The kick-off meeting of the Kras4us project - the Interreg Italy-Slovenia Programme, took place in Izola (Campus Livade) on 5 June 2024. The main objective of the project is to develop a common strategy for the sustainable management of Natura 2000 species and habitats in the cross-border area of the Karst. The strategy will be based on conservation of green infrastructure elements (dry stone walls, ponds, dry grasslands) and development of innovative circular economy approaches that would benefit both, biodiversity conservation and local users.
After an opening address by the representative of the project's lead partner, dr. Sara Zupan from the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies at the University of Primorska (Famnit UP), who hosted the kick-off meeting, representatives of all four project partners (Famnit UP, DOPPS – BirdLife Slovenia, Škocjan Caves Park and LAG KARST) reviewed the planned activities and objectives of the project according to the individual work package, focusing on:
pilot actions to establish permanent dry grasslands through planting grass mixtures, visits of good practices and biodiversity improvements on agricultural land, removal of vegetation on Short-toed Eagle feeding grounds and updating the database of ponds,
monitoring of indicator species of birds, pollinators and vegetation in the fire-affected cross-border area of the Goriška Karst,
a pilot study on the possibility of using waste biomass from Karst areas for energy production.
The meeting was attended on behalf of the Joint secretariat by Ms. Claudia Ferluga, who provided useful advices, in particular on the implementation of communication activities. Communication is an important part of the project as it plays a key role in sharing knowledge and good practices, connecting with local stakeholders and raising awareness among the professional and general public about the importance of the Natura 2000 network and the conservation of open spaces in the cross-border Karst area.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the activities already underway in the first project period and to align future objectives. These will be discussed at the next partners' meeting scheduled for autumn 2024.
