April 6, 2023 - Split: representatives of the Croatian Fire Brigade and representatives of Croatian Forests (Hrvatske šume) signed an agreement on cooperation in preventing forest fires, and valuable equipment was handed over to the firefighters.

As Index writes, the agreement was signed by Chief Fire Commander Slavko Tucaković and President of the Hrvatske šume Management Board Nediljko Dujić on the premises of the Split Intervention Fire Brigade.

The purpose of the agreement

The goal of the agreement is better cooperation between organizations, especially in the prevention of occurrence, rapid detection, and extinguishing of forest fires, as well as prevention and better rehabilitation of possible ecological accidents in forests.

Hrvatske šume donated chainsaws to the Croatian firefighting community in order to improve the equipment of the firefighting forces and increase readiness when extinguishing fires in open spaces. The chainsaws are intended for fire departments from all over Croatia and were handed over to county fire chiefs.

The agreement should also regulate relations in the joint implementation of fire protection publicity activities through the organization of collaborative educational workshops and the installation of fire prevention posters in areas owned by Hrvatske šume.

"Investments will go towards expanding video surveillance with 20 new camera locations all along the coast of the Adriatic"

Dujić pointed out that as much as 16.3 million euros have been planned for this year's firefighting activities and that the investments will go into expanding the area of video surveillance with 20 new locations for cameras along the coast of the Adriatic.

The plan is to cover all coastal counties with cameras. It is also planned to build 400 kilometers of new fire roads and maintain a network of almost 10,000 km of existing ones.

Commander Tucaković concluded that the preparations for this year's firefighting season have been going well.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.

March 24, 2022 - The new edition of the educational eco-project "Dukatići preserve forests and nature" is an upgrade of the long-standing project "I LOVE MILK!'', where Dukat teaches Croatian schoolchildren about forest protection and announces the planting of 10,000 tree seedlings.

On the occasion of World Forest Day and World Water Day, Dukat presented a new edition of the educational eco-project "Dukatići protect forests and nature", this way Dukat teaches Croatian schoolchildren in an interactive way about the importance of caring for forests and the environment, reports Telegram.hr.

The project is enriched with new content related to the preservation of forests and the rich forest world and consists of short educational stories on the website Dukatići preserve nature. Each story ends with a quiz, and students who successfully solve them receive a diploma and a memory game as a gift that arrives at their home address. With this, the students join the curious company of Dukatić - the conservationist, which has almost 4,000 members after last year's first edition. Under the auspices of the Ministries of Science and Education, this year's project is supported by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, and the project partners are Croatian Forests and Bioteka, an association for the promotion of biology and related sciences.

''I love milk! A forest will sprout from children's works! 1 participant = 1 tree'' (Dukat Hrvatska/Facebook)

“After motivating students in the previous edition of the project to separate waste and change habits that have a positive impact on environmental protection, we are now turning their attention to the green lungs of the Earth. I believe that it is our children who will very soon initiate great changes in this area and I am glad that we can contribute to this in this way while educating and entertaining them at the same time", said prof. Kristina Duvnjak, vice president of the Bioteka association and head of the education program.

This year's project "Dukatići preserve forests and nature" is a continuation of the project "I LOVE MILK!", another educational and socially responsible initiative of Dukat in which more than 7,300 students participated this fall, and in the past ten years 40,000 lower grade students. The contest "I LOVE MILK!" marks the tenth anniversary, and members of the expert jury and the audience on the Dukat Facebook profile have selected the ten best works of art of the forest, and the authors were awarded by Dukat.

The winner projects. (Dukat Hrvatska/Facebook)

"The forest, as the topic of the tenth art competition and the second edition of Dukatić, additionally connected these two projects: students first drew forests, now Dukat teaches Croatian schoolchildren how to protect and love them, and by planting 10,000 seedlings we show their concrete contribution to forest fund renewal. We are happy that every year about 400 primary schools participate in our initiatives, which are slowly becoming an integral part of additional classes when it comes to environmental protection or art creation", said Kristina Klarić Rubčić, Head of Corporate Communications at Dukat.

