Earlier this year, local livestock breeders joined the “Dinara back to LIFE” project to participate in the restoration of Mt. Dinara’s grasslands by leading their herds to graze in the project area. Thus, farmers from this area are getting directly involved in the project, as the project includes grazing as a project activity.
Through this cooperation, the project moves towards a mixed grazing system, the ideal model of pasture management, since donkeys and horses graze different plant species than sheep and goats.
So far, six livestock breeders have joined the project, and now we’ll present a few of them.
Totić family from Ježević are shepherds engaged in the livestock business for hundreds of years, not just because of the income. Dražen Totić recalled that his great-grandfather, born in 1895, said that the family had not sold a single sheep during his lifetime. During wartime, Totić family had to lead their flock over the mountain, which took them three days. They returned after the war ended. “We reared sheep even when no incentives were given,” says the enthusiastic breeder. This February, two aditional donkeys joined their large flock of 370 sheep, with the help of the “Dinara back to LIFE” project, making it more complete. Thus, young woody vegetation, which has been slowly and relentlessly taking over Mt. Dinara’s pastures for decades, will also be grazed. Totić plans to independently procure a number of donkeys as well, so his herd should grow to around 10 donkeys.
Ivan, Lucija and Dražen Totić
Totić family lives in the homonymous hamlet next to the Cetina river. The flow of the river is a little slower there, and when it overflows, it floods the surrounding field, which represents a natural process of field irrigation. Totić mows this field to feed livestock when there is not enough pasture available. His parents, his wife Lucija and their teenage sons assist him with keeping the largest herd in the area, in this idyllic location. As Totić says, “the children were raised to work”, so they know and can do all the work, from cleaning to baling and carrying hay, or even more demanding tasks.
Sheep in stable
“Peace, freedom and contentment” – Totić states the most beautiful thing in livestock breeding – “I have the freedom to work as I like.” His philosophy is that “one should be satisfied and modest in life.”
Livestock at grazing
Totić believes that for keeping livestock it is crucial to secure high quality conditions in order to maintain their health. When a disease does occur, there are “very good and helpful” veterinarians from Knin, who are ready to help “day and night.”
Experienced shepherd
In the Totić household, work starts at 4 am and ends at 10 pm, but when sheep lamb, it lasts day and night. A large herd grazes on the hill in the morning, and descends towards Cetina river, into a field in an idyllic location overlooking the peak called Kijevo’s Bat, in the afternoon.
According to Totić, the mountain’s higher parts aren’t welcoming for sheep, since there are no passable roads and safe water sources. But this year he will try to lead his flock towards Martinova košara, a plateau in the eastern part of Mt. Dinara at 1300 meters above sea level. And this time, along with the sheep, there will be a new flock of donkeys.
Alegić family from Ježević added two new donkeys to their existing livestock herd – a jack and a jennet from two different herds, in order to avoid kinship. In the process of expanding his herd, he faced the problem of procurement because there are very few donkeys on the market, as was also emphasized by other breeders.
Boris Alegić
Nowadays, as Boris Alegić explains, the donkeys’ age isn’t that important because they are no longer used as pack animals, so donkeys now live for over two decades and are fertile until the age of twenty. He currently owns a total of six donkeys, a flock of 150 sheep and seven cows. Alegić family wants to put more focus on donkeys because they see their importance and potential in the area, something that was recognised through the project, and they received our support for increasing the number of donkeys in their herd to up to 10.
These days, breeders are not only skilled shepherds but also entrepreneurs in the true sense of the word, who must think very clearly and be very thorough in their work in terms of costs and income. So, the prudent breeder Alegić calculated the annual costs and converted them into the number of lambs, where the average value of a lamb at the time of sale is one hundred euros. Therefore, every year, he needs 20 lambs for grain, another 20 to cover the costs of health and pension insurance, 10 lambs for the annual cost of hay, 5-6 lambs are needed for water, about 15 lambs also die each year, and he leaves 20 lambs every year so that herd’s number would not decrease due to the death of older sheep.
Dinara donkey bearing the distinctive “cross” on the back
A sheep can live for about 15 years, but some live only seven if they lamb more often. If a sheep starts lambing at the age of one, it will have a shorter life. On average, sheep lambs once a year, rarely twice a year, and has one, rarely two lambs. Alegić’s flock of 150 sheep can have up to 200 lambs a year. Although seemingly rich, as Alegić says, he wouldn’t be able to survive without state subsidies. The grateful breeder also emphasizes the help he receives from Split-Dalmatia County, which gives him a subsidy of 300kn per lamb.
Donkeys are interesting and useful as a part of the herd because they will eat the hay left over by sheep who are prone to scattering hay, leaving behind around 20% of it. These donkeys will improve grazing by eating plant species that sheep avoid, primarily juniper shoots, the dominant species taking over Mt. Dinara’s pastures. Alegić chose to get donkeys instead of cows to fill his herd mainly because the cow is a bigger feed consumer, as a stable cow needs much more hay.
Alegić’s herd starts going to the open pasture from March 1st, with the start of vegetation. In one day, the herd goes to a location called Kalinića ograda and back. As for the land, in addition to the grassland he has under lease and uses as pasture and for mowing, he needs another 20 hectares of pasture to meet the needs of the herd. Thus, he hopes for new tenders from Croatian Forestry for land lease. The price of renting pastures is 200 to 400 kuna per hectare per year + VAT.
Hamlet Validžići near Kijevo is located right at the foot of Mt. Dinara’s southeastern rock, where the mountain rises steeply towards Ošljak. Without running water, it has five inhabitants, including Petar Validžić.
Petar Validžić
In these conditions, Mr. Validžić keeps a flock of 130 sheep, 30 goats and 4 horses. With the project’s help, he also got a male horse, a mare and a foal, all Croatian Coldblood breed. He wanted horses because they can successfully defend themselves from wolves, due to their size and strength, while a donkey would be killed by wolves. Horses are thus the keepers of the herd, and they defend themselves better when there are more of them. The most successful keepers are the stallions because they defend themselves by kicking and biting. “I love horses, even though a horse is more expensive than a donkey,” says Validžić, whose plan is to have 15 mares.
Travnik pramenka breed, a part of his flock, is a large sheep with strong fleece that can’t reside at low altitudes and high temperatures in the summer because it becomes ill. Among other reasons, ticks appear there very early in the year. Thus, as Validžić emphasizes, Travnik pramenka is rarely ill when being higher in the mountains.
His diverse herd also includes goats and dogs, including Kangal Shepherds as large, strong and fighting guards, and Border Collies as herd gatherers. While the herd is in Validžići, it is guarded by dogs, especially female Kangal Shepherds who “chase the wolf while the male sleeps”. Since Validžić made a shed in the mountains, with the help of CMRS, all the animals are able to go with him. He emphasizes that there is no danger of beasts there because it is an open habitat, without a forest, so wolves and bears do not approach his herd there. Validžić built a shepherd’s hut on the mountain, near Martinova košara, a hiking shelter. He had had one worker to look after the livestock with him, but, as he says, the assistant had been injured first and then he lost the will to do the job. Now he spends his summers alone, occasionally accompanied by a few hikers or mountain rescue teams in passing.
