Krka National Park's 35th birthday

Krka National Park's 35th birthday
Today, when Krka National Park is celebrating its 35th birthday, protection and conservation are the foundation upon which all the park’s strategic goals have been based over the years, and which will certainly be even more pronounced in the years to come. Recognised by the multitudes of people who come to visit the park from every corner of the globe, Krka National Park is, above all, a protected natural area of preserved natural processes, biological diversity, landscape value and cultural and traditional heritage.

Sustainable projects and visitor management, education and cooperation with the local population are not simply terms listed in the strategic development documents. Our results are most visible in the numerous research and conservation studies, thousands of workshops held, kilometres of trails built, all with the aim of bringing together the natural, cultural and historical heritage of this area and presenting it to generations of visitors and true nature lovers.

Today, Krka National Park is a combination of the traditional and the modern, an area of cohabitation between man and nature. Here we find species that live nowhere else on Earth, we sail in the most modern electric boats, and we use sophisticated digital solutions to make it easier for visitors to find their way and aid the park in supervising and managing the whole area.

As we enter into our 36th year, we are raising the nature conservation standards to new highs, laying the foundations for a redefined approach towards the most valuable natural phenomena, and opening new horizons to reveal lesser visited parts of the Krka River. The focus will continue to be on developing the system and infrastructure that support nature conservation, and ensure greater visitor safety and satisfaction.

On this occasion, the Public Institute of Krka National Park would like to thank all visitors, nature lovers, experts, representatives of the local community, institutions, friends and associates of the park, and also the media, for your continued support, coverage and exchange of knowledge and experiences that have marked the past three and a half decades of our work. Thank you for being a part of our first 35 years!

The 35 greatest accomplishments in the 35 years since the establishment of Krka National Park: 

1. 153 scientific and professional projects
2. Geochemical research of the travertine barriers, origin and deposition of travertine
3. Inventorying and valorisation of plant and animal species, and their habitats
4. Researching the forests and forest habitats
5. Speleological and biospeleological research
6. Landscape research and its revitalisation (rocky grasslands)
7. Conservation geoinformation system complete with all park data
8. Monitoring of flora and fauna
9. Management plan
10. Two water treatment devices at Skradinski buk, with the aim of preserving water quality
11. Preserving ecologically acceptable flows in the operation of the hydropower plants
12. Buoys containing sensors for the measurement of water quality on Visovac Lake
13. Prehistoric site Oziđana pećina cave, with an in situ exhibit of artefacts
14. Partial reconstruction of the Burnum Roman military camp
15. Archaeological collection at the Krka Eco Campus in Puljane
16. Research and conservation of the walls of the medieval fortress Nečven and the monument of industrial heritage Krka Hydroelectric Plant
17. Restoration of the water mills and columns at Skradinski buk and Roški slap
18. 47 kilometres of educational walking trails built
19. 470 kilometres of bicycle trails
20. Branch offices of the Public Institute of Krka National Park in Knin, Drniš and Skradin, and two visitor centres: Visovac House Kuželj and Laškovica
21. Active and ongoing cooperation with institutions, local self-government units, associations, experts and other individuals
22. Signage and interpretation panels installed and aligned with the unique visual identity for all protected areas in the Republic of Croatia
23. Measures to restrict the number of visitors at Skradinski buk, in order to protect the fundamental phenomenon and improve the quality of the visitor experience
24. Event Krka Cultural Summer (Sounds of the Krka, Burnum Ides, Bat Night)
25. Project Through Knowledge to Conservation, launched with the aim of raising awareness of nature conservation
26. Educational workshops for children and celebrations of all important conservation dates
27. Publication activities (with 59 volumes published)
28. Journal Buk, intended for staff and the local population
29. Meetings with the local population through educational workshops
30. Campaign Green Clean-up – removing illegal landfills
31. Project Unknown Krka – hidden treasures of the upper and middle course of the Krka River, co-financed with funds of the European Union
32. Electrification of boat transport
33. Two charging stations for electric vehicles
34. Electronic ticket sales and registration system
35. More than a million satisfied visitors every year.