Volunteer Center opened in Crni Lug

In Crni Lug, near Delnice, a Volunteer Center was opened today, which was created as part of the project "Volunteer Center with hostel-type accommodation facilities."

The project was implemented by the Public Institution "Risnjak National Park" within the call of the Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion in the financial period 2014-2020 "Promoting the sustainable use of natural heritage in national parks and nature parks."

Risnjak National Park was declared on September 15, 1953.

In 2013, it was concluded that the premises of the Public Institution "Risnjak National Park" are insufficient, and accommodation capacities are insufficient for the successful implementation of certain activities, such as school in nature and volunteer actions, so the project task was prepared.

The project was applied to the European Structural and Investment Fund - Competitiveness and Cohesion in 2016 and was selected for co-financing a year later, and a co-financing agreement was signed with the Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency. After the public procurement procedures, the realization of the project began, which has ended today.

The total value of the project was HRK 7,652,915.00, of which the eligible costs were HRK 6,012,899.62. The amount of HRK 5,110,964.67 was co-financed by EU grants, and the amount of HRK 901,934.95 through the Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency and the Joint Funds of Croatian Parks.

Volunteering is considered to be the voluntary investment of personal time, effort, knowledge and skills by which services or activities are performed for the benefit of another person or for the common good. Volunteering is based on volunteering and the acquisition of life competencies.

One of the key challenges and goals of the development of volunteering in the Republic of Croatia is to increase the level of volunteering in public institutions in various sectors, including the nature protection sector. In addition to providing direct support to the work of public institutions, the role of volunteers is to raise awareness of the population and visitors about the importance of protected areas and management challenges.

"The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development greatly appreciates the efforts of volunteers who are the best promoters of nature and environmental protection goals," said Igor Kreitmeyer, director of the Nature Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, and announced that project documentation for mountain homes Snježnik and Risnjak who will be applied for funding from EU funds.