Validžić spends summers near Martinova košara, from the beginning of July to the beginning of October, during which he does not descend at all, except in extraordinary circumstances. He is the only one from this area who goes “to the mountains”. One of the reasons for the small number of livestock breeders at these heights is the lack of water. The ideal solution, he believes, are the puddles that horses trample on, forming a waterproof layer, which successfully retains water that flows into them. In the area around Martinova košara, there are about 10 puddles waiting to be restored.
Sheep in stable
“Dinara is my third mother” – Validžić says about his attitude towards the mountain (as he was raised by his mother and sister in his youth). “I am just happy to be here. I am my own boss and I can live well since I have a pasture.” Even though he is satisfied with the job, he states that there are still not enough pastures. He also states that the herd size he has is enough for a good life, but only including subsidies, as is also emphasized by other livestock breeders.
The clearing of the 100-year-old trail and the beginning of the stone wall restoration has been completed on the slopes of Dinara on the 12th and 13th of March.
In those two days, 50-odd volunteers took part in these actions in order to restore these functional and beautiful examples of the coexistence of man and nature.
The old mountain trail that was cleared and renovated leads from the small village of Glavurdići in Vučipolje east of Lake Peruća to Privija, west of Vrdovo. The trail is an old ‘donkey trail’ which was used to lead cattle from Vučipolje and surrounding villages to Vrdovo. However, with the gradual abandonment of cattle breeding in the area and with the creation of new, easier access paths to Vrdovo plateau, the trail has slowly become overgrown and covered in fallen dry branches. However, a need for renovation was suggested to us last year during our Collaborative Council.
During the mid-March weekend, the trail was completely cleared – all fallen branches have been removed and overgrown vegetation has been trimmed through the entire 2 m width and 2.500 m length of the trail. The width of the trail allows for it to be used also by horses carrying cargo. This kind of trail is also very pleasant and safe for mountaineers and hikers. Approximately, 25 participants took part in this activity during the two days, members of Hunting association Hrvace, Tourist association Hrvace, Local Action Group (LAG) Cetinska krajina, European Solidarity Corps volunteers, local volunteers, as well as volunteers from Split and Zagreb areas, and Biom members.
Simultaneously with the clearing of the trial, the work on renovation of the stone wall on Vrdovo plateau, found on the way to St. Jacob mountain hut, has begun. The stone wall was once used as a plot boundary and to prevent ground erosion but due to rain, snow, and strong winds the wall eventually collapsed. This activity was done under expert guidance by the members of 4 GRADA – DRAGODID association which has been restoring dry stone walls in Croatia for the past 15 years. In addition, members of mountaineering associations St. Jacob, Mosor, Jelinak, and Mareta helped out, as well as European Solidarity Corps volunteers, local volunteers, and Biom members. All in all, around 35 people took part in this activity.
Since the building of the dry stone wall is a very specific method, with its own rules of construction which guarantee their long-term sturdiness, the activity began with a short introduction and lesson delivered by the members of the Dragodid Association in which they presented the method to build and restore the wall. The work that followed was thorough, it prioritized wall durability and sturdiness. Therefore it took a considerable amount of time to restore it to a level where it will stand against harsh weather conditions there. The main aim of this action was to pass on the knowledge about dry stone wall restoration and to raise awareness of this method so it can be preserved as it is a part of local tradition and culture. During this weekend, around 40 meters of the wall was restored. The wall is approximately 50 cm high and 50 cm wide.
In photo-gallery below see how both activites rolled out
The cleared trail opens up this terrain for walkers, hikers, and hunters as well as local cattle breeders for sustainable use. Restoring the stone wall preserves this traditional and painstakingly hard building method, used for centuries by local people, to bring the exposed poor-quality local soil to use.
We want to thank our volunteers for their involvement and the time they spent for this common good. We’re also thankful for the lovely time we had and we are looking forward to future opportunities like this!
This event was organized by Dinara back to LIFE project partners, Hunting association Hrvace, mountaineering association St. Jacob – Bitelić, and 4 GRADA – DRAGODID Association.
Two years of the Dinara back to LIFE project have come to an end, and the activities performed and started during this period are presented in a short overview photo report.
The project started in January 2020 and in these two years, we have gathered the Advisory Council and the Collaborative Council, as stakeholders who guide and expand the project activities with advice and suggestions.
Our fieldwork included research on habitats, grasslands, insects and locusts, as well as more extensive scientific field research.
In 2021, the major restoration cycle has been launched that, we believe, will show major changes and results in the field by the end of the project period. Part of the restoration cycle was the volunteer-educational camp, one of the project highlights of the year.
Renovation of wells, ponds and dry stone walls is part of a project to help bring back the infrastructure to its purpose.
We are extremely proud of the exhibition that accompanies the project, as well as our educational workshops with children.
In 2021, Dinara was the topic of 238 media articles, and in every third, i.e. 78 of them, Dinara back to LIFE was mentioned, the analysis shows. Of the published announcements on the project, the vast majority were of an affirmative tone and the articles contained specific topics addressed by the project.
The number of articles about Dinara in 2021 was approximately equal to the number of articles from the previous year, but with the difference that last year the number of announcements dealing with the activities of the Dinara back to LIFE project more than doubled. In the first year of the project, 13% of articles were related to the project, and in 2021, the second year of the project, the share of articles about Dinara related to the project rose to 33%.
If we look at the 5 most frequent topics of articles, in 2021 they are the announcement of the Dinara Nature Park (86), project activities (78), rescue operations (28), mountaineering activities (24) and tourist infrastructure of the project area (7).
Dinara was most often mentioned in February, on the occasion of the then promulgated Law on the Proclamation of the Dinara Nature Park, then in June on the occasion of the Project Collaborative Councils in Sinj and Vrlika and in August, when potential locations of the future Public institution of the Dinara Nature Park were discussed, in addition with the promotion of the project through Kamičak Etno Festival (chart above).
The tone of the articles about Dinara in most of them was affirmative. Out of the total number of articles, 228 were affirmative towards the Dinara, while there were 10 neutral announcements that conveyed information without taking a subjective position. There were no negative announcements that would advocate actions harmful to Dinara.
The tone of articles about Dinara in 2021
The most interested in the topic of Dinara are the local and regional media – the local portal Ferata.hr transmitted information about the Dinara in 21 of its announcements, Dalmacija Danas had 18 announcements on this topic, Sinjska Rera 13, however Croatian National Television (HRT) also showed interest with 12 reports about Dinara last year.
Of the 15 selected topics, by the number of mentions in articles about the Dinara, ecological tourism is by far the most common, mentioned in over half of all reports. This broad term includes mountaineering activities and various sports and recreational events that do not have a negative impact on the environment and nature. The second most common topic is the project itself, while the threats to the quality of life and target habitats and species was the third most common topic of articles.
Frequency of mentioning target and dominant topics in Dinara reports
So, in conclusion, it can be said that the number of reports about the project in the second project year has increased manyfold, the vast majority of reports is affirmative and they cover topics previously selected by the project team.
The aim of collecting media reports on the topic of the Dinara is to provide insight into the current situation and adjust the implementation of further communication and project activities with the revealed specifics of media attitudes. This analysis includes media releases about Dinara and the Dinara back to LIFE project recorded by the project team, which do not necessarily contain all publications in the print media about these topics.
