Photo 1. Representatives of PI “Priroda”, Glavotok Campsite
and the Tourist Board of the Town of Krk raise a NATURA 2000 flag at Glavotok.
(Photo by Sunčica Strišković)

RAISING NATURA 2000 FLAGS

Island Biodiversity is the theme of this year’s International
Day for Biological Diversity. Islands and the shallow sea surrounding
their shores often represent unique ecosystems exceptionally rich in plants,
animals and fish. Because of island isolation, species living on islands
develop specific features that help them adapt to island conditions. The
Kvarner islands of Krk, Rab, Cres and Lošinj stand out for their biodiversity.

The main event – Celebration of the 45th anniversary of the proclamation of Glavotok Forest Reserve on Krk Island and the raising of the NATURA 2000 flag

The main event of Biodiversity Day and Nature Protection
Day in CPGK was held at Glavotok, in and around the forest vegetation
reserve which this year celebrates the 45th anniversary of its official
proclamation. On this occasion, a NATURA 2000 flag was raised to signify
that the forest reserve is part of the European Ecological Network (Photo
1). In collaboration with the Glavotok Campsite and the Correct Diving
Centre, action was taken to clean and fix up the forest reserve and its
surrounding area (Photo 2). A biodiversity workshop was held for the Young
Guardians of the Environment of Gornja Vežica Elementary School. The workshop
focused on the plant and animal life in the protected forest reserve.

NATURA 2000 flags were also raised in several other NATURA
2000 sites on all four groups of Kvarner islands in CPGK. For this occasion,
PI “Priroda” printed the first in a series of posters on the
theme of endemic plants of the Kvarner islands. The poster features species
that have eye-catching blossoms: the Istrian bluebell and the goldentuft
– endemic plants of the Kvarner-Liburnian region, and the Dalmatian chrysanthemum
and the Adriatic violet – endemic plants of the Illyrian-Adriatic region.
The daily newspaper Novi list published an educational supplementary concerning
venomous animals and plants of the Kvarner islands.

Photo 2. Cleaning and fixing up in Glavotok Forest Reserve. Making a hurdle
gate (Photo by Sunčica Strišković)

Photo 3. Workshop with Young Guardians of the Environment of Gornja Vežica
Elementary School at Glavotok (Photo by Sunčica Strišković)