The SUP – APUP Project

“Evaluation of the Situation in the Management System of the Krka National Park, Analysis of the Reception Capability” and “The Study of Visitor Management at the Krka National Park” The Public Institution Krka National Park (further: PI Krka National Park), which manages the protected area of the Krka National Park (further: Krka National Park), has commissioned an evaluation of the situation in the management system of the Krka National Park, an analysis of the reception capacity, and a study of the visitor management (further: the SUP – APUP Project). The process of contracting the service was carried out as part of the grant contract for the project "The Unknown Krka – Hidden Treasures of the Upper and Middle Courses of the Krka River" (CC 06.1.2.01.0003) in the framework of the Call for Proposals for the Promotion of Sustainable Utilization of the Natural Heritage in National and Nature Parks, as a part of the Operational Program "Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020". The project is co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund.

The overall objectives of the SUP – APUP Project

The SUP – APUP project is being implemented within the project "The Unknown Krka" and consists of two interrelated documents:

1. “An evaluation of the situation in the management system of the Krka National Park, an analysis of the reception capability” and
2. “A study of visitor management at Krka National Park”.

The overall objective of the project, based on the evaluation of the current state and the current visitor management system of the Krka National Park, is to develop a management framework and set appropriate goals, activities, and performance indicators that will, in accordance with the protection of natural and other features, improve visitor management and the visitor infrastructure of the Krka National Park. The "Visitor Management Study" will contain the "Visitor Management Action Plan (further: APUP) of the Krka National Park for the period from 2019 to 2031.

The APUP will determine visitor management goals for the given planning period and specify activities to achieve those goals, along with indicators for plan implementation and management effectiveness, according to the following guidelines:

• The development of an integral overview of the wider area (region of influence and function) as associated with the vision, visitation levels, and suitable visitor infrastructure of the Krka National Park;
• After revision of management objectives, the determination of appropriate indicators, standards, and strategies and techniques for managing the number, structure and spatial-temporal dispersion of visitors;
• The development of a management model suitable to the Krka National Park;
• The definition of zones according to the intensity of visiting in line with the aims of management and protection;
• The suggestion of programs and activities involving open participation of local elements and the promotion of local development;
• The application of the cumulative experience of the management staff and a methodology consistent with current world practices and theoretical frameworks, to develop a visitor management model suitable to the Krka National Park.

The APUP was designed in accordance with the principles of adaptive and participatory management/planning. Participation refers to the involvement of interested parties in various manners and at various levels in different stages of the Krka National Park management cycle.

THE FINAL PRESENTATION OF THE EVALUATION OF THE SITUATION IN THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF THE KRKA NATIONAL PARK, ANALYSIS OF THE RECEPTION CAPACITY (January 3, 2019)

The final presentation of the “Evaluation of the situation in the management system of the Krka National Park, analysis of the reception capacity” was held on the 3rd of January 2019. The presentation was attended by members of the project team from the PI Krka National Park, and a member of the expert team, the representative of the Executor, Marko Jakelić, who carried out a detailed presentation of the Evaluation. It was concluded that the Evaluation had been prepared in accordance with the procurement documentation and the contract, taking into account all the specific features of the Krka National Park and the needs of the PI Krka National Park established through the coordination and workshops that had been carried out.

In the presentation of the Evaluation, emphasis was placed on the content, the methodology of production, key concepts, the relations of valid documents and documents and projects currently under development or implementation, analysis of guidelines related to visitor numbers according to management zones, the evaluation of the situation on the basis of items in accordance with the guidelines of the HAOP from 2018, and a SWOT analysis of such contributions to the study. The Evaluation cites all relevant information as of the end of December 2018.

THE STUDY OF VISITOR MANAGEMENT – THE VISITOR MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN

WORKSHOPS HELP WITH INTERESTED PARTIES (8th and 9th of April 2019)

The APUP was designed in accordance with the principles of adaptive and participatory management/planning. Participation refers to the involvement of interested parties in various manners and at various levels in different stages of the Krka National Park management cycle.

Six workshops in total with local interested parties were held on the 8th and 9th of April 2019 with the aim of informing them about the ongoing activities of the Krka National Park. Proposals and opinions of the interested parties have been included in the drafting of goals and activities for the management of visitors to the Krka National Park to 2031.

The workshops were attended by varied interested parties divided into focus groups: administrative/public entities, institutions of science and culture (polytechnics in Knin and Šibenik, the University of Zadar ...), “economic entities” (services in tourism, hotels, tourist agencies...), educational institutions, and local communities (cities and municipalities).

The interested parties were thoroughly informed beforehand about the preparation of the “Visitor Management Action Plan”, in terms of activities carried out by the Krka National Park, and at the workshops they were informed in detail about the general and specific goals and context of the study/APUP, and were acquainted with the key excerpts from the evaluation of the situation in the system of visits. Participants at the workshop also took part in the consideration of the preliminary proposal of the general and specific goals of visit management at the Krka National Park for the period 2019 - 2031, and further in consideration of the proposal of activities to achieve the proposed goals, and provided their principal and specific comments, opinions, and suggestions for further work on drafting goals and activities for managing visitors to the Krka National Park during the stated planning period.

FINAL PRESENTATION OF THE STUDY OF VISIT MANAGEMENT (July 3, 2019)

The Public Institution Krka National Park (further: PI Krka National Park), which manages the protected area of the Krka National Park (further: Krka National Park), has commissioned an evaluation of the situation in the management system of the Krka National Park, an analysis of the reception capacity, and a study of the visitor management (further: the SUP – APUP Project).