Six cattle breeders from Kijevo, Ježević, and Civljane joined the Dinara back to LIFE project and will help us achieve the project goals through sustainable cattle breeding. Local farmers will contribute to the restoration of grasslands by regular grazing, and in order to get the best results, cattle breeders will do so with mixed herds. Dinara back to LIFE project will financially support livestock farmers in purchasing new livestock.
Dinara back to LIFE project aims to restore the grasslands on Dinara and to encourage sustainable use of grasslands. In the first two years of the project, the grasslands were restored by controlled burning and manual removal of overgrown vegetation. Since the beginning of this year, local cattle breeders with their livestock are participating in the restoration, introducing grazing as a restoration activity of the project.
Overgrowing of grasslands has long been a problem with many causes, the most significant of which are the departure of the population and the abandonment of activities such as cattle breeding. In addition, the complicated administrative process conserning the lease of grasslands make it even more difficult for those who want to work and lease grasslands in new areas. It often goes unnoticed, but cattle breeding is important not only because it feeds people, but also because those who still live on the Dinara and are engaged in animal husbandry, naturally contribute to the preservation of nature and biodiversity.
Through cooperation with livestock breeders, we at the project team want to promote not only livestock farming as a good business opportunity in the Dinara area, but also the way in which livestock farming can be made even better for pasture maintenance! Each animal grazes in its unique way, which means that certain animals eat some plants while bypassing the others. When there are herds on grasslands that consist of just one type of livestock, these grasslands are overgrown with plants this type of livestock avoids and does not eat. At the moment, grasslands lack animals such as donkeys and mules, present throughout history on Dinara, which also graze the types of plants that sheep and cows avoid.
Signing of contracts
Dinara back to LIFE project has earmarked €30,000 for cooperation with local farmers. The task of local cattle breeders will be to regularly conduct grazing of areas that are being restored by the project, using mixed herds that will include new Equidae. Funds provided by the project will financially help cattle breeders to purchase new livestock. The project team will monitor the impact grazing will have on keeping the grasslands from being overgrown as well as on the nesting of target bird species that depend on dry grasslands.
The cooperation of six cattle breeders from Kijevo, Civljane and Vrlika with Dinara back to LIFE project began last week with signing of contracts by which the project provides financial support to livestock breeders. For their part, the cattle breeders will conduct grazing in accordance to the idea of maintaining the habitat for project bird species. In addition to the project team and livestock signatories to the contract, the signing ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the Mayor of Kijevo County and representatives of the City of Vrlika. Through-out the project, it is planed to sign five more contracts with cattle breeders and to assign electric shepherds. In order to comply with the recommended measures of the Civil Protection Headquarters, the event was closed for public, and the project team hopes that the circumstances will allow the next signing of the contract to be marked by a public event and joint celebration of new cooperation and opportunities.
This cooperation aims to motivate other cattle breeders to adapt their herds so that the impact of their grazing on the preservation of grasslands is as big as possible. The pre-condition for this cooperation is that the cattle breeders have their own grasslands or leased grasslands in the area that are important for the project to preserve the population of the target bird species.
Project name on a halter
This cooperation aims to motivate other cattle breeders to adapt their herds so that the impact of their grazing on the preservation of grasslands is as big as possible. The pre-condition for this cooperation is that the cattle breeders have their own grasslands or leased grasslands in the area that are important for the project to preserve the population of the target bird species.
All interested are invited to get information or get involved in the project at DinarabacktoLIFE@gmail.com.
One of the most active mountaineering associations in the wider Dinara is HPK St. Michael, a relatively young and enthusiastic associatons from Šibenik, which has so far achieved a number of enviable results in its mountaineering work, from climbing through descents to construction, largely on the Dinara.
The Croatian Mountaineering Club St. Michael (Hrvatski planinarski klub Sveti Mihovil – HPK Sv. Mihovil) was founded at the end of 1995 by a group of mountaineers with many years of experience who decided with great desire and will to implement new ideas and activities in their field. The club was founded with great perseverance by the first president of the new society, Zlatibor Prgin, who tragically passed away on the Club’s expedition to Aconcagua (6950m) in 1999. The club has about 250 members.
After seventy years of intermittent mountaineering in Šibenik, the founding of St. Michael was the beginning of demanding ascents in foreign mountains, which laid the foundation for the development of Šibenik’s high mountain hiking, mountaineering, paragliding and speleology.
Zlatko Prgin – a shelter with a view
The key facilities in the mountains are shelters – places of rest, security and socializing – and one of them was built on the Dinara thanks primarily to the great efforts of members of St. Michael Club. In 2019 the mountain shelter Zlatko Prgin (1543 m above sea level) was opened at the south slopes of Dinara. It is situated in the beech grove near Bukvina vrh, at the intersection of the trail that goes from Brezovac to the top of Dinara and the trail that leads from the hamlet Mirkovići, better known as “Yogurt trail”, named after the first president of the Club.
It is a residential container with an attic that can accommodate 10 people and is constantly open. It has a wood stove, table, benches and lighting, and a connector for charging mobile phones. A small tank was built next to the shelter and has been in use since November 2021. From the shelter and its surroundings, there are beautiful views of the Dinaric plateaus Duler, Samar, Brezovac, and there is an especially beautiful view of Podinarje and the town of Knin and the peaks Promina, Kijevski bat, Svilaja, and the more distant Velebit peaks Sveto brdo and Crnopac.
The shelter was built by hard volunteer work of members of St. Michael Club, with the selfless help of the company Proautomatika from Šibenik, with the assistance of HGSS Šibenik Station, HGSS Split Station, PU Dinaridi and the helicopter action of the Transport Helicopter Squadron 93rd HRZ-PZO “Tovari” Divulje.
The president of the Club regularly invites members to labor activities at the shelter vicinity, and in the fall of 2021, the lining of the container with wood began, in order to further protect it from cold and wind.
On the trail of St. Michael
The trails managed by St. Michael are the already mentioned “Yogurt trail” from Mirkovići to the shelter Zlatko Prgin and the newly renovated trail from Ošljak to the shelter. This restored old and marked trail will be on a new map currently being made by HGSS cartographers.
St. Michael Club traditionally participates in the Oluja path, on which they have often been the most numerous mountaineers for many years. St. Michael also traditionally organizes a winter ascent on the Dinara from Mirkovići, on Saint Stephen’s Day (December 26).
Speleology – dozens of explored pits and caves
The speleological department of St. Michael operates in the area bounded by the roads connecting Strmica, Knin and Vrlika and the western edge of the Cetina field. On parts of Dinara within Šibenik-Knin county, speleologists from HKP Mihovil have explored in 55 speleo-objects, mostly at the upper parts of Dinara.
The most successful research of the Dinara area conducted by speleologists of St. Michael Club were those in the cave system of the Gospodske špilje – Vrela Cetine (total length 4982m), Kotluša Cave (length 4507m) and Rudelić Cave (length 1382m), all large flowing objects. The research of these objects on the west side of Cetina filed was started by speleologists from PD Željezničar from Zagreb, numerous national and speleologists from abroad got involved, including St. Michael’s speleologists. They have also found and explored the 749m long Duliba cave in the Krčić canyon, which is completely submerged for most of the year, and through which a significant air flow was recorded, which indicates the prospect of further research. Very close to it is the cave Mala duliba, 115 m long.
