News

Following a lengthy process of negotiations and agreements, the purchase of land under the LIFE RESTORE for MDD has officially begun in Croatia, with the first plots secured in two key Natura 2000 sites in Međimurje County.

In October, the first forest plot (2,599 m²) was purchased within the Mura Natura 2000 site. WWF-Austria led the negotiations, and ownership has been transferred to the Međimurje Nature Public Institution. This is an important first step towards the wider goal of purchasing 20 hectares of privately owned floodplain forest along the Croatian section of the Mura River, with a focus on habitat types 91E0* and 91F0. Once acquired, these forests will be taken out of use and left to natural succession, which will allow the floodplain ecosystem to recover and create better conditions for many rare and endangered plant and animal species. The purchase process is continuing at an excellent pace.

In mid-November, the first plots were also purchased in the Donje Međimurje Natura 2000 site, which is characterised by a dense mosaic of wet meadows, hedges and gallery floodplain forests. This habitat structure is increasingly under threat from overgrowth due to a lack of maintenance, with an increasing risk of takeover by invasive alien species. In order to support the restoration of habitat type 6510, lowland hay meadows, a total of four hectares are planned for purchase. So far, 2,270 m² have been secured, and an additional 2,826 m² are now being acquired. This will soon bring the total area under protection to around 0.5 hectares, safeguarding not only the valuable meadow habitats, but also the critically endangered large blue butterflies (Phengaris teleius and Phengaris nausithous).