PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Short name: RED FAITH

Objectives of the project: The focus of the project is the preserving/restoring ecological diversity of the forests and involved Natura 2000 sites by introducing the technology of airborne monitoring, and thus prevent the spread of invasive species, diseases, insects and other damages. However, it has a direct positive impact on ecotourism in different manners: On one hand the more efficient monitoring contributes to more prudent forest management, faster reactions to hazards, protection of habitats. This way the conditions of forests – which are important destinations of ecotourism – will be improved. RED FAITH fulfills the development priority of the Tourism Handbook of ’Preservation and sustainable development of all natural landscapes and particularly of all protected natural areas’. On the other hand by equipping forest schools with multimedia devices and renovating the forest house at Tikves, which gives place for the forest school on CR side, the ‘Development of facilities and services enabling the creation of a competitive ecotourism product’ development priority will be also supported. The aim of ‘Development of events dedicated to certain type of plants, animals, biotopes (swamps, beech forests, steppes etc.)’ and the requirement that ‘Special attention should be paid to programmes for school-age children’ will be also met by organizing forest schools for 100 children.  These developments will have positive effects on the number of visitors of the surrounding settlements of Zone B in Osječko-baranjska County, like Beli Manastir, Bilje, Darda, Čeminac, Draž, etc. As a result of the project the ecotourism conditions will be improved on both sides of the border, and public will be better informed on the natural values and manifold functionality of forest areas.

Lead Beneficiary:Government of Baranya County

Beneficiary: Mecsekerdő Zrt., Hrvatske šume društvo s ograničenom odgovornošću, Fakultet Za Odgojne I Obrazovne Znanosti

Total project budget: 485.401,94 EUR

EU Contribution ( whole project): 412.591,64 EUR

EU Contribution ( project sections): Government of Baranya County: 58.8001,85 EUR, Mecsekerdő Zrt.: 166.079,32 EUR, Hrvatske šume društvo s ograničenom odgovornošću: 172.155,81 EUR, Fakultet Za Odgojne I Obrazovne Znanosti: 15.555 EUR

Start date of the project: 2017.10.01

End date of the project: 2019.05.31