Of the longer horizontal speleological objects, the 186m long cave in Šobotovo Točilo stands out, as well as 105m long caves on the hiking trail between Glavaš and Martinove košare, the 127m long system in Čekrkske rupe and the 156m long Štemerica cave, north of the highest peak of the Dinara, also the deepest pit of the upper part of Dinara with a depth of 106m. St. Michael also topographically photographed the cave under Topoljački buk, 234 m long, one opening of which serves as the entrance to the hydroelectric power plant, and in which they found several dry and underwater entrances, and which was formed entirely in tufa.
The largest number of speleological objects are vertical objects – pits, entry into which is possible only with knowledge of the use of ropes and the use of special speleological equipment. Speleological activity of St. Michael’s speleologists on the Dinara is focused on the area of Šibenik-Knin County, but they have also explored a little further east – in Vodena peć (length 713m) and Golubinci near Ruminski vrtli (176m, -91m).
In addition to data on speleological objects in which they researched themselves, the speleological department of St. Michael also collects data of all the research of all speleologists in the Šibenik-Knin County, so their archive contains data on about thirty other objects from the vicinity of Kijev and Glavaš.
St. Michael’s speleologists will continue to explore the top of the Dinara – from the top ridge to the border with BiH, where there are a dozen unexplored pits drawn on maps.
St. Michael initiated HGSS Šibenik
The initiators of the establishment of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service of the Šibenik (HGSS Šibenik) are mountaineers from the St. Michael Club and about 20 St. Michael members are also members of HGSS. The first trained mountain guides with passed professional exam founded the Šibenik Mountain Guides Station.
The results of work, endeavors and achievements of St. Michael Mountaineering Club:
– 2005. The plaque of the City of Šibenik for the development of mountaineering and speleology
– 2008. The plaque of Šibenik-Knin County for the development of mountaineering and speleology
– 2007. Recognition of the Executive Board of the Croatian Mountaineering Association for the best website of HPS members
– 2013. The plaque of the City of Šibenik for the development of mountaineering, speleology and mountaineering
– 2013. Bronze badge of the Croatian Mountaineering Association for the contribution to the development of mountaineering
– 2016. The coat of arms of Šibenik-Knin County for promoting the values of healthy living among young people, protection of cultural and natural values of the City of Šibenik and Šibenik-Knin County, and for numerous sports activities
– 2017. Recognition of the Executive Board of the Croatian Mountaineering Association for the most successful mountaineering association in Croatia among 345 registered mountaineering associations at the Croatian Mountaineering Association
– 2019. Recognition of the Executive Board of the Croatian Mountaineering Association for the best work with young people
– 2019. Construction of the Zlatko Prgin mountain shelter on the Dinara
– 2020. Recognition of the Executive Board of the Croatian Mountaineering Association for the greatest contribution to mountaineering journalism for the Helop magazine.
St. Michael club also edits and publishes a specialized yearly magazine Helop – ISSN 1848-3224, which is being given for free. Check it out on the link below – http://www.sv-mihovil.hr/stranice/helop/9.html.
The first round table within the Dinara back to LIFE project was held in Sinj, organized by the Cetina Krajina LAG, and the topic was beekeeping and the challenges facing the local beekeeper. The meeting was attended by representatives of beekeepers, local governments, public institutions for nature management, LAG, and the Biom Association.
In the Cetina region, about 250 beekeepers own about 12,000 hives, and in the last two years the coronavirus has made it difficult to place honey on the market, while increasingly frequent extreme weather conditions have affected the seasonal delay of vegetation. The main topic of the round table was encouraging planting of honey plants in green public and private areas with the aim of improving bee grazing.
As the main current problem, beekeepers unanimously pointed out climate change and several years of drought which makes beekeeping much more difficult in general, and especially stationary beekeeping. It is for this reason that the planting of honey plants and trees that better tolerate drought and bloom in spring or autumn has been proposed, and it is to be expected that indigenous species are more resistant and adapted to local climatic conditions. For beekeepers affected by drought, the renovation project of wells and ponds was presented as indirect support.
Tomislav Sotinac, an expert associate for nature protection at the Dinara back to LIFE project, has presented the idea of action cleaning of overgrown and polluted areas owned by local government units, provided that honey plants are then planted on those areas.
Ivan Budinski, expert project advisor for nature protection, suggested planting honey trees along embankments and canals leading from the settlements to the fields. In this way the number of trees in the area would increase due to elongation. This activity would require the approval of Hrvatske vode public company.
The participants of the round table also mentioned the problem of medicines for varroa, which are subsidized to beekeepers by the state, although they are not effective, while those medicines that are effective are still not available or approved in Croatia. Beekeepers have cited the potential for breaking through, clearing and widening forest fire roads that can be of great benefit to them when accessing certain locations.
The main activity of the Dinara back to LIFE project is the restoration of Dinaric grasslands due to their importance for nature and overall biodiversity, and the restoration of grasslands will benefit all residents of the Dinara area, including beekeepers. The organization of round tables is an introduction to further activities of holding rural development workshops, all in order to further encourage the development of primary activities in the wider project area.
We have released a new interactive map of the area covered by the Dinara back to LIFE project on our website. A clear and easily searchable thematic map contains marked areas and locations of activities carried out so far, as well as some additional information from this area.
The map contains short descriptions and locations of restored wells, areas of restoration and controlled burning, location of educational-volunteer camp, areas of biodiversity research, areas where target bird species and grasslands can be found, as well as plant species, bee and locust research areas. A whole separate group of information are the locations of orchids.
The map also contains some external information such as hiking trails, roads and mountain shelters. Some of the marked areas and locations also contain links to our publications with additional information.
The Dinara back to LIFE project received the prestigious Yellow Frame award in the category “Eradicating hunger and promoting sustainable agriculture”, at last week’s award ceremony held in Zagreb. The Yellow Frame Awards were divided into 17 categories according to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the award ceremony itself was held under the slogan “Sustainable Croatia – Live and act in harmony with nature today”. The Yellow Frame Award for Sustainable Development, Science and Education is awarded by Adria Media Zagreb and National Geographic Croatia.
“We gain with your work, your genius, we want you to continue to inspire us with your work” – the editor in chief of National Geographic Croatia, Hrvoje Prćić 17 said in his introductory speech, thanking and congratulating all the nominees and winners. In 17 categories with three nominees in each, the nominated were individuals and organizations that fight for a better world in various ways – protection and research of the sea, waste management, organic farming, renewable energy, protection of endangered birds, helping the people in need and many others who want a more sustainable tomorrow. At the awards ceremony, editor Prćić also emphasized that he considers the nominees and winners of the Yellow Frame Awards to be real “influencers” in today’s society.
Tomislav Hudina, project manager
One of the main activities of the project is certainly aimed at nature conservation through sustainable use, which in practice means that our goal is to encourage the development of extensive cattle-breeding, beekeeping and other activities that contribute to maintaining Dinaric grasslands and improving habitat conditions for many wild species dependent on large open habitats. Through the project, in addition to restoring grassland by removing unwanted woody vegetation, we also restore ponds, wells, dry stone walls and roads, organize round tables and trainings, develop business plans for farmers, improve the tourist infrstructure. We are also trying to improve grasslands management practices through cooperation with relevant institutions and development of guidelines for dry grassland management. We hope that the results of the project will be more cattle-breeders and more livestock in larger areas under grasslands, more pairs of target birds, more successful family farms, a wider tourist offer – a revived Dinara!
