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Donja Dubrava
Donja Dubrava

Restored branches near Donja Dubrava, Legrad, and Gola were opened

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Donja Dubrava, March 14, 2024 – Activities for the restoration of Drava River branches within the project “DRAVA LIFE – Integrated River Management” have been completed in the areas of the municipalities Donja Dubrava, Legrad (rkm 238.2-241.4), and Gola (rkm 215-217). With the increase in water levels, the restored branches have become flowing again.

Through the opening and creation of new branches, the removal and adaptation of riverbanks and other water structures, as well as the preservation of floodplains and natural steep riverbanks, key natural features of the Drava River ecosystem, one of the last remaining natural European rivers, are restored. Sediments and barriers were removed from existing branch channel routes, ecological ponds and deep pools were constructed, and gabion barriers and transition ramps were reconstructed at several locations.

“After the restoration works, which began at the end of September 2023, the left bank branch near Donja Dubrava will be 1.56 km long, and the right bank branch will be 1.88 km long,” explained Igor Tošić, the project manager from the Croatian Waters. Both branches, which were overgrown and silted before the restoration works, will relieve pressure on existing water structures downstream, especially during flood events, by opening and diverting new inflow from the main river channel, thus protecting embankments and nearby settlements. This will reduce the need for repairs and construction of regulatory structures along those sections of the Drava, and specifically, with the restoration of the left bank branch in Donja Dubrava, it will increase embankment safety for flood protection.

Foto: Goran Šafarek

Additionally, in the left bank inundation from stations rkm 215+000 to 217+000 in the municipality of Gola, near the village of Novačka, works have been completed to open the first 100 meters of an existing non-flowing branch, approximately 1.3 km long.

Drava is known for its highest biological diversity of fish in Croatia and colonies of river birds.

“The habitats on the Drava include some of the most endangered in Europe, such as floodplain forests, wet meadows, gravel bars and sandy shores, branches, steep banks, dead arms, standing branches, abandoned channels, and meanders. Due to various adverse effects, with climate change leading the way, there are changes in hydrological conditions, often causing degradation and disappearance of these habitats, making them increasingly endangered, with their area reduced,” explained Željka Kolar, director of the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Nature Areas in the Koprivnica-Križevci County.

Sand martins and king fishers

In addition to the positive effects on flood defense and Drava’s hydromorphology, branch restoration activities will significantly contribute to increasing biodiversity. New river habitats will intensify along the banks, and new habitats for spawning, feeding, and resting of fish and amphibians will be created within the branches themselves. Drava is known for its highest biological diversity of fish in Croatia. Out of 70 recorded species, five are endemic to the Danube basin: Danube salmon (Hucho hucho), bleak (Rutilus pigus), monkey goby (Gymnocephalus baloni), racer goby (Gymnocephalus schraetser), and streber (Zingel streber)). Out of 70 recorded species, 38 are included in the Red Book of Freshwater Fish of Croatia. Positive effects will also extend to birds nesting on gravel and sandy bars and steep banks, such as the sand martin (Riparia riparia) and the kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).

After the recently opened new branch near Gabajeva Grede and the completion of works in the municipalities of Donja Dubrava, Legrad, and Gola, preparatory work for the branch near the Botovo bridge will continue until the end of March, followed by a break until September to prevent disturbance to river birds, such as sand martins (Riparia riparia), European bee-eaters (Merops apiaster), and kingfishers (Alcedo atthis) during the breeding season.

Intensive educational activities will be carried out during these months. Besides the restoration of the Drava River ecosystem, education on nature protection and Natura 2000 areas in local communities is an important part of the DRAVA LIFE project to increase awareness of the importance of natural and preserved rivers for humans and living beings dependent on them and to prevent human disturbance of birds during the breeding season through recreational activities such as fishing, paddling, and swimming.

In September, restoration works on the Drava will continue at the remaining planned locations in Varaždin and Virovitica-Podravina counties.

 

Božica Trnski

Community Gathering in Hlebine

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At the Social Center in Hlebine on Thursday, March 7th, a presentation of the project “DRAVA LIFE – Integrated River Management” was held. The local population was presented with the achieved results so far, as well as the announced plans and activities for the upcoming period.

 

The Mayor of the municipality, Božica Trnski, received the book “Drava Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” by author Goran Šafarek. The book, made within the framework of the DRAVA LIFE project, summarizes the most relevant data about the river and illustrates them with beautiful pictures. It provides information on the physical characteristics of the river, its social and cultural importance, species and habitats, threats, and the future of this river landscape, taking into account the restoration projects currently underway on the Drava River. We thank everyone who attended!

This year ahead of us is full of activities, both in the field and in the municipalities and places covered by the DRAVA LIFE project. If you wish to receive our news, we invite you to subscribe to the newsletter on the homepage of our website.

