{"id":29060,"date":"2024-12-13T13:44:05","date_gmt":"2024-12-13T12:44:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/?p=29060"},"modified":"2025-03-25T11:51:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T10:51:23","slug":"we-analysed-the-weaknesses-in-the-system-of-control-and-supervision-of-protected-areas-in-croatia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/news\/we-analysed-the-weaknesses-in-the-system-of-control-and-supervision-of-protected-areas-in-croatia\/","title":{"rendered":"We analysed the weaknesses in the system of control and supervision of protected areas in Croatia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Protected areas are the foundation of biodiversity conservation<\/strong> \u2013 they protect nature and the services it provides, improve lives, and promote sustainable development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA protected area is a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IUCN (World Conservation Congress), 2008<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Nature Protection Act<\/strong>, in Croatia, protected parts of nature include protected areas, protected minerals and fossils, as well as strictly protected species. As an additional protection mechanism, the ecological network Natura 2000 has also been established. Protected areas are further divided into nine categories: strict reserve, national park, special reserve, nature park, regional park, natural monument, significant landscape, forest park, and monument of park architecture. Ecological networks are divided into areas significant for bird conservation (SPAs) and areas significant for species and habitat types conservation (SACs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"sunce-plastic-free-croatian-island-telascica\"
Nature park Tela\u0161\u0107ica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

However, the fact that a terrestrial or marine area is placed under protection is not a victory in itself <\/strong>but merely the first step. For nature within the boundaries of these areas to be truly preserved, it is necessary to establish quality, responsible, and professional management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the past year and a half, we have been intensively advocating for this as part of the EFFICIENTN2K<\/strong><\/a> project (Interreg Italy \u2013 Croatia)<\/strong>. Our goal was to improve the cooperation of institutions involved in the control and surveillance of protected coastal and marine Natura 2000 areas to ensure the protection of key natural resources. Since various institutions have jurisdiction over the sea and coastal areas, coastal and marine protected zones are particularly challenging to manage, while the situation on land is somewhat easier to regulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initial project activity included a comprehensive analysis<\/strong> of the institutional and legal framework of existing capacities for controlling priority pressures arising from human activities in coastal and marine Natura 2000 areas. The analysis encompassed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n