Focus on Floodplain Ecology in Croatia

🌿 The beautiful Kopački rit Nature Park in Croatia has been the location for a number of DANUBE4all knowledge sharing activities in the past few months. Kopački rit Nature Park is located in eastern Croatia and is formed by the confluence of the river Danube and it's tributary, the Drava. It one of the largest and best preserved floodplains in Europe and is home to a broad range of aquatic, avian and plant species.

Photos courtesy of IMSI

Earlier in September, Dr. Marija Smederevac-Lalić of the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research (IMSI) presented the project during the 14th International Symposium Kopački rit: 'Past, Present, Future' in Osijek. Marija showcased the results of a Danube-wide fish survey, which demonstrates fish as an important connectivity indicator that provides insights on both current ecological status and future perspectives.

The symposium was organized by the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek in partnership with our project partner, DANUBEPARKS. The brought together more than 200 participants who contributed with 94 oral and poster presentations, and provided an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences among stakeholders working on diverse topics and projects relevant, not only for Kopački rit Nature Park, but for the entire Danube Region.

As part of the programme, DANUBEPARKS presented a range of activities focused on engaging citizens and local communities in the Danube River Basin through Citizen Science initiatives such as Persina4Danube and the Osijek-Baranja Citizen Science Hub.

DANUBE4all at CEEPUS–EcoManAqua International Summer School

Photo courtesy of IMSI

Earlier this year in July, Gorcin Cvijanovic, also of IMSI, presented DANUBE4all during the CEEPUS–EcoManAqua International Summer School “Floodplain Ecology”, also held in the Nature Park.

The Summer School was designed to introduce the importance of wetlands and floodplain areas in the conservation of biodiversity in the Danube River Basin, from biodiversity theory to conservation frameworks. Students from around Europe learned practical skills for biodiversity fieldwork, including sampling design and monitoring, with the aim of contributing to the durable integration and spread of excellence within and beyond all institutions of the CEEPUS network EcoManAqua.