The winners and the nominees
The deserving for the Yellow Frame award are all members of the project partnership – Croatian Forestry, LAG Cetinska Krajina, Faculty of Agriculture University of Zagreb and the Biom Association as the leading partner – but also project associates from various sectors. We thank the representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of economy and sustainable development from the project Advisory Council who direct the project, as well as members of the Cooperation Council – hunters, mountaineers, tourism workers, beekeepers, local government, partner associations and individuals who expand the project with their proposals and ideas. We thank all the volunteers who participated in the Dinara camp and in the activities carried out so far through the project and all the others who helped and are still doing so to help carry out the project as intended and to achieve its fundamental goal – preserving nature through sustainable use.
We would also like to thank Adria Media Zagreb and National Geographic Croatia for this award for recognizing and rewarding our will and motivation and desire for sustainability on the Dinara. The Yellow Frame Award obliges us to continue the project at least at this pace, and hopefully stronger!
In conversation with Robert Kakarigi, the member of the Yellow Frame awards jury
It is interesting to note that the Biom Association received the Yellow Frame Award in 2019 in the Life on Land category, so this new recognition is even more dear to us, because winning the award once may be a coincidence, but twice is a pattern, so it is an additional confirmation, recognition and an incentive for us to be even better.
Do you understand the topic of lawn restoration better after the theory classes?
Do you understand the requirements of restoration better with respect to physical work?
Where do you see yourself professionally in five years?
Tiana Friganović, Zaton, 5th year of eco-agriculture and agro-turism
• I expected to learn to work in a team, to meet new colleagues from similar fields, to get theoretical and practical knowledge about lawn restoration, to improve knowledge about biodiversity conservation and rural conservation in this area.
• I am very satisfied, especially with the educational part – lectures, and especially with the lectures of LAG Cetinska krajina, Croatian Forestry and from the Public Institution of Šibenik-Knin County. Other lectures were also helpful as I learned new things in managing sensitive habitats. I hope that this project will become sustainable even after 2023, which means that the residents here, who are the most important factor, would recognize it and participate in the preservation of these valuable pastures.
• This is my first time participating in the restoration and I am satisfied. Looking at the leaders and others, I learned what is important, and what to pay attention to when making decisions. I have learned that more factors in nature need to be taken into account so as not to damage one part of the ecosystem and to keep them all undamaged.
• In physical work the motivation was at a high level and we tried to do our best. It is not easy, especially at the sun at the beginning of field-work while it is hot.
• I see myself running my own production or production for someone else, as an agronomy engineer, on organic food production projects. I am also interested in participating in projects that promote organic and regenerative agriculture so that other members of the system have a healthy environment. I also see myself as a researcher of new methods in organic farming, as a partner in other rural development projects. The most important thing is that as a resident of rural area, I can convey the real problems that come from the villagers themselves to higher instances. You need to work smart and not hard!!! – that is my life motto.
Paula Šašić, Zagreb, 4th year of biology
• When the invitation to the camp was published, I saw all the announced lectures – the topics were great because I am interested in the field of biology, so I hoped to learn a lot in the theoretical part, and I started writing a final thesis on the importance of habitat within landscape. I was at the camp on Učka, so I knew roughly what it was about and the background of the story behind the overgrowth of pastures. I expected to work a lot, to meet people from different fields who are interested in different fields of science, to share knowledge and that the approach to the camp and the topic will be interdisciplinary. My desire was to learn a lot, meet people and hang out.
• I am thrilled! You made an effort in regard to the organization and activities on the side, to learn as much as possible about the widest possible area, what can be done here, and that there is enough time left to rest. Concrete things could be learned in lectures. It motivated me to think about how to work in this area from a realistic point of view. Every day I think “this was my best day this summer” and then a new day comes and that one becomes the best day of this summer!!!
• As we went deeper and deeper with lectures every day from multiple sides I had the opportunity to see why pastures are important to people and to nature and how they are managed. We could learn concrete things, while in college the lessons are too general.
• I knew it was going to be hard, but I forgot how demanding it is when working for a long time. The first day is easy, when working for a long time it becomes demanding, but the work will pay off in the long run. Of the tools, scissors are the easiest, with the sickle I hit 10 times and I don’t achieve much. You need to acquire a technique and physical strength.
• I have multiple backup plans. Ideally, if I stay in Croatia, I can work in a national park or nature park as a ranger. If I manage to raise money and get some property, I will have a farm with organic products, procure cows, bees, make a living from it, and along the way explore for myself. Working on a farm is hard physically, but it’s a very fulfilling job, I love being on my feet and doing a lot of things, the worst thing would be just sitting around.
Šime Vukman (Trogir), 5th year of geography
• I didn’t think much in advance, because wherever I go and try something, It’s great! I never participated in an EU project so I wanted to come. I expected less from education, and got more. That’s how I imagined the field part. As a geographer, I thought we weren’t going to be connected to others, and in fact everything is connected. All the lecturers managed to arouse my interest.
• I am most sincerely extra-satisfied with everyone, especially the team, and what I like most is that we are from different fields of science. We’ve seen how we all think a little differently. We are driving in cars and Ana from geology looks at rocks, geographers elsewhere, biologists look at the vegetation – we all have different ways of thinking, and now we have managed to connect them. That’s how we learned from each other. I am satisfied with the education, especially the LAG was my tip-top, as well as the lecturers from the Public Institution of Šibenik-Knin County, to whom we asked a million questions. Everyone is open and communicative, it is super organized, informative posters on the walls help a lot, we can’t help but manage. The division into teams at the camp is great. I am glad that not everything is served to us, but we serve breakfast ourselves and learn about life as well this way. We talked about how we live in paradise – everything is paid for us, we learn useful things for both professional and life things, we are all smart. Thanks to the European Union – they pay us to cut juniper, to eat, we have everything and it is so for two weeks!
• I was familiar with restoration, but I always had a strange ethic of it – why not let nature go? When we came to the field the first day and when I cut the first bush I thought – three mantises had come out – that It was a little weird. But through talking with the volunteers and lecturers, it was clearer to me the issue of biodiversity and what the purpose of it all is. Throughout history, there have been lawns, and large cattle have lived and maintained those lawns there. There was confusion in my head – why wouldn’t it be like this, nature decided so and now after this terrain it is clearer to me.
• I saw how hard and arduous it is and how hard life is in this area. I appreciate people who put so much effort into it, I can’t imagine doing it my whole life.
• I would like to do something like this, on EU projects because I see that there is great dynamics, things happen, you get a job on projects, it is not a monotonous job. I wouldn’t want to work in a way that makes my day the same. I want to work in a company or organization that deals with various projects related to geography, or regional development.
Lucija Gajić (Zagreb), 3rd year of forestry
I expected from the camp to learn a lot of new things, given that it was related to a topic I knew almost nothing about, and I was interested. I was glad that the topic is largely related to forestry that I study, and I know that so far I have lacked a lot of practical application of knowledge and field work. I was also looking forward to meeting people from other colleges and making some new friendships.
I am very pleased with what I got. I especially liked that during the whole camp and education we were treated as adults and we were asked how we would solve certain problems related to lawn restoration. I like that the lectures were interactive each time, and everyone had the opportunity to express their opinion, as well as the organization of the camp itself in which each of us could actively participate and contribute something. For two weeks I lived with really wonderful, smart and creative people full of ideas from whom I could learn something new every day.
