BROD ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY - BED

Gajna commons facing destruction

Commons in Croatia survived different political regimes only in places where natural conditions were too harsh for state or private interests to take over. Gajna wet grassland, protected in 1990, being regularly flooded is one of those places. In last 30 years supported by Brod Ecological Society-BED numerous nature protection projects were implemented making Gajna an oasis of old breeds and a story of harmony between otherwise not so harmonious sectors – agriculture, nature protection and flood protection. The system was not kind to this idea and this is a story of a long and exhausting fight. An innovative legal form of pasturing community (of 17 local agricultural holdings) was made to adjust traditional governing practice to the current system, tailored to private enterprises and holdings.
In 2019 formal state owned agricultural land status was changed to the public water body status which allowed that this exquisite example of turning barren land to the hub of various eco-system services was in 2020 offered to the highest bidder. Forget the commons, forget nature protection, forget critically endangered breeds, forget local veterans population handling the herds and survival of their families, forget the millions of investments in infrastructure and projects, forget the fact that this group cleared huge patches overgrown with invasive species, build anti-flood elevation platforms and is giving a perfect example how farmers can live in harmony with nature.
In summer of 2020 we could be faced with the option of slaughtering the herds, taking down the objects of traditional architecture and nature protection mechanisms. We are currently fighting like hell trying to explain to the institutions established to protect the public interest that it should come before the private ones.

Inovative minds for smart schools

Inovative minds for smart schools is a crossborder project worth 1.644.127,82 EUR, funded within INTERREG IPA CBC programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Monte Negro 2014-20120. The implementation team comprises 27 persons who will jointly implement several activities in the crossborder area. Leading applicant is Centre for Development and Support from Tuzla, Green Action from Zagreb, Brod-Posavina Country, Tuzla Canton and Brod ecological society-BED from Slavonski Brod. In 27 month of the project implementation, the investments shall be made in energy reconstruction of 7 primary and high schools in the project area (Brod-Posavina County and Tuzla Canton). Additional project activities include crossborder 4-month competition of primary and high school in the project area about energy saving (utilizing non-investment methods, in fact behavioural changes), and as a reward, in each of two winning schools (one in BPC and another in TC) photovoltaic solar system shall be installed and „solar laboratory“ shall be equipped (to be produced, with the mentorship of the experts from the Centre for Development and Support and Green Action, by students and teachers of the winner schools). Crossborder competition of students-individuals from primary and high school in the project area in IT/technical innovations in the sector of renewable energy sources is also planned, where 20 most successful innovators from Brod-Posavina Country and Tuzla Canton shall have the opportunity to design / technically improve their innovations at 7-day summer youth camp of young innovators to be held in Brod-Posavina County.
Details (on Croatian) and photos here.

Regional network for biodiversity rewards BED for excellence in managing natural resources

BED's programme was awarded as one of the best examples of protecting biodiversity in Central and Eastern Europe in the category - Managing our natural resources. CEEweb for Biodiversity is a network of non-governmental organizations in the Central and Eastern European region. Through The CEEweb for Biodiversity Award they celebrate and promote the best practices of nature conservation in Central and Eastern Europe. Call is open in 19 countries in three categories and it aims to demonstrate how civil society and other stakeholders contribute to the conservation of European biodiversity. The initiative awards excellence in Natura 2000 and natural resources management, restoration and connectivity of habitats, and cooperation with various stakeholders.

Gajna – a case study in European and international arena

In 2016 Gajna was portrayed in many forums as a positive example of common governance and nature protection. Brod Ecological Society-BED in the beginning of April 2016 took part in the conference Good economy in good stories in Zagreb where Gajna was presented in the accompanying brochure Good economy in good examples. In the same period, on the anniversary of 15 years of protection of River Mura we held a lecture on the establishment of coordination councils and experiences on Gajna; on the Green Academy on Vis in August 2016 Gajna was presented as an example of common pastures. In the seminar The fight against corruption in the management of protected areas, held in Osijek in November 2016, Gajna was also mentioned. Within an environmental action by the name "Together for clean Dilj" a lecture on Gajna and BED was held on World Environment Day with the main organizer Mountaineering Club "Dilj Mountain" Slavonski Brod and partners Public Institution for management of protected natural areas of Brod-Posavina County, Croatian Forestry Association Slavonski Brod and BED.

Last chance for the podolians

The main objective of the project Last chance for podolian beef was to protect, preserve and improve the biodiversity of significant landscape Gajna. Project lasted from November 2015 to September 2016 and was financed by the German foundation Euronatur. The project encouraged and created a basis for economic activities- ecological agriculture, tourism and sustainable development in accordance with ecological principles in rural areas with a focus on villages in the municipality Oprisavci. It has also activated mechanisms and groups that have helped in the creation and preservation of conditions for traditional grazing methods . The activities that we have carried out are focused on the distribution of offspring Slavonian podolian beef, eight female ones, to farmers on Gajna. As a part of a project two workshops on agri-environmental measures and a round table on common pastures were held. Another important activity was the maintenance of existing infrastructure necessary for grazing and removal of invasive species.

We love and cherish our cultural and natural heritage

Brod Ecological Society-BED from Slavonski Brod and Women's Association Smiljak from Oprisavci within the civil initiative "Our contribution to the community," by the Regional Foundation for Community Development implemented the initiative "We love and cherish our heritage." The initiative consists in launching the Museum of Cultural and Natural Heritage in Oprisavci. Activities are reconstruction of the space in the community house, collecting and cataloging of old cases for permanent and temporary exhibits and activate people in the community.