The process of contracting the service was carried out as part of the grant contract for the project "The Unknown Krka – Hidden Treasures of the Upper and Middle Courses of the Krka River" (CC 06.1.2.01.0003) in the framework of the Call for Proposals for the Promotion of Sustainable Utilization of the Natural Heritage in National and Nature Parks, as a part of the Operational Program "Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014-2020". The project is co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund.

General aims of the SUP – APUP Project:

Based on the evaluation of the existing situation and the current visitor management system of the Krka National Park, to develop a management framework and set appropriate goals, activities, and performance indicators that will improve the visitor management and infrastructure of the Krka National Park in line with the protection of natural and other elements.

Specific aims of the SUP – APUP Project:

• Evaluation of the situation – according to the guidelines of HAOP from March 2018 (http://www.haop.hr/hr/tematska-podrucja/zasticena-podrucja/upravljanjezasticenim-podrucjima/smjernice), along with adaptation to all specific features of the Krka National Park – particularly encompassing the evaluation and sythesis of all research advances to the present and administrative experience of the Krka National Park, and if necessary carry out further research;

• Along with the area of the Krka National Park, to complete an integral overview of the broader region (zone of influence and functional region) related to the vision, visitation, and corresponding visitor infrastructure of the Krka National Park ;

• After revision/establishment of management objectives, the determination of appropriate indicators, standards, and strategies and techniques for managing the number, structure and spatial-temporal distribution of visitors;

• Through the application of the cumulative experience of the management staff and a methodology consistent with current world practices and theoretical frameworks (particularly recent IVUMC-VUM, as a synthesis of ROS / LAC / VERP experience), the evaluation of ecosystem services and relevant recommendations (IUCN, KEC, EUROPARC, HAOP…), to develop a management visitor model suitable for the Krka National Park;

• The definition of zones according to visiting intensity (from zones without visits to those with intensive visits) according to the aims of management and protection, and offer suggestions for micro-zone definition o (scale 1:5000, 1:2000/1:1 000);

• To propose programs and activities open to participation by local interested parties and to stimulate local development;

• Present the conclusions of the Project in textual, graphic, graphic-textual, and tabular depictions, where all the complex elements of the process and conditions tied to visiting the Krka National Park – both within the Park as well as in the immediate and broader vicinity – are communicated in a concise and operational (implementative) oriented manner ( including guidelines for linking sectional plans/documents);

• Issue instructions to the Park Management on how to monitor the number of visitors in relation to the given levels of protection, taking into account the spatial and other regulations, the experiences from implementation of the management plan in 2011-2017, and the principles of participatory and adaptive management in a dynamic environment.

After completion of the study “Evaluation of the Situation in the Management System of the Krka National Park, Analysis of the Reception Capability” (further: Evaluation), the project task in relation to the Visitor Management Study was carried out, in accordance with DON, in 2 phases:

Phase 1: The general aims and framework of visitor management at the Krka National Park

• After obtaining results from the first study, it is necessary to propose guidelines for the study of visitor management;
• Informed application of load capacity concepts and evaluation of ecosystem services by referencing relevant visitor management frameworks (especially the recent IVUMC-VUM7) and recommendations (IUCN, KEC, EUROPARC, HAOP), leading to the development of a visitor management framework suitable for the Krka National Park;
• SWOT analysis;
• The organization of workshops/consultations with local interested parties:

1. Local and regional administrations,
2. Offices of the Tourist Bureaus of the Šibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatian, and Zadar Counties,
3. Guest service providers (hotels, restaurants, private accommodation renters),
4. Travel agencies,
5. Educational institutions,
6. The local inhabitatants.

• Revision of aims / new aims in visitor management:

1. Targeted spatial-temporal organization of visitation, structure of visitors,
2. A review of visitor management strategies and techniques, as well as appropriate quantitative and qualitative indicators and standards,
3. Proposal of measures to reach target groups of visitors;

• Guidelines for the development of a new management plan and other educational plans, projects, research, and monitoring;
• Reviewing the possibilities of improvement to the visitor management system in the planning periods according to the needs of the Krka National Park;
• Proposing an appropriate visitor management framework for Krka National Park.

Phase 2: Action Plan for Visitor Management at the Krka National Park in 2019 – 2031

• Identification of specific management aims and activities required to achieve the set goals:

1. Cartographic representation, numbering, and naming of individual zones,
2. Proposals in terms of the form of visitation and the association with a particular area of visits,
3. Evidence of the infrastructure needed with cost estimates,
4. Evidence of the infrastructure needed with cost estimates,
5. Proposal for a branding concept and marketing activities with cost estimates;

• Determining indicators to monitor implementation and evaluate the effectiveness of visitor management at the Krka National Park;
• Estimation of the resources required, showing the possible costs;
• Definition of management performance indicators required in the following period for implementation of the action plan;
  razdoblju za provedbu akcijskog plana;
• Presenting conclusions to interested local parties;
• Establishing guidelines for conducting future research (what research to conduct, in what period, the goals, which interested parties to gather and why);
• Establishing a system for evaluation and monitoring the implementation of the action plan with clearly defined activities, chronological framework, responsibilities, and resources needed for implementation;
• Establishment of a system for monitoring the implementation of the action plan indicators with the specified sources and dynamics of verification.

The presentation of the final document of the “Study of Visitor Management at the Krka National Park” was held on the 3rd of July 2019. The presentation was attended by members of the project team of the Public Institution Krka National Park, the representative of the Executor, Marko Jakelić, and all the executives involved in the composition of the Study.