Animal husbandry that preserves nature – a new appreciation of ancient breeds in the karst region

A new educational cycle of lectures intended for animal breeders and those who want to become one will be held as part of the Meeting with the Local Population, which is organized by the Krka National Park.

A new cycle of educational lectures begins at the 26th Meeting with Local Residents, which will be held on Saturday, 28 March, 2026, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the conference hall of the Krka Eco Campus in Puljane. The topic of the entire lecture cycle will be animal husbandry.

The series consists of five lectures, prepared by Dr. Toni Tešija from the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb. They will discuss individual aspects of livestock farming, and their goal is not only to provide additional support to existing livestock farmers, but also to encourage and increase interest in this economic activity among those who are actively considering engaging in it. In addition to these lectures, a workshop on disease prevention in livestock farming will be held in the fall, and production technologies will also be presented, with an emphasis on local traditional and ecological-ethical specific features.

In the introductory lecture, Dr. Tešija will focus on indigenous breeds, biodiversity and genetic resources, and the key role they play in the conservation of the karst region. Other themes will be the growing interest in breeding indigenous breeds in karst areas, the challenges of breeding in protected areas, and the adaptation of indigenous breeds to the climatic and nutritional constraints of karst. What are examples of good and bad practices in the use of pastures, and whether extensive livestock farming can be used as a measure for nature conservation, are just some of the questions that Dr. Tešija will offer answers to in the lectures.

"Research has shown a strong connection between grazing and biodiversity, and the key to success on this path is continuous investment in educational activities, such as the ones we are conducting in order to better understand the importance of developing livestock-related activities", said the director of the Krka National Park, Nella Slavica, and emphasized: "At the end of last year, we joined a project to restore habitats, improve the protection status of grassland birds, and promote nature-based solutions through the resilient mosaic of the Mediterranean landscape, therefore we will continuously implement activities to preserve the mosaic landscape by making it more resistant to climate change".

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2026 the International Year of Pastures and Pastoralism. Global biodiversity depends heavily on the conservation of pastures, so it is exceptionally important to discuss their role in ecosystem health, species conservation, food production, and climate change adaptation. Ungrazed grasslands are losing species, while mosaic landscapes are rich and dynamic spaces in which nature and people interact.

Thanks to the Meeting with Local Residents, residents of the broader area of the Krka River will be able to improve their knowledge and skills in Puljane in the coming months specifically related to livestock farming as an important economic activity. As in previous meetings, participation in the twenty-sixth meeting is free of charge.