19.05.2021, 08:27h
Krka NP is the ideal destination for volunteers wanting to get to know Croatia's natural beauty
In the next three months, a young Dutchman will volunteer for three months on the project “Opinion researcher – Krka’s green ranger”
In recent years, the Public Institute of Krka National Park has implemented a volunteer programme, allowing interested individuals to get involved in activities that are systematically implemented in protected areas. One such volunteer is 23-year-old Nicolás Fernando Matias van Dam of the Netherlands. During his three month stay in Šibenik, Nicolás will conduct activities in the project “Opinion researcher – Krka’s green ranger”, to contribute to the protection and promotion of the values of Krka National Park.
Including volunteers in the work of the Public Institute of Krka National Park improves the work and management of the park. As one of the Krka’s green rangers, volunteers will survey park visitors using a standard survey form, and inform them of the wealth of natural, cultural and historical heritage in the park, of the natural processes unfolding within the park, and how the visitation system is managed. The results obtained through the collection of visitor opinions will contribute toward improving the content and services offered by the park, and will strengthen communications with visitors. The data can also serve as guidelines for planning future park activities.
We believe that Nicolás will also have plenty of time to visit numerous sites in the park and get to know them well. Through volunteering, young people can acquire new experiences, strengthen their communication skills, enrich their professional knowledge, get to know our visitors, the local population and the public institute, make new friends and expand their social networks, and all this will be made complete with time spent in the exceptional natural beauty of the Krka River.
Through the EU Natura 2000 integration project (NIP), the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development has launched the volunteer programme in nature and national parks, entitled “Development of volunteer programmes in Croatian national parks and nature parks”. The aim of the project is to increase the visibility of the volunteer activities at the local, national and international levels.
The volunteer programme is a new step in the valorisation of the Krka Eco Campus at Puljane, where the Public Institute of Krka National Park is developing a significant volunteer centre, which will facilitate the development of volunteer activities in the park, and will contribute overall to nature conservation.
