University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture

University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture (FAZ) is the leading insitutution in the field of agricultural and related science and the profession in Croatia. With over 200 reserachers and 28 laboratories and 6 experimental stations intended for teaching, and scientific and tehcnical acitivites. FAZ continuously endeavours to acquire, develop and transfer knowledge in order to educate our students.

As the institution that coordinates the project, the Faculty of Agriculture provides support to the entire project team so that the execution of the entire project proceeds in accordance with the financed plan. The achievement of the three main goals of the project depends on numerous intersectoral results that should be timely and of high quality, and the level of cooperation and quality should ensure the value of the project as a good example for future similar endeavors in ensuring the sustainable coexistence of people and endangered species. Quality project results are ensured by the inclusion of expertise from animal genetics, sustainable fisheries, invasive species of freshwater ecosystems and sustainable agriculture.

The Faculty of Agriculture leads project management and coordinates the entire project by ensuring good communication between partner institutions and minimizing risks, in accordance with the Partnership Agreement, the Project Plan and the time and financial schedule. These activities include: regular reporting within the project consortium, but also reporting responsibility towards project financiers and ensuring the administrative framework of the entire operation in accordance with laws and regulations, such as securing permits for project activities and locations.

For the restoration and improvement of the habitat for the river turtle, the Faculty of Agriculture wants to ensure the involvement of the public in the development of guidelines and finding ways for the long-term restoration and maintenance of karst Mediterranean pools, canals and watercourses and nesting sites for turtles in project locations within five different Natura 2000 areas through the thematic preparation and management of several workshops, educational seminars and targeted counseling. It is important to find sustainable solutions for agrotechnical measures and procedures, as well as the production of food and nutrients on areas where it has been shown that these endangered animals breed in their natural habitat (and on private land). In order to reduce the threat in the places where these rare animals feed, in watercourses and puddles, we want to reduce the possibility of their suffering from indiscriminate fishing gear, and we will design, test, register and distribute research and fishing tools that reduce the catch and death of turtles. These activities include the assessment and removal of invasive species of animals and plants in freshwater habitats. To restore the population of river turtles in Stonsko polje, the Faculty of Agriculture manages the conservation breeding of this endangered animal species and mechanisms for the safe return of new animals from the ex situ environment back to the natural habitat. This part of the work includes, among other things, genetic monitoring. In order to ensure the catalytic reach of our findings and results in this project for other species of freshwater turtles in the Mediterranean, as well as in other countries where the river turtle lives, they will actively work on establishing cooperation with Mediterranean countries with a special emphasis on Montenegro, Albania, Greece and Cyprus.