General
- A new five-year plan has been developed for the period 2015-19 that outlines all the activities and results we are planning to achieve. A dedicated “Rewilding Velebit” entity was established (“Udruga Divljina Velebita” in Croatian).
- The Rewilding team has been further increased, now comprising a team leader and rewilding/enterprise, communications and wildlife officers.
- Significant time was invested in establishing and further strengthening working relationships with key stakeholders in Croatia. Important meetings about Rewilding Velebit were held with a number of authorities, such as the Ministry of Agriculture, and in particular the heads of the Hunting and Forestry Departments, the State Institute for Nature Protection, the Ministry of the Environment and Nature Protection, the directors of Paklenica and North Velebit National Parks and the Velebit Nature Park. We presented and discussed our vision, plans and objectives for the area and explored further cooperation with these institutions.
- In 2015 we purchased the majority of shares in a newly established company (Lagosta d.o.o.) which owns a 17,000 hectare hunting concession. This is a very relevant and significant development for our work in Velebit, establishing a priority area where concentrate some rewilding and enterprise activities.
- Rewilding Velebit d.o.o. further strengthened by a new board member.
- A five-year partnership agreement was signed with the board of Rewilding Velebit in 2017 on the development of the Velebit Mountains as a major rewilding initiative.