I think I understand the topic of lawn restoration much better, because I honestly didn’t even know what lawn restoration was before this camp. I knew what the succession of forests was, I also knew in theory that in Croatia there are problems with laws, obtaining permits for many things, that it is not easy for cattle breeders. But now I realize how connected it all actually is and that a lot of people have to communicate in order to solve a problem.
It is important to gather a good team on the field. The work was not very easy, we all ended up with some injuries. Some tools are much harder to work with than others. But when there is a good team spirit, everything is easier to endure. After all, it doesn’t even matter how much we cleaned up, but how much we learned throughout the camp.
I’m still not sure where I see myself, I still feel kind of lost. But I know I would love to do something related to nature conservation, maybe work in some kind of association like Biom, and work on projects. I wish a lot of my field work was in some nice remote places.
Mihaela Mladar (Split), 5th year of geography
• I expected it to be a completely different experience, I was ready for something new. I’ve been on terrains and hiking before, but I’ve never signed up for a project like this organized by people I don’t know.
• I got six times more than expected – the best value for money ratio since Alaska!!! I am very pleased with the information and experience I received. I feel like I am on the perfect border of experts and the local community and getting all the information, which gives me a realistic picture. I am impressed with how much lectures cover professions and directions. It seems to me that there was something for everyone. On the private level there is always someone to turn to. This camp was among my TOP 3, if not the TOP decision this year! I will remember it!
• I knew before what vegetation removal meant, I understood the concept, but it was not clear to me in practice what it meant. Croatian Forestry were of great help in this matter and in general I did not want to miss the lectures, which were very interesting. I am interested in environmental protection, I would love to find myself in some of the things I found here.
• Working in the field is tiring, mentally boring, although physically it is not too difficult because you have a goal, and as soon as you have a goal it is immediately easier. I was doing what I expected and it wasn’t a problem for me. I believe the stone-curlew will return!
• I don’t have a concrete plan for the future – I have a “what way”, but I have no “where to”. I have a direction, but I have no goal. Direction is what I think of when I talk about progress – to progress in GIS, to learn a language, to strengthen self-confidence. Especially since I’m studying geography, in which case you have no idea what you’re going to be because you have no idea what you’re going to be doing.
Lana Zubčić (Bribir), 2nd year of graduate study of ecological agriculture and agrotourism
• I expected to meet a lot of students from different faculties, with similar interests, and to learn a lot of new things, and I was especially attracted by this field work.
• Great! Especially the terrain was great and fun and it wasn’t that hard work. It was good company – we joked and we worked. It’s a nice feeling to get to the end of the day and see the results. All the lectures were interesting and useful, the days passed quickly and were filled. The most beautiful thing is that we connected with each other and made new friends and that we learned from each other – I heard something new every day. We talk about how we will connect and join associations.
• The difference is that I did not understand the background issues related to administration and laws – what needs to be collected and which institutions need to be communicated with in order to approach such a project. I learned a lot about the importance of lawns and the species that inhabit them and why it is important to preserve them. I realized the importance of communication between different stakeholders and the importance of communication with the local population, public administrations and ministries – no participant can be left out for something like this to work!
• Leaders are needed who will know how to motivate participants, lift their spirits, instill a lot of will and desire to achieve something. It was also important that we all work together, so when you look back you see that everyone is immersed in the work.
• I’m still looking, a hundred things I’m interested in, and nothing interests me enough. Nothing has completely attracted me yet, although I like protected areas and nature conservation. The camp increased my interest in these areas and the possibilities of project and research in them. I have enrolled in courses on the management of ecologically sensitive areas, and I am also interested in land rehabilitation, regenerative agriculture, the topic of habitat and soil restoration – that is the future.
Srećko Kajić, Đeletovci near Vinkovci, 5th year of geography
• I expected us to mow the grass! To my great surprise, we were greeted by bushes instead of tall grass, so instead of the art of handling a trimmer, I was expected to use an ax, to my great regret! As for the educational part, I expected a couple of dry and a couple of good lectures on biology and ecology, but I was pleasantly surprised that the lectures, which covered the entire science, were more than excellent. Exceeded expectations!
• What is most valuable to me is looking at the different layers of legislation and the people who enforce those laws. We met people who pass the law and those who enforce the laws and those who implement the projects. We cannot get different public, civil and private aspects through education. We got a view of the real world – how the state and everyday work function in our domains.
• I had a solid background considering that I dealt with the topic of lawns and succession through education and my work on the influence of sociodemographic factors, but this was a good opportunity to experience through our own work how restoration works, what are the consequences, what are the goals, what is the impact of restoration on society and the surrounding area, which is what geography deals with.
• I certainly understand better. Through about 10 days of restoration, about 40 hours of work, I think that we have managed to get to know the requirements of manual lawn restoration through sweat and blisters, and I think that a good lesson is why we should try not to have lawn succession. Although, the more cattle breeders – the less money from the EU for cutting bushes!
• I would like to pursue science, either through the academic sector, or through certain organizations or associations on a project such as Biom’s, that can serve as an archetype for what we might do in the future. Five years as far and so close as it is, because I plan to stay on for my doctorate.
Sara Stermšek (Split), 2nd year of graduate study of biology and 1st year of graduate study of museology and heritage management
• When I applied for camp, I hoped to learn something about lawns and fulfill the end of my summer, but from applying to camp itself, I didn’t think much about expectations. Maybe I was just hoping the company would be good.
• I am immensely pleased with what I have received. I got more from the camp than I could have ever imagined. I’ve learned things I don’t know where else I could learn. So much has happened – sleeping in the same room, sharing meals and working on a team restoration, I met people a lot more than I normally have the opportunity and I think I made very good friends.
• We had the opportunity to learn how some things work directly from experts working in LAGs, public institutions and ministries. The trainings were well designed and in the end they nicely rounded as a whole that helped us understand what it takes to implement a project like this.
• We learned to handle different tools and gradually became very skilled. However, after two weeks of work we felt that we were really tired, but also that we did a very good job.
• In five years I want to be a curator at a natural history museum. I hope that I will be able to apply everything I learned at the camp in that position – to implement projects, cooperate with public institutions and educate the public on the now very current topic of nature protection. I wish I could balance what I do with hobbies and hanging out with friends and family.
Zrinka Šola (Đakovo), 5th year of forestry – growing and arranging forests, hunting management
• I expected to hear things I didn’t know, to meet new people, make new friendships, and have fun. I managed all and everything – a very good experience.
• I am very pleased because there were a lot of activities, because it is very nicely organized, and I got the knowledge I came for. It’s great that I went with Tomislav Hudina and Luka Škunca to field-work on the Dinara because I’m interested in phytoceonology – the science of plant communities. They mapped the plants and did phytoceonological analyzes on some plots – I have never heard of some genera on those plots! They must have been wondering “What kind of students are we taking to the field!?” :-).
• I now have a better understanding of lawn restoration from a theoretical point of view. The LAG was something that was totally unknown to me, and actually a good problem-solving mechanism that people in rural areas face. The GIS workshop was great because, even though I worked in GIS, it bothered me where I could get the background, now I know…
• It was clear to me how it would work, but the experience is different when you see how long it takes, how much time and human resources it takes, so you realize that it is not at all simple, but it can be done. People are pessimistic in Croatia, so it was motivating to achieve this result.