Workshop for elaboration of a Drava Visitor Guidance Plan for Croatia/Radionica za izradu Plana upravljanja posjetiteljima rijeke Drave u Hrvatskoj

Third and last workshop for elaboration of a Drava Visitor Guidance Plan

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Križovec – Public Institution Međimurska priroda hosted a stakeholder workshop for elaboration of a Drava Visitor Guidance Plan for Croatia, the last in a series of three such workshops, in their Visitor center in Križovec. Representatives of four counties` nature protection institutions, NGOs and regional as well as local development agencies sat together with the organizing DRAVA LIFE project team to review the most recent results of the Visitor Guidance Plan and finalize its measures. Zonation of the Croatian Drava protected areas into ecologically sensitive and low touristic as well as highly touristic areas has been reviewed by representatives of each county for their own region with the aim to minimize negative effects on nature by tourism. A set of basic visitor guidance principles for potential visitor categories of the Croatian Drava area have been jointly defined with the aim to offer a basic set of rules for future tourism-oriented measures and touristic developments. The first snow did not hold back the participants from taking part in the short walk to the Mura guided by team members of the Međimurska priroda Public Institution.

Results of the workshop will be processed over the coming month and the completed Visitor Guidance Plan is aimed to be shared with all state and county agencies required to elaborate a regional development or visitor guidance plan.

Radionica predstavljanja projekta i planova obnove staništa/Drava LIFE workshop and presentation of habitat management plan

Workshop and presentation of habitat management plan in municipality of Cestica and city of Varaždin

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Varaždin – Workshop which presented the DRAVA LIFE project and habitat management plan for the municipality of Cestica and city of Varaždin was held on Wednesday, 07th November 2018,  in the Great hall of Varaždin County. The aim of the workshop was to present the completed and upcoming project activities to the general public and to gather the open suggestions from residents and stakeholders of the municipality of Cestica and Varaždin.

More than 50 participants and representatives of local communities, NGO’s, civil initiatives, representatives of public and business sector attended the workshop organized by NGO Green Osijek and Public institution for management of protected natural values in Varaždin county. Deputy of Varaždin County Tomislav Paljak gave an opening speech at the beginning of the workshop and Jelena Pavlekovic from Public institution for management of protected natural values in Varaždin county thanked everyone for coming.

Project partners Jasmin Sadiković from NGO Green Osijek, Zdenko Kereša and Emil Flajšman representing Croatian Waters, Sanja Kopljar from Public institution for management of protected natural values in Varaždin county and Branka Španiček from WWF Adria presented their project activities, present results and upcoming goals within the Drava LIFE project. Particular emphasis was placed on the reconstruction of the habitat on the Drava River on locations C.1. Otok Virje and C.2. Varaždin, which was presented in detail by the lead partner and project manager Zdenko Kereša from Croatian Waters. Sociologist Dražen Šimleša presented the results of the conducted research gathered from the key stakeholders of the Drava LIFE project, which are largely positive and support the conservation work on the Drava river. The official program finished with a small catering and informal gathering.

Međunarodni dan rijeke Drave/International Drava River Day

Drava LIFE project partners marked the International Drava River Day

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Varaždin, Osijek – A multi-day celebration of the International Drava River Day started on 20th September 2018 with a panel discussion “Projects and Challenges of River Protection and Sustainable Development along the Drava River” which was organized by the Public institution for management of protected natural values in Osječko-baranjska County, the Regional Development Agency of Slavonia and Baranja, the Osječko-baranjska County, the Museum of Fine Arts in Osijek, NGO Green Osijek, the city of Osijek, the Tourist board of Osječko-baranjska county and the Tourist board of the city of Osijek. Drava LIFE project together with several other EU projects along the Drava river was presented at the event. The participants also discussed the model for sustainable development and tourism along this river.

The celebration was accompanied by the art workshop for children, a photo exhibition “Living alongside Drava river” and a boat race that started from Vodenica. Students from “Franjo Kuhača” music school held a small concert at the amphitheater on the left bank of the Drava river and the overall program was completed with the music set of DJ Omer. The last day of the International Drava River Day celebration a tourist sightseeing on bicycles was organized and kayakers and rafters paddled downstream the Drava river.

The International Drava River Day was celebrated also in Varaždin on Sunday, September 23rd, 2018. The celebration was organized by the city of Varaždin, the University “Sjever”, the Varaždin City Museum and the Croatian Waters – the leading partner of the Drava LIFE project. In the Herzer Palace’s multimedia hall participants discussed the value of the Drava river as an irreplaceable source of potable and quality water and as an extremely important natural resource for the livelihood. Zdenko Kereša, project manager from Croatian Waters talked about the present and upcoming activities within the Drava LIFE – integrated river management project. The International Drava River Day was concluded by the opening of the photo exhibition “Tragovi Nanosa” by Zdenko Kereša.

 

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