Another link with the ten-year anniversary and the theme of both projects is the planting of 10,000 tree seedlings that Dukat, in cooperation with Croatian Forests, will plant this spring in Gorski Kotar and the surroundings of Velika Gorica.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

September 16, 2021 - The promotion of biodiversity and natural resources are the main goals of the competition for the Croatian Tree in 2021. It is up to you, as part of the competition, to choose your favorite and give it your vote, and this year you can choose from as many as 13 candidates from all parts of Croatia.

Each of the nominated trees has its own history and interesting story, and the one with the most votes will represent Croatia at the international competition European Tree in 2022, reports Turističke Priče.

This year's candidates for Croatian Tree of 2021 are:

1. Bricin oak (pedunculate oak - Quercus robur) from the Lonjsko polje Nature Park
2. A friend (oak medunc (oak) - Quercus pubescens) from the island of Krk
3. A century-old giant in the heart of Slavonia (mammoth - Sequoia gigantea) from Slatina
4. The last lady of the Podgorica park (sycamore plane tree - Platanus x acerifolia) from Podgorač
5. Chapel (huge thuja - Thuja plicata) from the Brick Arboretum
6. Ruđer Bošković's cypress (ordinary cypress - Cupressus sempervirens) from Mlini
7. Konavle plane tree in Pridvorje (plane tree - Platanus) from Pridvorje
8. Papuk old oak (sessile oak - Quercus petraea) from Papuk Nature Park
9. Majkovski gigantic oak (oak medunac (oak) - Quercus pubescens) from Majkovo
10. Brijuni old olive (olive - Olea europaea) from the Brijuni National Park
11. Old mother (large linden - Tilia platyphyllos) from the Municipality of Lokve
12. Eternal acacia (acacia - Robinia pseudoacacia) from Pačetin
13. Guardian of the monastery shade - cypress in the garden of the Hvar Franciscan monastery (cypress - Cupressus sempervirens horizontalis) from the island of Hvar.

You can vote until September 30 via the official website of the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Areas of Nature of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, which will nominate the winner of the European competition on behalf of the Republic of Croatia as the national coordinator of the competition.

The winner of the European Tree of the Year competition is symbolically proclaimed in the run-up to World Forest Day on 21 March each year, and the proclamation ceremony is traditionally held in Brussels. Let us remind you that last year's winner and Croatian representative in Europe was the palm tree ''the oldest medulinka''.

The aim of the Tree of the Year competition is to promote biodiversity and natural resources across Europe. The competition seeks to promote individual trees and their significance in the natural and cultural heritage of the people who care for them, which require our care and protection in the future.

The basis of this competition is the story of the tree itself, which shows the importance of trees for the local community and their connection with the inhabitants of the area. The purpose is ultimately to raise public awareness of the need to preserve trees as a valuable natural resource important for human life, and especially because of the increasingly pronounced climate change.

The Public Institution for the Management of Protected Areas of Nature of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County invites all citizens to participate in the process of public voting for the winner of the competition and the promotion of the competition, all together to contribute to the protection and preservation of natural values. which the Republic of Croatia has at its disposal.

Voting instructions

• Voting can be accessed directly via the LINK and the official website of the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Areas of Nature of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County.
• Only one candidate of your choice, by confirming a click on the website and only once from the same computer, laptop, or mobile device, is allowed to vote.
• Voting runs until  September 30, 2021,  at  12:00 AM.
• From  27 September 2021  until the date of the announcement of the winner of the Croatian Tree 2021 competition on 15 October 2021, the voting results will not be visible.
• Upon completion of the voting and processing of the received data, the winner of the competition will be solemnly announced via the online platform.

For more on lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, May 29, 2020 - Croatian Forests management board president Krunoslav Jakupcic was taken into custody on Friday morning on suspicion of abuse of office and influence peddling, sources close to the investigation told Hina.

The premises of Croatian Forests and Jakupcic's flat are being searched, the source said.