• I plan to enroll in a professional study for a project manager, although I am studying a field that is more related to forest exploitation. I am interested in nature conservation and ecology, and I would love to do a job that is a combination of office work and field-work.
Ana Ercegovac (Kijevo near Knin), 5th year of geology
• I expected quality lectures and workshops, but also fun and to get to know each other. I was hoping to make the restoration work as fun as possible and that we would do a good job in the field.
• I am pleased with the efforts we all make individually as well as the student community, and I am pleased with the efforts of our leaders to have it all. I am very pleased with the fact that we are seen as equivalent colleagues, but we are also allowed to be children at heart and to laugh! In addition to educating yourself about environmental protection, you are also educating yourself and communicating with other people, and you get to know the mentality of the area where the camp is located.
• I am definitely much more familiar with the concept of lawn restoration and with the whole lawn and forest management plan. The lecture by the representatives of Croatian Forestry was important to me because of the media pressure on CF. It is very important to educate yourself on this topic first hand. The lectures were fun and educational and covered the topics that appear in Croatia in great detail.
• I learned through physical work that it is slow, but it is great that in the field you see how something can be improved for further work and what are the challenges of handling tools and staying a few hours in the field where there are wild animals. When everything is taken into account – challenges and results – the work brings great happiness because after one day you see a big change in the field. It is best to come the next day and clean the new area and see the cattle-herder using that pasture field.
• In 5 years I want to work in the Dinara Nature Park! My second option is to learn how to write projects for the EU and deal with it for the purpose of education and environmental protection. I want to combine speleology, which I do as a hobby, with geology for the purpose of researching the geochemistry of the underground in terms of possible sources of environmental pollution. I want to investigate what amount of calcium ion is associated with an increase in temperature in the atmosphere.
Marin Bogdanić (Strahoninec near Čakovec), 5th year of geography
• I did not have high expectations from the camp, which seemed good because I left room for positive surprises as I have never been a participant in anything like this in science. I’ve seen a slightly different approach to growth work on a completely different side, where the focus is on our progress and bringing us together, both academically and on a personal level. Excitement and curiosity grew as the camp was nearing – I was counting down the weeks when we got the agenda. Expectations were rising, and of course they were justified.
• I am very satisfied because everyone was approached individually, unlike the faculty where we are just a number. We could be heard what each of us as an expert in our field thought, in cooperation with all we could say what we thought and we listened to others what they know. The interdisciplinarity of the camp was etched in me, as well as good company and new acquaintances that will be remembered. We did things in the breadth that I would need at work, we saw how widely things work and saw a lot of these processes, from the local community, through the ministries – the whole spectrum of relationships and hierarchies. A very good way to gain another level of experience that will certainly be needed, to see in situ how to act, how the space behaves, how the local population behaves. It was a particularly interesting day with the foresters because we are deforesting, and they are reforesting – somewhere there is room for reforestation, somewhere there is a pasture for grazing, and everything is related to birds.
• Since I did not even think about restoration, this was different and new to me, and now it is clear to me that habitat restoration is totally necessary and it is understandable why it is done and how it works. I feel like I’ve been doing this for a few years now because we’ve been through a lot and we know how which plant works, how which animal behaves because we merged with nature and because we became part of the landscape we’re in, we fit in. I know a lot more about restoration now.
• I understand and comprehend it as a long and arduous process because it is a physical work that requires readiness and skill in handling tools and endurance for hours. You also need to be mentally strong to be able to do and grasp everything. After this I appreciate more the seasonal manual workers who pick, cut or restore. It is also good to see that manual removal is not the only way to restore, but there is also the possibility of controlled ignition. Each side has its negativities and positivities, we need to find the middle ground, the most optimal one considering the local community and finances.
• The camp was my professional internship at graduate school. I liked that I saw more clearly that with my experience and knowledge I can get involved in improving an environment, hear people and recognize what they need, we could see what is bothering them, what their problems are. In my undergraduate internship at the Međimurje County Regional Agency, I saw theoretical sides. In 5 years, I would like to work in a development agency where I could incorporate all this – dealing with writing tenders, conducting tenders and environment development.
Sara Medak (Split), 1st year of graduate study of ecological agriculture and agrotourism
• I expected physical knowledge and that through this practice we will learn how to work in the field – to use tools and learn to select what is good and what is not good, as well as to navigate in the space in the countryside. I wanted to learn about the village-pasture-road relationship in the environment.
• I am very satisfied – I was thrilled because I did not come with the expectation that we would get so much theoretical background. The structure of the whole camp was extraordinary – two introductory lectures on who we are and what we do, then a workshop where we were divided into local and state administrations and we discussed who has what role, and only after that we met with people from ministries and LAG. At a lecture by Aljoša Duplić from the Institute for Environmental and Nature Protection, I concluded that we cannot act much at the local level, except by pushing the law. I really like the selection of people, there are geographers and we geophysicists who have no contact with physical work. Although we are of different generations and different professions, we are open to new knowledge, we exchange it, we talk a lot. I am thrilled with the ideas my colleagues are giving. Thanks to the knowledge I have gained here, I will be able to work on some levels that agronomists and biologists will not be able to, and I will be able to focus my scientific work on microclimates.
• I understood why it is important to go to the field, why it is important to mechanically remove vegetation and not burn it – what kind of activity will have what kind effect on flora and fauna.
• Working in the field is great – learning in the morning and working in the afternoon was great. It’s great because I get the impression that at 4 hoursa day I managed to remove vegetation like a stronger woman. Watching the team on the field as we spontaneously self-organized, I realized how the people in the group could organize themselves to do each other’s cleanings quickly and efficiently. It is good that two workers go together, it goes much faster when one cleans with scissors while the other cuts with a saw. The thickest gloves are needed because stabs often happen so they slow down the job. It should be cut and sawed at first and the branches collected at the end as it takes too much time.
• In 5 years I would start working on my small estate, starting as soon as possible with one hen and one goat. I would like to return to my village – Katuni near Šestanovac – in 10 years I want to have 10 hives and at least one herd. I would work in agriculture, but I would also like to work from home in science – garden during the day, science in the evening.
Antonia Čubelić (Zagreb), graduate student of landscape architecture, Zagreb
• I expected the application of what I learned in college in practice, meeting other people and other professions, broadening perspectives, completing the view of the landscape and networking.
• I got to know people and some knowledge that I didn’t think I would get – I got to know Croatian Forestry, their area of work and what exactly they do. I was not familiar with LAG as such and how they work. I made good friends who I think we will continue to hang out with. I also got an inflammation of the joints, and I also learned to sew – knowledge I didn’t think I would get 🙂
• We covered a wide area with theoretical classes. The lecture of the representatives of the Public Institution of Šibenik-Knin County was very interesting because they showed what real problems they face, which will welcome us as experts. Representatives of Croatian Forestry also gave an overview of how this would be in practice, as did the LAG. I know more now than I knew before. I realized that some public institutions were doing things that lead to the need for restoration because there is no renovation. We learned that restoration is a comprehensive process because the project is not just habitat restoration but everything else – procurement, community and livestock involvement, livestock activation …
• I now understand better how difficult it is to do, how much effort it takes to mechanically remove vegetation. About 20 of us cleaned about 20 hectares in 2 weeks, two of them will continue to do the work. I learned how it is implemented and what all affects the problem, as well as understanding the problem. We looked like we were being scratched by cats!
