Development of management plans for Natura 2000 and protected areas

Association Sunce, together with SAFEGE d.o.o. and Association BIOM, implements the service “Development of management plans for Natura 2000 and protected areas – Group 5: development of management plans for group 5”. This group includes pre-agreed protected areas and Natura 2000 sitesin the Šibenik – Knin, Split – Dalmatia and Dubrovnik – Neretva counties. The Association Sunce coordinates the development of 8 management plans that include a total of 23 protected areas and 70 Natura 2000 sites (36 marine and 34 land areas). Management plans coordinated by the Association Sunce include the following areas: Krka estuary, Hvar island, Mali Ston bay, Pelješac peninsula, Korčula island, Sniježnica and Konavle field, Mljet island (except the area of the National Park).

The service is implemented within the EU project of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development “Development of Natura 2000 Management Framework” (NATURA project). The main goal of this project is to establish a framework for effective management of Natura 2000 in Croatia through participatory development of management plans, including protected areas, development of individual and institutional capacities for management and raising public awareness on the importance of protection of these areas.

By joining the European Union, the Republic of Croatia took on a commitment to establish the Natura 2000 network, which consists of areas important for the conservation of birds (Special Protection Areas – SPA) and areas important for the conservation of endangered habitat and species (Sites of Community Importance – SCI) listed in the annexes to the Birds Directive and Habitats Directive. The Natura 2000 network in Croatia covers 37% of the land area and 16% of the coastal sea, i.e. 38 SPAs and 745 SCIs areas. Effective management of these areas in order to maintain or achieve a good conservation status of target species and habitats is also the responsibility of every EU Member State, including Croatia.

The development of final drafts of management plans within this service will be carried out through a structured planning process, according to the principles of participatory planning and adaptive management and based on previous experience in protected areas management planning in Croatia.

Duration timeframe is March 18, 2020 – October 31, 2022.

PROJECT NAME: “Development of Natura 2000 Management Framework ”

PROJECT BENEFICIARY: Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Directorate for Nature Protection

PROJECT PARTNER: Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Institute for Environmental and Nature Protection

TOTAL PROJECT VALUE: HRK 186.497.150,36 (total value of Group 5 6.995.177,30 HRK)

EU CO-FINANCING: 158.503.452,80 HRK

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD: June 2017 – December 2022

PROJECT ACTIVITIES: Drafting of management plans through a participatory planning process

Service manager: Zrinka Jakl, mag. ing. biol.

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