Jakupcic is expected to be questioned at the USKOK anti-corruption office in the afternoon.

Allegedly, his arrest is part of a large operation by the Interior Ministry and USKOK, and more arrests are expected during the day.

As Darko Bicak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 3rd of May, 2020, given the fact that the COVID-19 crisis has shaken the global, and consequently Croatian society, and the economic damage that the pandemic will cause when everything is ''totalled up'' is still unknown, public calls are being made in Croatia for the abolition of a series of state, public and local institutions and fiscal and especially para-fiscal levies. Many Croatian companies are seeing an opportunity in the midst of the crisis.

While certain people think that now is the time to change the territorial structure of the country with one stroke of a proverbial brush overnight, abolish a number of chambers and agencies and to reduce, delay or ultimately abolish many fees, it's more realistically clear that this will not happen either quickly or go smoothly, and most of these things cannot simply just be abolished after having been in function, be that a good thing or a bad thing, for such a long time.

One of the most controversial para-fiscal levies is the one paid for the care of Croatian forests, which has long been being paid by business owners in Croatia. A few years ago, the new Forest Law stipulated that SMEs would no longer have to pay this fee. In particular, when the law was passed in mid-2018, of the previous 202,162 taxpayers, 181,794 of them were exempted from paying these fees.

But what is this actually all about? From Croatian Forests, they warn of the dangers that abolishing this fee entirely could have on the safety and functioning of the entire economy, as well as society. Krunoslav Jakupcic, President of the Board of Croatian Forests, pointed out that we're witnessing many wanting this fee, along with other fees paid by Croatian companies, to be abolished.

He explained that 30 percent of the funds raised through this ''forest fee'' goes to mine clearance in forested areas.

"We're sorry to see this [fee] classified as a ''para-fiscal levy'' at all, it would be more correct to say that it is one of the few fees for which its purpose of use is actually specified by law. The abolition of compensation for the generally beneficial function of Croatian forests would have unprecedented consequences for the karst forests, which are threatened by fires and the other catastrophic consequences of accelerated climate change,'' warned Jakupcic.

He specified that 37 percent of the money raised from this fee goes specifically to karst forest management (in Dalmatia, Primorje, and Istria) which don't have an economic role in terms of timber production, but play an invaluable role in terms of oxygen production, carbon sequestration, tourism, recreation and much more.

30 percent of the collected funds from this fee paid by certain Croatian companies goes to the demining actions in forested areas, and 20 percent is pumped into preparations for fighting fires during the warmer months and implementing protection in time for the the fire season. Forest owners see 12 percent of the collected funds, and a mere (and truly symbolic) 1 percent of that same money goes to the scientific research work of the Forestry Institute and the Forestry Faculty.

One issue that is often raised is the fact that 37 percent of the money raised through this ''forest fee'' goes to Croatia's karst forests that have no actual economic role.

''Past amendments to the Forestry Act have worked to offset the cost of small Croatian companies, exempting as many as 90 percent of Croatian business owners from having to pay this particular fee. Therefore, the fee is currently paid exclusively by Croatian companies with annual revenues in excess of 3 million kuna, amounting to only 0.0265 percent of total revenues.

For example, if a company has revenue of three million kuna, the annual amount of compensation is 795 kuna, while a company with revenues of 10 million kuna pays a compensation of 2650 kuna per year, in four installments,'' explained Jakupcic, adding that the funds raised through the implementation of this fee help to achieve immeasurable benefits in terms of demining and protecting forests from fires, which is of great importance for both tourism and health and encourages employment in Croatia's numerous rural, karst regions.

For more on Croatian companies, follow our business page.

While most Split residents are asleep, members of the secret Split-based Green Guerilla direct action group covertly roam Marjan Forest Park with seedlings in hand, planting trees to help the city’s lungs breathe. They claim that everything they do is in collaboration with top forestry experts.

