Huge-ranging measures see the Rewilding Velebit group construct engagement in 2023

Nurturing constructive attitudes

Creating and nurturing constructive attitudes in direction of nature and nature restoration amongst stakeholders is important to the success of rewilding efforts. Final yr, the Rewilding Velebit group carried out a variety of actions to have interaction with numerous components of society – from kids, college students, and hunters to beekeepers, mountaineers, and on a regular basis residents. By connecting them with the majestic nature of the Velebit Mountains, our purpose was to encourage them to need to shield and improve it, and to construct help for our work and rewilding typically.

We coated numerous points within the workshops, academic courses, seminars, exhibitions, festivals, lectures, and different actions that we organised. These included the well being of Velebit soil and water, human well being, human-wildlife coexistence, the richness and fragility of Velebit wildlife, and the complexity of pure relationships. We mentioned methods to dwell alongside wildlife in Velebit, and measures to enhance human-wildlife coexistence – reminiscent of roadside wildlife warning reflectors – and showcased the spectacular and distinctive wild nature that Velebit accommodates.

Two-way communications

Our communications have been two-way – we have been completely satisfied to obtain messages about and ideas for the character safety and restoration. For instance, we’re producing a video to point out how the wildlife warning reflectors work, and within the spring we are going to give a lecture throughout a mountaineering seminar for kids, on the request of a neighborhood mountaineering affiliation. We additionally obtained a tremendous video of a Eurasian lynx strolling in Velebit from a woman who had by no means seen one earlier than, and a message on Fb a couple of capercaillie in southern Velebit, which is extraordinarily uncommon. Individuals additionally advised us about how that they had skilled altering climate patterns and excessive climate occasions within the mountains, and we obtained compliments in regards to the constructive influence of our rewilding efforts, that are all the time enormously encouraging.

Taking part within the “Autumn in Lika” Honest has develop into a convention that we particularly get pleasure from. It permits us to speak immediately with individuals of all backgrounds within the metropolis of Gospić the place we’re situated, and is strongly oriented in direction of Velebit,. We talked with lots of of younger and previous residents, in addition to guests to town, over a beautiful three-day weekend.

In 2023, for the primary time, we formally offered ourselves within the capital Zagreb with a photograph exhibition showcasing the great thing about Velebit nature. This was a unbelievable alternative to advertise the Rewilding Velebit Basis, our previous actions, and a few of our plans for the longer term, to stakeholders, media representatives, and members of the general public. The exhibition, which generated vital curiosity, obtained nice suggestions, and helped us set up new relationships, will proceed its journey this yr.

Our “Once I Develop Up I Wish to be a Wildlife Ranger” workshop is meant for kids of upper nursery faculty age and first faculty college students. Its aim is to introduce the youthful era to the wildlife of Velebit, and encourage them to be lively nature guardians – now, and after they develop up. In 2023, we held a sequence of those workshops in cities on the continental and coastal aspect of Velebit. Our purpose was to encourage contributors and their households to guard the wild animals of Velebit, and we despatched a message to over 5 hundred properties about their significance and uniqueness. As new generations of kids develop up, our workshops will acquire new contributors.

Offering inspiration

In 2023 we additionally began our instructional programme in secondary colleges. Within the Gospić Gymnasium we held a lecture for 60 college students in regards to the complexity and significance of useless wooden within the forest ecosystem. This was only the start of the programme, which we are going to develop with new matters shifting forwards. We rounded off our instructional outreach with an thrilling massive carnivore discipline journey for college students of the Karlovac College of Utilized Sciences (KUAS).

Simply as essential as kids are the stakeholders who’re immediately linked to Velebit’s wild nature – whether or not or not it’s by means of work, dwelling, custom, or interest. We think about it essential to speak immediately with them, and to assist them to dwell alongside the wildlife round them. We additionally warn individuals in regards to the well being dangers of lead ammunition. We provide non-hazardous, lead-free ammunition to hunters instead, and are hoping for a broad change in habits.

Final yr, the time was ripe to spherical off one part of our work with a brief documentary that showcased the outcomes now we have achieved up to now, and the actions now we have began and can proceed. Shot by award-winning French filmmaker Emmanuel Rondeau, “A New Path for the Velebit Mountains” drew a major viewers to its premiere in Gospić, whereas it has now been seen on-line greater than eight thousand instances.

From web sites to wearables

Final yr, we have been additionally delighted to launch our bilingual, English-Croatian web site as platform the place individuals can study Rewilding Velebit, our mission, imaginative and prescient, achievements and actions, and likewise about rewilding typically. This central pillar of our on-line communications has now attracted over a thousand customers. The variety of individuals visiting our social networks, the place we fortunately share details about our common work, in addition to different fascinating matters, elevated considerably in 2023. There we additionally obtain and reply with nice pleasure to messages and feedback from our followers.

Velebit is essentially recognised as a spot of mountains, historic forests, and spectacular views of the ocean, however in Rewilding Velebit we deal with wildlife as a very worthwhile ingredient of the Velebit’s wild nature. A particular characteristic of Velebit is the truth that three iconic European carnivores dwell right here aspect by aspect – the brown bear, gray wolf, and Eurasian lynx. As they’re troublesome to see in actual life, we determined to ship their picture to individuals as a substitute. Illustrations have been utilized to an entire vary of objects – t-shirts, material luggage, notebooks, and notepads – and have been thereby launched into lots of of properties. As model ambassadors, the bears, wolves and lynx of Velebit now stroll the streets of lots of our cities!

Transferring into 2024, we are going to proceed with our engagement efforts and additional develop and develop them. We will even launch new actions and communications channels – together with a pop/rap tune and live-streaming cameras – that may assist to attach much more individuals in Croatia and past with Velebit and its lovely nature, and to construct much more help for our ongoing efforts to help its restoration.

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