Koprivnica – Historical Society Koprivnica and Croatian Society for Economic History and Environmental History held a conference on 18^th and 19^th November in Koprivnica on the topic of the Drava River. The event was attended by more than 30 researchers from Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia, who presented their latest findings on the Drava River.

The presentations covered a wide historical period, from the 17^th century to the present, covering the diverse set of topics. Much of the topics were historical and showed the rich history of the areas along the Drava river, but there were also topics related to nature protection, demographics and new trends in the management of this area.

“One of the most important trends is the revitalization and restoration of rivers. By reconnecting side channels to the main stream we are giving rivers more space, which has a positive effect on biodiversity, but also in flood protection. DRAVA LIFE project, which started in the area of the Drava River in December 2015, is the first project that deals with the restoration of rivers in Croatia. We presented to the present scientists the main objectives and activities of the project, with particular emphasis on the benefits for the nature and the local population,” said Branka Španiček, DRAVA LIFE project coordinator in WWF Adria.

Since the conference proved extremely successful, Koprivnica was declared an informal center for research of the Drava River and more conferences will be organized in the years to come.

Participants visit the Drava River © Mirko Lukavski / Povijesno društvo Koprivnica