Dinara back to LIFE

Former grasslands in the Mount Dinara area, used as pastures for livestock since the ancient times, are now mostly unkempt. In order to bring back life and pastures to the Dinara area, the “Dinara back to LIFE” project will restore overgrown grasslands and work on creating institutional requirements for their future sustainable management as well as promote livestock farming as a nature preserving traditional activity.

With the aim of bringing life back to Mount Dinara, we have started the project entitled “Dinara back to LIFE”. The project consists of conservational activities for restoring grasslands, including manual removal of overgrown vegetation, its removal by planned grazing and controlled burning, as well as additional activities, creating institutional requirements for preserving grasslands and providing support to the local population in developing agricultural and tourist activities basing their additional value on co-existence with nature. Habitats targeted by restoration are dry grasslands, while endangered species in the main focus are bird species dependant on this type of habitat such as the ortolan bunting, greater short-toed lark and stone-curlew. Furthermore, the impact of project activities on orchids, cade juniper, the red-backed shrike, endemic grasshoppers and the activity of bees, as well as on the phenological dynamics, development stage, productivity and dry pasture nutritive value will be monitored. Project name: Management planning and restoration of Dinara dry grasslands to save biodiversity and support sustainable development Abbreviation of the project name: Dinara back to LIFE Lead beneficiary: Association BIOM Project partners: “Cetinska krajina“ Local Action Group“, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture Project duration: 15 January 2020 – 15 July 2023 Total project value: EUR 1,296,509 Izvori financija: EU (Program LIFE), Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, own co-financing