Presentation of the project of Veliki Pazut habitat mapping

09.01.2012.

The Association for Research and popularization of science, "Baobab", Ecological society of Koprivnica and Public institution for the management of protected natural values ​​in the Koprivnica-Krizevci county organized the presentation of the project of Veliki Pazut habitat mapping on Wednesday, 11 January 2012 at 11 am at City Hall in Koprivnica.
The project was presented by Goran Safarek and Zeljka Kolar.
The protected area of ​​the Special Ornitological Reserve Veliki Pazut stretches between the rivers Mura and Drava. The special feature of this area is the river dynamics that constantly creates a very rare habitat. The narrow area along the river is very well preserved, with no significant adverse human impacts. Rivers Mura and Drava are among the last living rivers in Europe, with numerous natural, preserved areas, primarily steep river banks and bare gravel and sand banks. They are also very well preserved forests of willow and poplar. Nevertheless, there has never been a systematical research of this area, especially in relation to legislation and nature conservation. Plants and birds have traditionally been the most studied groups because the EU has based their Habitat Directive and Bird Directive on this research. Therefore, the Public Institution for Protected Natural Values ​​in Koprivnica-Krizevci county  launched the project of habitat mapping carried out by the biologist Goran Safarek. This research will be followed by inventorisation of birds and plants, while other studies will be carried out on the basis of habitat maps, such as.
This research is the confirmation of the enormous importance of the wider area of ​​the Mura – Drava confluence for the preservation of natural diversity, as well as natural flood control, water purification and erosion protection.