia, including Slavonija region where stone is not a common material. Majority of their members are ethnologists and architects as well as experts from other fields such as art historians, computer engineers, pharmacists, stonemasons, and other tradespeople etc. The headquarters of the society is in Šapjane near Rijeka.

Looking for a position for a stone

One of the bigger successes of the society is inscribing ‘Art of dry stone walling, knowledge and techniques’ into the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018. This was initiated Dragodid, alongside by stone wall builders from France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Cyprus, and Switzerland. Being inscribed into the UNESCO list is a confirmation of the importance of preserving this building method which is important to the people as well as nature of the Mediterranean. For its work Dragodid has also received the notable European award Europa Nostra, was recognised as a Project of Influence by Best in Heritage and was awarded at the Zagreb Salon of Architecture.

Every year Dragodid organises around 30 stone wall workshops with dozens of participants. These workshops are a great opportunity for those that are interested to get started with dry stone walls building, and especially useful are the multi-day workshops held at Petrebišća summer camp on Učka, where this year they will hold their 13th workshop in a row. Weekend workshops are held on islands, in Dalmatia, as well as Istria, and there one can learn the basics of dry stone wall building. From there everything else is a matter of practice – ‘’people get their hands on their inherited stone wall buildings, try to restore it and quickly they become very skilled in this method’’, encourages Malbaša any future stone wall builders. Malbaša points out the great feedback from their students, large workshop turnout, and overall satisfaction of volunteers – some of which have started their own restoration projects restoring walls therefore spreading the knowledge and increasing the overall number of restored stone walls. The society itself either organised or ran stone wall workshops on 20 islands, 10 protected areas, and 23 towns and municipalities within Croatia, while abroad they took part in stone wall restoration activities in Greece, France, Italy, Portugal, Montenegro, Romania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Member of Dragodid in front of a finished segment of a wall

Last year in Konavle near Dubrovnik, Dragodid organised the International Congress on dry stone, held at European level and was an important event for international dry stone wall building and restoring collaborations. These international collaborations are very important for exchanging knowledge on stone wall building due to the specificity of this method. In the spirit of this exchange Croatian builders also attend workshops abroad, while the workshop held at Petrebišća is attended by foreign volunteers. Considering these countries have different kinds of stone, they also use different building methods, for example, in France where slab-like stone is present – the wall layers are horizontal thus making the wall straight. In general, where there is stone in the world there are stone walls – from those found in South America in the likes of Machu Picchu to the pyramids in Egypt which are also considered type of dry stone wall buildings, Malbaša says imaginatively.

In the middle lof a wall, in the middle of work

In Croatia, each region has its specific way of stone wall building, primarily due to the different types of stone present in Istria, Dalmatia, and more specifically in the Ravni Kotari region where platy limestone is found. Stone walls can also be found outside of Croatia’s coastal regions – in Zagorje they’re often used as retaining walls as their structure is perfect to restrain soil while letting it drain. Additionally, builders adjusted the size and type of stone according to appropriate building methods and wall uses, they knew the area and what to expect in it. For centuries this method was developed and perfected and there was no need to alter it, states Malbaša clarifying the association’s position on this topic.

In the 20 years of informal and 15 years of its formal existence Dragodid engaged with all types of constructions made with the dry stone wall technique, whether it was border-walls, houses, filed huts – ‘bunjas’, ponds, wells, and any other structure built in this technique. Naturally, in coastal Croatia stone is the primary building material and whenever something was built the main consideration was how to use what is available. The builders were also considering the economic implication of their work – when building walls and borders they were simultaneously clearing the land of stone thus creating agricultural land. In addition, fences made of dry stone provided protection from animals, wind, and snow, without having a negative impact on the local wildlife – wild animals could either squeeze through the wall or jump over it, and it can be used by various other species such as lizards, frogs, birds, hedgehogs, snakes, small rodents etc.

At work on Vrdovo plateau

In order to further popularise this method, Dragodid made ‘Gradimo u kamenu’ handbook which gathers the knowledge on this method and presents the framework for building and preserving dry stone walls. This handbook is excellent help for beginners who are only getting started with stone walls. Those wanting to get their own copy can contact the publisher Slobodna Dalmacija, and two chapters are available as a PDF here (Croatian only):  http://www.dragodid.org/gradimo-u-kamenu-ponovno-na-kioscima/

Dragodid also took part in launching of Suhozid.hr website (available in English), open public inventory of Croatian dry stone heritage where everyone is welcome to add photos and locations of any walls, buildings, settlements, structures, ponds, wells, ancient paths and similar constructions, in short every instance of dry stone wall construction one encounters in Croatia.

Last year Dragodid also restored many ponds such as the one in Gaćelezi, on Zlarin, in Konavle, Vučipolje… We’re glad this collaboration had started and that stone wall building has been repopularised in these parts, Malbaša reflects on their work with us on Dinara. „We’re very happy and look forward to future work together“ – he concludes!

Taking rest at the end of dry stone wall restoration activity, done with the guidance of Dragodid members.
Dinara back to LIFE
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