Unknown Krka: the hidden treasures of the upper and lower course of the Krka River (project code: KK 06.1.2.01.0003)

The project was co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union.

The Public Institute of Krka National Park commenced the implementation of the project on 1 June 2015 (KK 06.1.2.01.0003), and its completion is planned for 1 July 2019. The project is co-financed from the Operative Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion 2014 – 2020. A grant in the amount of HRK 78,620,719.12 was awarded from the European Fund for Regional Development, while the overall project value is HRK 80,057,649.15.

Project partner: Šibenik-Knin County Tourist Board

Brief description of the project: The project envisages several infrastructure works within Krka National Park, the design and introduction of new presentation and interpretation content, such as the construction and equipping of the Krka Eco Campus visitor centre at Puljani, an interpretation, education and volunteer centre, and equipping the Krka-Well of Life Nature Interpretation Centre at Kistanje, with its art and multimedia interpretation set-up. It additional includes the equipping walking trails, electrification of boat transport, and improving the management system for content and visitors, including numerous educational activities aimed at increasing visitor safety, and raising public awareness in the education, tourism and media sectors about the natural wealth of the Krka River and the processes connected to it.

General aim of the project: to construct infrastructure and capacities of key stakeholders, and to develop new educational tourism products and services, to activate the unused tourism and economic potential of the northern area of Krka National Park, and to achieve better quality spatial and temporal distribution of visitors, and overall social, economic and ecological benefits.

Specific project goals::

• Increasing the share of visitors educated about the natural heritage in the share of total visitors from 6.10% to 10.27% by 2022.
• Increase the number of supported visitor infrastructure structures that contribute to better heritage management, from the current 7 to 23 by 2021.

Indicators of goal achievement:

• Temporal and spatial dispersion of visitors, thereby achieving a de-burdening of natural heritage destinations which are currently overvisited, and an increase in the number of visitors to the northern entrances of 128% by 2022.
• 31 directly employed persons for the purpose of functioning of the newly constructed content
• 16 newly created or adapted tourism content and products for visitors, and direct and indirect results of investments in natural heritage destinations (including the construction of public areas, viewing points, interpretation audio guide systems and three info-points with touch screens, three rest areas, internet centre, and more)
• Opening of three centres adapted for the disabled (Temple of Nature at Kistanje, a scientific presentation centre completely adapted and equipped for disabled visitors; the natural history collection at the Krka Eco Campus in Puljani that is equipped with audio guides; electric boats equipped with ramps and spaces for the disabled, in addition to audio guides) Eko kampusa Krka u Puljanima opremljene audio vodičima; elektrobrodova opremljenih rampom i smještajem za osobe s invaliditetom, kao i audio vodičima)

Activating the previously unused tourism and economic potential in the northern part of Krka National Park, with the aim of temporal and spatial dispersion of visitors, will contribute the following project elements:

• Construction and equipping of the Krka Eco Campus at Puljani

The construction of the Krka Eco Campus is a crucial component of this project, and the main means for achieving the set goals. With project implementation, the Eco Campus will become a unique destination in Krka National Park, which with its attractive visitor content will have the pull to draw visitors to the northern part of the park, and will best enable a more optimal spatial and temporal distribution of visitors.

• Reconstruction and equipping the Nature Interpretation Centre: Krka – Well of Life

The centre relies on the fundamental role of the Eco Campus, with a key role in contributing to the achievement of project goals by creating additional attractive content in the upper course of the Krka River. The centre will significantly contribute to the socioeconomic development of the Kistanje municipality and the surrounding parts of the Dalmatinska Zagora inland region, which have a scattered population and are economically impoverished. With its operation, the centre will create a new, significant educational and presentation resource, as the central access point from the right bank of the Krka River.

• Repair and equipping of three walking trails

Building walking trails is an important part of expanding the tourism offer in the northern part of the national park. These (historical) trails will enable visitors to experience active walking and provide access to the exceptionally attractive upstream waterfalls (Brljan, Manojlovac), connecting the Nečven fortress with access to the left bank of the Krka, which will directly contribute to the use of visitor potential to visit natural heritage, thereby enriching the overall content in the northern part of the park.

• Electrification of boat transport

With the introduction of electric boats on the most travelled routes towards Visovac Island and Roški Slap, and as needed to the Krka Monastery, and as a fundamental and attractive resource of the middle course, particularly in peak tourism periods, this will significantly reduce gaseous emissions and increase the visitor transport capacities. More effective transport of visitors will enable a larger number of visitors to sites in the middle course of the river.

• Improving the content and visitor management systems

With the construction of the necessary capacities for sustainable and successful resource management in the protected area, integration of the surrounding area by connecting with key stakeholders from the local community and implementation of new educational programmes will contribute to improving the quality of visitor services in the park, visitor safety, better conservation of the natural heritage, and attracting more visitors to the northern parts of the park.

• Promotion and visibility

For the purpose of improving the promotion and visibility of the project and the Public Institute of Krka National Park through the project, flyers, brochures, posters, audio-visual presentations and a promotional film will be prepared. Conferences, a familiarisation tour for tour operators, and international promotional events and campaigns will be organised. The existing website will be updated and equipped with GIS tools, while multimedia info panels will be installed for visitors.

Contact person: Ivona Cvitan, e-mail: ivona.cvitan@npk.hr

For more information about the European Regional Development Fund, from which this project has been financed, please visit:

http://europski-fondovi.eu/program/europski-fond-za-regionalni-razvoj