• I would like to use my work to promote landscape architecture, either by participating in projects or writing articles and researching rural areas of continental Croatia, which I believe are not sufficiently researched. I think of a doctorate as a tool to get to know the subject better, maybe even stay in college.
Ivona Milaković (Požega), 3rd year of organic agriculture
• I expected to experience things I had never experienced before at the camp – something new, unusual, foreign to me, and to learn something from it. I also expected to work hard and meet new people who would inspire and motivate me. I wanted a new experience in a new, different space, and people and knowledge.
• Expectations from the camp were exceeded, I am satisfied with everything – organization, education in particular, additional content, we have created mutual relations. The games we played helped us relax and connect. Education, work and the human part were fulfilled.
• I have never seen restoration in this way before, observing from Slavonia where there is no karst, I have not experienced restoration like this. Karst led me to better understand nature, which means restoration and preservation through sustainable use. Now I look differently at how to act in my environment, while preserving nature, enriched for all the knowledge I did not have. I learned how to take care of all stakeholders in the area, thus contributing to greater biodiversity, increasing plant and animal species.
• It takes a lot of people’s effort and will to preserve something in a sustainable way – not to take aggressive measures, no matter how long it takes. Manual removal is a slow, arduous job, but it’s nice to see those results at the end of the day. There are small steps, but there are some steps. I want the local population to see that and to unite and continue their work.
• I would like to have my own small family farm, live in a rural area and have an impact in those areas through organic food production. I want to preserve a part of the country and the space where I will live, to contribute to that community and nature. The eastern areas of Croatia do not have a lot of population, similar to this area, so I will certainly use some of the things learned at the camp.
Domagoj Bogić (Kaštela), 3rd year of biology
• I wanted to meet more people in my own and close professions. This project is similar to the idea of what I would like to do in life so I thought the camp would help me with that.
• We got acquainted with the work of many organizations – associations, Croatian Forestry, LAGs, public institutions. I didn’t hate physical work in the field, and the team was good.
• Although I was familiar with the problem before, the theoretical classes helped us see which tools were most needed and what would be easiest for most to do.
• I expected more trees and more shrubs. In the long run, two workers will not clean large areas. As for the tools, if I get scissors then it is as I expected, if I get another tool – then it is different!
• It would be most ideal for me to go to endangered species conservation projects in Croatia and Africa. Mammals are the most attractive, but other species can also pass. In anti-poaching actions, I would go through the fields with bird lures with a club in my hand! I also like the deratization of Lastovo.
Kristina Komšo (Ivanić Grad), graduate student of landscape architecture
• When we got the list of lectures and read the names of the lecturers, I thought “great” because they are of different professions and different stakeholders, on different topics, so I expected to hear more about it. I thought it would certainly be good when I participate in something big.
• In college we hear something in theory, and now we have people who do things like that in practice and some stakeholders who talk about their field experiences. The lectures are useful and interesting, especially the lecture of Croatian Forestry because I had no idea what they were doing. In general, the project partners made an effort to convey the information.
• We learned that a donkey eats a snipe, not a sheep, as well as about lawn restoration and that lawns are valuable because they are part of the heritage. Now I also have an idea of how complex the issue is – there are many aspects to think about, such as legal frameworks, ownership, licensing and incentives. There is a great complexity of the system that affects the design of the space.
• After this kind of physical work you appreciate a lot more and realize how complex everything is. The first day I was disappointed – it goes really slowly, and as the days go by you can see that everything is going very slowly. After a few days when we realized what the pace is and what the job is, we are more rational in our expectations. The question is – so much is being invested now, and in what condition will the field be in 20 years? Will the effort return? I look forward to following!
I would like to deal mostly with mapping, spatial landscape analysis in GIS, spatial planning and protection. The camp fortified and motivated me in that direction. Camping was a wonderful experience, I didn’t expect us to make so many friends. Plus the organizers, plus the people from Biom, the relationship is relaxed, and we all have a common love for nature and the environment. We can also learn a lot through informal conversations because we are surrounded by a lot of experience and knowledge. I hope that the camp will be a motivation to talk more about the project, especially when young people and professions are involved. I wanted to go abroad after college to work temporarily – this further motivated me and reminded me that here too we have people who are similar in their knowledge, young people, and how much we have preserved natural values. The camp encouraged me to return and contribute to preservation.
Petra Pilepić, Zagreb, 5th year of geography
• I expected that the camp would be educational, that we would be in the field a lot, learn how to restore lawns, get to know the local population, get closer to each other.
• Expectations were met, if not exceeded. The lectures were educational, I learned a lot, I have a clearer picture of what exactly is being done in the field of nature protection and what I want to do in the future. I like the concept of the lecture where we started from higher instances and then lowered it to lokal level. We have heard about people who have problems, and the law prevents them from solving them because there are more authorities in the same area.
• I understand why they are being restored, why it is necessary, I understand the relationship between livestock and local population and nature protection, I understand the interdependence of natural elements and local population.
• From the first day until the end of the camp, we worked out and thought about strategies on how best to clear the forest. We saw which tool is most useful given the type of vegetation and how best to arrange people into groups to make logging most effective. I also got acquainted with the tool, I never restored on this scale and in these conditions.
• I find that I better understand the need to listen to other professions, that it is not a shame to ask colleagues about things in which they are experts. Professions, especially around nature conservation, should cooperate better. I would like to work in a public institution or association similar to Biom. I would also like to develop projects because it is an interesting and dynamic job and I love organization, and I also love field work – it would be ideal to be a ranger and write projects. I think that I will not live anywhere in Zagreb, but somewhere in smaller communities where I will be able to contribute more due to the deficit of highly educated people. I will be able to do concrete things for the community.
Ela Pahor (Buzet), 4th year of biology
• I applied, first of all, for staying a lot of in nature, which I got. I also expected to learn a lot of new things, which was a good enough reason for me to apply. And I’ve never been to Dinara.
• I am quite satisfied because I gained a lot of practical knowledge, which is missing in biology, in terms of how to deal with the project and the jobs that await me, such as agricultural measures, financial assistance, etc. I am also satisfied with work because it is not too strenuous. It’s great to „blow yourself out“ during the day and “don’t think”. I am pleased that all the parties involved were included – Croatian Forestry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of sustainable development – everything came together, this was the only opportunity to hear something like that. The team is great, the leaders are great, the communication is good, we do everything easily.
• The restoration is clearer to me, I have a broader picture in economic terms of what the lawns mean. I got a broader picture of the condition of lawns and agriculture in Croatia. I knew something before because I was on Učka and there I learned why grasslands are important as a habitat, now I understand more why they are important in terms of economy. Biologists are very exclusive because they don’t think so much about humans. I like the project for trying to find a compromise, involving all parties.
• I realized it was more complex than I thought – where you can work and where you can’t. It is not easy to keep track of how much you have made, you need to have knowledge and, preferably, a drone. I became aware of the complexity of organizing work.
• I would like to work with marine mammals. I would also like to work on communication between human needs and nature protection and seek a compromise. What I have learned here is useful and important to me.
Students from the camp, volunteers and coordinators spent two weeks of the camp cleaning Ježevičko Suhopolje from juniper and other woody vegetation. Take a look at the photos below to see how the business has progressed by the day.