In addition to the Aleppo pine, they plant oak and cypress. However, they do not want to reveal how many trees they have planted so far and where, according to Ivana Perkovic/Dalmacija Danas on January 6, 2020.

The Split based group call themselves Green Guerrilla and their activities, although illegal, have met with widespread public approval. Nevertheless, some have wondered if these people might have better things they could be doing. Here's what they have to say:

To begin with: Split residents are interested in knowing; who are you and why did you organize?

We are a group of Marjan fans from Split who are tired of watching the destruction of life going on in the park. We have had enough of pillaging by the political elite, in which green spaces and trees in Marjan are being transformed into timber and are becoming prey to political calculation.

Some have wondered if you might have better things to do with your lives. Why did you begin planting right now?

For too long, those in charge have been saying that the afforestation process is set to begin. But they stand around with their hands in their pockets and prolong this process and pace it with campaigns for upcoming local elections. We’ve waited long enough, and it is a shame that the fate of Marjan is being decided by people who are calling the survival of vegetation into question. After a couple of years of delays, the forest has not been rehabilitated according to the agreed-upon method, and chopping down thousands of healthy trees cannot be called remediation. The real word that describes what has happened in Marjan is ‘criminal.’

Do you have experience in planting? What you say about statements by Damir Grubšić (JUPŠM/Public Institute for Marjan Forest Management) that you are doing more harm than good?

We are doing everything according to instructions from top forestry experts who wish to remain anonymous because they fear for their jobs. We would love to hear about what a shame it is to plant an oak, pine or cypress in the forest. If he is looking for pests in Marjan, he should first look at his current assistant and former director, Robert Koharević, and then at some other anomalies in the Public Institute. The real Marjan pests are those who illegally paved green areas and those who allowed them to are going unpunished while they remain in the city administration and Public Institute.

Are you afraid of being caught?

If one of us is caught, we will stand as one in solidarity and demand to be punished together. But we will also seek sanctions for those who have illegally harvested more than 20,000 Marjan trees, as determined by the State Forestry Inspectorate, and sanctions for those who have looked after Marjan in this manner.

Green Guerrilla | Facebook

Are you planning to plant trees in large areas or just a symbolic number? How many trees have you planted so far?

That will remain our secret.

Will you respond to Mirko Rušić's invitation to plant trees when he officially begins the afforestation project?

We will not, because we do not want to work with a person who is unskilled, uneducated and unqualified to perform forestry work and, above all, a person who participated in the illegal felling of more than 20,000 Marjan trees.

We will only respond to an invitation to plant trees from an authorized forester. That person must stand up for afforestation, put his name behind it, and be responsible for all forestry efforts spanning the entire Marjan Forest Park protected area, which has already been slated for afforestation by the spatial plan and management program. Well, Marjan has been without a major forestry planning document for a year now. Should we be expecting an invite from someone who we can thank for putting Marjan in this situation?

You say that you are doing this "in defiance of those who would build and not plant on Marjan." Do you think that they are really trying to destroy the forest so that apartments and hotels will pop up on Marjan?

It’s not a matter of that we think. Parts of Marjan Forest Park have already been irreversibly destroyed by the unplanned and illegal construction of hotels and apartments, and now there are plans to build new cafes. Recent changes to spatial plans have been announced and who knows what else is happening in Kašuni, Kaštelet and Prva voda.

It has been officially confirmed that 75 buildings have been illegally built in this protected area, part of which is being used for apartments. There won’t be any peace while there are construction sites in the park forest, illegal construction continues, and the commercialization of Marjan is put ahead of its protection in the minds of those responsible.

How would you respond if someone started to harvest the trees you planted?

Trees cannot harm anyone, so destroying them would mean that they want war with well-meaning Split residents. If they want war with residents, they will have one, and a bigger tree will replace every tree that is removed. We will also make sure that the news of this behavior is spread beyond Croatia’s borders. This is at a critical time when the whole world is working on afforestation due to climate change, which has occurred due to the destruction of forests.

