Karst Ecosystem Conservation Project

Description of project – Overall objective: Sustainable development planning and implementation using natural resources in karst areas.

Other objectives: The project development objective is that local residents, tourists and other visitors of national parks and other protected areas in the karst region refrain from practices identified as detrimental to biodiversity conservation and adopt recommended behaviour that preserve and protect the unique features of the karst environment. In support of this objective, the project assists the Government of Croatia to strengthen institutional and technical capacity for biodiversity conservation, integrate biodiversity conservation into physical planning and sectoral strategies, strengthen management of protected areas, and promote entrepreneurial and tourism activities which support sustainable natural resource use and conservation of the karst ecosystem within the Dinarid Mountain Range.

Activities:

• • Capacity building and institution building in nature protection in Croatia
  • Biodiversity inventory and monitoring in protected areas
  • GIS/IT data base development
  • Socio-economic development analysis recommendations, development of pilot projects and implementation plan
  • Training needs assessment, recommendations for training and implementation of training programme for protected areas employees and policy decision-makers on the national level
  • Development of five protected areas management plans
  • Public participation strategy

Type of services provided

• • Project management – local team coordination
  • Technical assistance to the Ministry of Culture to design and develop management plans for five protected areas
  • Designing and implementation of public participation programme in the management of planning process
  • Institutional development through specific training in the field of environmental management
  • Dissemination of project experience by way of around twenty workshops during the project