Project title:	“Ecosystem services of karst protected areas – drivers for sustainable development at the local level”
Acronym:	Eco Karst
Coordinating beneficiary:	Slovenian Forest Service, Slovenia
Project leader:	mag. Aleksander Golob, SFS
Other beneficiary:	Notranjska Regional Park, Slovenia Žumberak - Samobor Highlands Nature Park, Croatia Kalkalpen National Park, Austria Global Nature Fund – International Foundation for Environment and Nature, Germany Bükki National Park, Hungary MTA Ökológiai Kutatóközpont, Centre for Ecological Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary RNP Romsilva - Apuseni Nature Park Administration, Romania Parks Dinarides – Network of Protected Areas of Dinarides Dinaric Arc Parks, Croatia Centre for Environmentally Sustainable Development, Serbia Cantonal Public Institution for the Protected Natural Areas Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Public Enterprise "Tara National Park", Serbia
Project duration:	01/01/2017–30/06/2019
Total eligible budget:	€2,273,303.00
Official project website:	http://www.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/eco-karst

The project is co-financed by EU funds (ERDF, IPA).

The Eco Karst project aims to improve management and sustainable development of karst natural areas. Through the project we will raise awareness about ecosystem services and promote local entrepreneurship based on biodiversity conservation.

Foundations for shaping the project idea:

• Addressing the common challenge of protected karst areas in seeking a balance between nature conservation, development, and sustainable use.
• All seven pilot protected karst areas face a similar problem: inadequate management of nature and forest resources, limited capacity to cope with the impacts of ecosystem degradation, and a lack of adequate knowledge and functioning regarding the material and immaterial benefits of ecosystem services.

Expectations:

• The main objective of the Eco Karst project is to contribute to the protection and sustainable development of karst natural areas in the Danube Basin, based on valued ecosystem services.
• The project's result will be improved management and sustainable development of karst natural areas, which will be expressed in increased awareness of ecosystem services. At the same time, the project will promote entrepreneurship, which will, through its activities, be based on the biodiversity of local areas and thereby contribute to its preservation and local employment.

Map of pilot areas

 

Planned Notranjska Regional Park activities in the project:

• participatory mapping and valuation of ecosystem services,
• development of integrative action plans with opportunity maps related to biodiversity (BIO maps),
• development of a joint strategy for the sustainable use of ecosystem services in the Karst.