SOŽITJE (SYMBIOSIS)

Project summary

General cross-borders objectives of the operation were: with the use of 2 classrooms in nature, placed in Kočevje on the Slovene side and in National park Risnjak on the Croatian side, to raise awareness of the public about the natural and cultural sources of this cross-border region. With the establishment of Bear’s path – educational, recreational, and didactic path about the bear and nearby vegetation, remove the negative attitude towards bears, seen in requests for the cull and threats of “taking matters regarding bears into own hands”. Specific cross-border objectives of the project were: to raise the level and quality of the management with areas covered with forest; to raise the awareness of the local and wider public on the importance and preservation of the natural and cultural resources in the cross-border region; to promote these areas and to raise the living standard of the local population. The greatest value and challenge of the project is the cooperation of the partner institutions and external experts from both sides of the border, and the exchange of knowledge, experiences and innovative ideas. The aim of the project is to gain important basic biological and sociological knowledge about the brown bear, which will contribute to the creation of more tolerant coexistence between human and animal and to maintain this charismatic animal species. The added value of the project is shown in the raised consciousness of the local inhabitants in the entire cross-border region, about the opportunities of these valuable natural values, the importance of their preservation and joint management; about the options of undisturbed coexistence between the human and the nature and about controlled exploitation of this treasure, for continuous social and economic development, and the need of their preservation for future generations.