WHO IS PLANTING TWO TREES THIS EARLY

After the Aleppo pine, it was time to plant an indigenous oak and there was also a spot for a cypress. In view of yesterday's news story RTL Danas, we would like to address the statements of Mirko Rušić, President of the Marjan Commission, Deputy Coordinator of the Crisis Staff, and President of the Governing Board of JUPŠ Marjan:

Green Guerrilla documents several potential sites prior to planting, and then, in communication with forestry experts, selects planting sites for species proposed by the foresters themselves. Green Guerrilla, unlike the Marjan Commission and the Crisis Staff who have been left without professionals, has foresters who are happy to tell us what, where, how and when.

Increased patrols by the JUPŠ Marjan rangers are welcome. Perhaps they will now notice the illegal construction, pyromaniacs and other problems in Marjan, which have passed under their radar so far. The trees will continue to sprout either by our own hands or naturally, and no one can claim that any new tree is not part of a plan or program because we’ll remind them of the management program and afforestation plan.

It is a shameful for the team, held responsible by the State Forestry Inspectorate for devastating this forest, to deliberately delay the afforestation process as an election campaign nears. Greetings from the Green Guerrilla. While you p*** we will continue to plant. If you love Marjan get rid of the f****** construction sites in Marjan Forest Park rather than condemning and trying to find us.

Check out our Lifestyle page for more information on efforts (legal and illegal) to protect the environment in Croatia. Updates on Green Guerrilla's activites can be found here.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 15th of April, 2019, this past weekend, as part of a socially responsible project, the popular JYSK retail chain held a voluntary action to plant 10,000 European beech seedlings in two zones in the Medvednica Nature Park in Sljeme, above Zagreb, which have been most adversely affected by the weather's elements over last few years.

"We got together on Sljeme so that JYSK's volunteers, together with citizens, planted 10,000 beech seedlings donated by JYSK as part of our action. We're renewing the area in two zones of the Medvednica Nature Park, which died a couple of years ago after stormy weather.

''In addition to helping financially as a company through such projects, we want to help and in a different way to keep track of nature for the next generation,'' said Vesna Kukić Lončarić for JYSK Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

The project was realised in cooperation with Croatian forests (Hrvatske šume), and the afforestation was carried out in the area around PD Risnjak within the Medvednica Nature Park. Despite the unfavourable weather conditions and even some snow, the afforestation action was supported by numerous citizens interested in the conservation of the environment who planted as many as 10,000 seedlings in the aforementioned locations. Among them was the famous Croatian singer Mirela Priselac Remi.

"We welcome JYSK's initiative and we'd like to thank them for their activities as part of their socially responsible business towards the forests. Such actions contribute to raising awareness among all citizens of the need for forest conservation and they are endangered by climate change and the irresponsible behaviour of individuals,'' she stated.

''Without the forests, there's no clean air nor is there any clean water, and such young and healthy forests as are sprouting here are our best allies in alleviating the consequences of climate change. There are multiple uses of forests, and only with responsible management can we manage to preserve them,'' said Damir Miškulin from Croatian forests.

For this project, JYSK collected funds from the sale of 50 percent of recycled plastic bags during the first three months of this year, which were donated for the purchase of seedlings for the purpose of afforestation. JYSK's objective is to raise public awareness of the importance of our forests and their development with a positive example, and continue to implement such projects throughout the year and throughout the whole of the Republic of Croatia.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more. If it's just the Croatian capital you're interested in, give Total Zagreb a follow, or check out Zagreb in a Page. Care about the environment? Follow Total Eco Croatia.

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ZAGREB, September 10, 2018 - Croatian Interior Minister Davor Božinović, Environmental Protection and Energy Minister Tomislav Ćorić and Water Management company director Zoran Đuraković signed on Monday an agreement on the supply of new radio and communication equipment for protection and rescue services, worth 37 million kuna, 85% of which will be financed from EU funds and the rest from the state budget.

The state company wants to improve surveillance and forest security by using new technologies.

The investment will see not only a boost for business, but the more than welcome creation of new work positions in Turopolje.