DANUBEPARKS was the co-organizer of the 13th International Symposium Kopački rit - past, present, future which took place on 2nd and 3rd of October 2024, together with the 4th Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube Steering Committee Meeting And 3rd Project „Life Restore For Mdd“ Consortium Meeting.
The rich program included 22 lectures and presentations and a total of 52 posters, followed by a visit to the Presentation and Education Centre Tikveš and a visit to the restoration site Bjelobrdska bara or a boat trip in Kopački rit for the participants of the various events.
Among the numerous experts, who had the opportunity to discuss their work this year was Mr. Matej Marusic of DANUBEPARKS, who present the Danube WILDisland Ramsar Regional Initiative as a look into the future of joint river conservation and trans-border cooperation.
The WILDisland RRI was established within the LIFE WILDisland project to reflect our joint ideas of cross-sector, trans-border cooperation for conserving the unique riparian islands as a symbol of intact river dynamics and preserved ecosystem services.
The first scientific and professional conference “ Kopački rit yesterday, today, tomorrow” was held in Tikveš, on September 27, 2012. The aim of the organization was to bring together researchers from different scientific disciplines who will present the achievements or announce planned research activities and include other stakeholders and users of space in the wider environment of the Nature Park “Kopački rit”. It was a very important year for the Nature Park “Kopački rit” since UNESCO proclaimed the Cross-Border Biosphere Reserve Mura – Drava – Danube between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Hungary on 11 July 2012 and thus connected it to the World Biosphere Reserve. Nature Park “Kopački rit” plays a key role in the biosphere reserve due to its exceptional natural values and because of the experience in the management of this protected area.
So far, a total of 13 symposiums have been held with hundreds of presentations, and in addition to the topic of biodiversity, ecology and environment, a multidisciplinary approach is also promoted in the processing of topics in the fields of agriculture, education, history, linguistics, tourism and sustainable development. Summaries of the press release of each Symposium are printed in the Proceedings of the Symposium. Sustainability of symposiums confirms the existence of a constant interest of the scientific and professional community, public institutions that operate in the protection of nature, environment and health, professional associations and federations, as well as the general public for participation and presentation of the achievements of the conducted research and project activities.
The main organizers of the symposium are: Public Institution Nature Park “Kopački rit”, Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, Faculty of Education, Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek and Public Institution Agency for Management of Protected Natural Values in the Osijek-Baranja County. International support for the organization of symposiums was given by a network of protected areas on the Danube River (DANUBEPARKS) and the international scientific association Balkan Environmental Association (B.EN.A.).
We are very grateful for the opportunity to present our work and ideas!
