Common pasture Gajna
- Country
- Croatia
- Site/Location
- Villages Oprisavci i Poljanci near city Slavonski Brod
- Link
- https://ipe.hr/en/publications/commons-in-south-east-europe-case-of-croatia-bosnia-herzegovina-and-macedonia/
- Contact
- bed@bed.hr
The protected common grassland of Gajna is important for biodiversity due to the extensive wet grasslands, ancient oxbows and wetland vegetation, as well as numerous alluvial depressions where water from spring and autumn floods is retained. It harbours over 250 plant species of marshy and pasture flora. Gajna is an important bird feeding and fish spawning area with more than 100 birds including cranes, plungers, coots, spoonbills, egrets, various species of ducks, swallows, river gulls, kingfishers, white storks and black storks, among others. Flooding and common grazing practices have been key to the ecological processes in this site, considering that revitalization is necessarily connected to the water level. Unfortunately, due to the abandonment of extensive grazing, the trend towards excessive growth of invasive species has become evident, which is now a common problem in the flooded areas of the Sava and Danube rivers. In addition, the lack of traditional grazing endangers not only biodiversity but also the retention capacities of flooded grasslands. Local grassroot NGO Brod Ecological Society-BED has been actively taking care of the Gajna area over the last three decades by engaging the local community and stimulating them to stick to traditional grazing, ensure a favourable water regime, combat invasive species, and preserve biodiversity through a series of projects. Gajna is also an “Ark” of reintroduced ancient and endangered domestic breeds of animals which proved to be pivotal in fighting the aggressive dispersal of invasive species with their capacity to adjust and graze in the wetlands. Also, a huge effort was made to adjust the current legal framework in order to recognize the collective form of governance through the Pasturing community of Eco-Gajna, which encompasses all the existing agricultural holdings still sticking to their traditional grazing practices. Gajna is also one of the few protected areas in Croatia with the Council of stakeholders fosters cross-sectional partnerships in order to incorporate the idea of nature conservation and protection into socioeconomic development policies and processes. The Gajna Council of stakeholders is also a place where individuals voice their concerns and conflicting interests (e.g. those of hunters, beekeepers, fishermen, conservationists, cattle holders, water and forest companies, etc.)
The protected common grassland of Gajna is important for biodiversity due to the extensive wet grasslands, ancient oxbows and wetland vegetation, as well as numerous alluvial depressions where water from spring and autumn floods is retained. It harbours over 250 plant species of marshy and pasture flora. Gajna is an important bird feeding and fish spawning area with more than 100 birds including cranes, plungers, coots, spoonbills, egrets, various species of ducks, swallows, river gulls, kingfishers, white storks and black storks, among others. Flooding and common grazing practices have been key to the ecological processes in this site, considering that revitalization is necessarily connected to the water level. Unfortunately, due to the abandonment of extensive grazing, the trend towards excessive growth of invasive species has become evident, which is now a common problem in the flooded areas of the Sava and Danube rivers. In addition, the lack of traditional grazing endangers not only biodiversity but also the retention capacities of flooded grasslands. Local grassroot NGO Brod Ecological Society-BED has been actively taking care of the Gajna area over the last three decades by engaging the local community and stimulating them to stick to traditional grazing, ensure a favourable water regime, combat invasive species, and preserve biodiversity through a series of projects. Gajna is also an “Ark” of reintroduced ancient and endangered domestic breeds of animals which proved to be pivotal in fighting the aggressive dispersal of invasive species with their capacity to adjust and graze in the wetlands. Also, a huge effort was made to adjust the current legal framework in order to recognize the collective form of governance through the Pasturing community of Eco-Gajna, which encompasses all the existing agricultural holdings still sticking to their traditional grazing practices. Gajna is also one of the few protected areas in Croatia with the Council of stakeholders fosters cross-sectional partnerships in order to incorporate the idea of nature conservation and protection into socioeconomic development policies and processes. The Gajna Council of stakeholders is also a place where individuals voice their concerns and conflicting interests (e.g. those of hunters, beekeepers, fishermen, conservationists, cattle holders, water and forest companies, etc.)
