News

As restoration work continues at Bjelobrdska Oxbow Lake, ongoing ecological monitoring is revealing how habitats and species have responded since implementation began in spring 2025.

The monitoring, carried out by an expert team from the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences in Osijek (FAZOS), focuses on habitat structure, as well as the fauna, flora and spread of invasive alien species. In June 2025, the team made a notable new discovery when they recorded the presence of European water clover (Marsilea quadrifolia) in a new location within the restoration area. This endangered and strictly protected species had not previously been documented at this site in Croatia.

Faunal monitoring continues across a wide range of species groups, including freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The presence of 19 Natura 2000 target bird species, as well as forest indicator species such as woodpeckers, highlights the area’s high ecological value. The continued presence of otters (Lutra lutra) and beavers (Castor fiber) further emphasises the importance of restored floodplain habitats for protected species.

Meanwhile, restoration work on the Bjelobrdska Bara oxbow, carried out by Hrvatske Vode (HV) is progressing steadily. So far, 2.1 kilometres of the pond have been dredged and approximately 87,000 cubic metres of sediment have been removed, thereby improving 22.7 hectares of the waterway. These measures help to restore natural hydrological conditions and strengthen habitat quality across the floodplain.

Monitoring will continue throughout the restoration process, enabling changes in biodiversity and habitat conditions to be documented and evaluated as the LIFE RESTORE for MDD project progresses.